# Feed concerns



## Bryannjamie (Nov 14, 2010)

Does anyone keep up on GM feeds and which brands claim not to be?  I have a hay farmer who does not use GM and of course we dont either, but the lactating does usually get feed and I dont want to drink milk that is contaminated.

Dont bother lecturing me that its fine, I have read enough and talked to enough farmers to know it isnt.  For us, the main reason to farm is to feed the family healthier food


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## patandchickens (Nov 14, 2010)

Any source that is certified organic is, in theory, non-GMO. 

Or ask around for local sources (be prepared for a certain amount of eye-rolling and lecturing from the feedstore guy and whoever else you ask), bearing in mind that if it is not *certified* organic then it is not *necessarily* non-GMO just cuz it's billed as organic/natural/no-chemicals/traditional/whatever.

I do not believe that any commercial brands of feeds OTHER THAN things billing themselves as certified organic are believably GMO-free, since they are likely to source whatever's handy and cheap at the moment.

Pat


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## warthog (Nov 14, 2010)

I would agree, the only way to be SURE, is 'certified' organic.


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## Ariel301 (Nov 15, 2010)

Yes, go with something certified organic by a reliable certification. I don't know if it extends to animal feed, but recently in the United States they passed a law saying that foods can no longer have a label on them claiming to  be "GMO free" because they don't want anyone implying that there is something inferior about GMO products...


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## goodgirlmolly (Dec 6, 2010)

I trust Poulin & have used their organic grains for years.  They are a family owned business.  I also like Green Mountain feeds.  I stay way way away from any Cargill "organic" feeds because I don't trust them one bit.  I like to use family owned feed businesses as sometimes even their non organic feeds contain no GMO's.
Just a note - it is nearly impossible to find a grain that is 100% non contaminated.  There are some good documentaries about our food as it relates to Monsanto etc.
Good luck with your search!


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## freemotion (Dec 6, 2010)

You can reduce your organic grain costs by buying whole grains and slightly sprouting them.  That doesn't answer your question, but it is a money-saving tip!


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## Ariel301 (Dec 6, 2010)

goodgirlmolly said:
			
		

> I trust Poulin & have used their organic grains for years.  They are a family owned business.  I also like Green Mountain feeds.  I stay way way away from any Cargill "organic" feeds because I don't trust them one bit.  I like to use family owned feed businesses as sometimes even their non organic feeds contain no GMO's.
> Just a note - it is nearly impossible to find a grain that is 100% non contaminated.  There are some good documentaries about our food as it relates to Monsanto etc.
> Good luck with your search!


Cargill is marketing an "organic" feed? Seems to be against their principles, as they're one of the big names in GMO crop development. :/ It is definitely difficult to be sure your feed is 100% non contaminated, as a GMO growing farm might be right next door to a farm growing an old heirloom variety, because of cross pollination and things getting blown around in the wind, things can get mixed up. 

I wish it wasn't so expensive to feed our animals (and ourselves) organic, non GMO foods exclusively. It seems like the healthier the food, the more it costs!


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## freemotion (Dec 6, 2010)

Shoot, I wouldn't by any feed from Cargill just on principle.....and their record of deceptiveness.


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## Bryannjamie (Dec 12, 2010)

Freemotion, you mean taking scratch grains and get them wet so they sprout a little and feed it to them?   I am going to try that.  
I have seen enough on Monsanto to cause me to look for organics.  from what I gather, we will know who is contaminated by who gets forced to be GMO.

thanks all


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## freemotion (Dec 12, 2010)

Bryannjamie said:
			
		

> Freemotion, you mean taking scratch grains and get them wet so they sprout a little and feed it to them?   I am going to try that.
> I have seen enough on Monsanto to cause me to look for organics.  from what I gather, we will know who is contaminated by who gets forced to be GMO.
> 
> thanks all


If the scratch grains you can get are whole and not crimped or steamed, yes, that would work.  I use whole oats or whole barley, and would love to use wheat or other grains if I could get it.  I soak them for a day, then transfer them to a drilled bucket and rinse them daily until they sprout, then feed them to my goats and poultry.  Just as the sprout emerges, then a little more as it grows, but not to the green stage.  I usually have three big buckets going, sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on how many critters are eating, time of year, etc.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Dec 20, 2010)

If you are really going to be purist, find out if the source of your plain grain tests to make sure it hasn't been contaminated by GMO, because that happens, and that is how Monsanto is making a killing from farmers. The wind spreads the GMOs pollen and then before you know it all grain will be GMO, and of course Monsanto is accusing farmers who's crops have been pollinated by gmo pollen against their desire of "keeping seed" and then they sue them. Monsanto disgusts me.


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## Bryannjamie (Dec 20, 2010)

Oh, I am well versed on the evils of Monsanto, and how poorly it affects everyone.  My opinion- NWO- one world food source, its coming


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## freemotion (Dec 20, 2010)

You can also reduce grain costs by feeding chopped veggies.  Do you have room to grow them yourself?  I am feeding mangels that I grew to my one lactating doe and she loves them.  There was a learning curve to growing them.  This was my third year, and my first real crop.  They didn't do well in the two previous rainy years, but this past drought year, I watered.  

I add the mangels to the sprouted grains to stretch them and to add variety to her diet.  I also had a few squashes that I accidentally forgot in the garage that froze, and she loves those, too.

I cleaned up my garden and the neighbor's garden (organic, too) and got some overgrown kohlrabi, turnips, mis-shaped carrots, beets, and various holey greens.  Makes great milk.  Fed on the milking stand, I don't notice any off taste in the milk.

I have a client who eats a lot of organic fresh veggies purchased in the grocery store, and she saves all trimmings and unused veggies in the freezer for me and I bring them home in a cooler every two weeks.  Mya's favorites are brussells sprouts trimmings and the big leafy stems from cauliflower.  I get 2-4 days worth of trimmings just from this one trusted person.  Some people just hate to see anything go to waste, just gotta find these people!


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## rebelINny (Dec 21, 2010)

My goats LOVE all the leftover brussel sprouts and greens and cauliflower and cabbage leaves too! And the carrot greens. They hate peas though :/.


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## MsPony (Dec 25, 2010)

Besides what Free said, I would email/call different feed places. I use Oxbow for my rabbit(s), and while their "normal" line isnt certified, they ARE organic, but the farms around them arent so they cant be certified. Politics, semantics, blegh.

Btw, Dynamite (Marketing) is the only 100% "big name" organic from start to finish, in the warehouses they spray diatomaceous earth compared to other places that in warehouse, spray pesticides. I use their grain for every single animal (dog even gets a handful as a treat) and love it.


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