The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: harry on March 08, 2012, 08:20:53 pm

Title: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 08, 2012, 08:20:53 pm
anyone useing spent grain.. ive just got my first batch of 10 sacks freshly boiled still warm ,,, whats the best way to store it for up 2 weeks
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 08, 2012, 08:52:27 pm
it wont keep for two weeks not even for one week it will go mouldy you never said you were getting 10 BAGS of it at one time :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 08, 2012, 09:13:39 pm
i didnt know what i was going to get........ info on computer states it should be ok for 3 weeks in winter 2 weeks in summer,,,, covered up in cool place covered with black plastic... wondered if anyones done this.... also been told cover top with salt???
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 08, 2012, 09:25:30 pm
i only get 3 bags at a time if left in bags it goes of you will smell the difference if put in a trug it still goes of  how many pigs have you got     covered with poly it does not breath an old sheet or blanket just to keep the birds off it :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: reedos on March 08, 2012, 09:32:34 pm
I've no idea how long it lasts for Harry - I e mailed our local small brewer and asked what they did with their waste, they didn't reply!

If it won't last that long, where abouts are you - maybe somebody on here would take some off your hands rather than let it go mouldy
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: shep53 on March 08, 2012, 09:37:31 pm
Used to buy an arctic load for the sheep, tipped onto concrete, spread about 30" deep covered in salt and a plastic sheet on top ,lasted for weeks :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 10, 2012, 08:43:04 pm
trouble is the grain is free how much does salt cost,,, how deep is the salt.......other option  yes i may share it with someone..... got 7 kunes about 8 months old so nearly ready, .... other option may get 50 poultry growers ..... i emailes about 10 micro brewerys got 3 replies one result.
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: princesspiggy on March 10, 2012, 08:59:59 pm
where abouts r u?

is salt not dangerous to pigs as they cant sweat it out?
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 11, 2012, 09:05:27 am
yes pp, salt is dangerous to pigs and can die if they get too much. pigs do not sweat :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 11, 2012, 12:30:44 pm
thats answered my other question........ if i cover it with salt do i feed the pigs the sal;t as well....... obviously NO,
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: xemonsus on March 11, 2012, 06:15:54 pm
We had 6 bags in Jan/Feb and only just finished it 2 weeks ago, kept fine wrapped up in its bags and inside our dustbins didnt change in sent in the time we had it, both the pigs and goats loved it. We did have one bag that was a different grain to the others (it was also wetter) no one liked that but the other bags kept fine in the cold. ;D
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 11, 2012, 07:51:16 pm
EXEMONSUS   thanks for advice but ive read it sevaral times and cant make sense of it, ie " didnt change in sent in the time we had it,"  ??? ??? ??? try again as i could do it your way, did you use black bin bags, did you use wheely bin or tin dust bin. Robert says it goes of in bags????? wonder if i store it in wheely bin in shade  no bags in the dark.
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: xemonsus on March 11, 2012, 07:55:26 pm
I ment the smell didnt change at all it didnt smell sour at any point. We left it in the bags it came in they were double lined plastic ones i assume the ones the grain was deliverd to the brewery in. We then put them in plastic dustbins (did have to cram them in). Worked for us i hope you find a way too  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 11, 2012, 08:22:38 pm
maybe the meathod of the brew is different   we get ours in the double lined bags as well and it defiantly changes the aroma after a few days in them changes to sour    i decant into trug's for ease of scooping :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 11, 2012, 08:33:19 pm
yes got mine in the double plastic bags they were origanaly delived in.... no change in smell yet after 4 days just left in my trailer outside... will bung then into the wheely bin tommorrow and move them to a dark place
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: xemonsus on March 11, 2012, 09:45:26 pm
Maybe Robert i have no idea what goes on in a brewery just that their waste is a welcome free treat on our yard! ;D
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 11, 2012, 10:02:32 pm
ah but it is not free you have to go and collect it and that costs money ;) :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: princesspiggy on March 11, 2012, 11:20:19 pm
how do u feed this grain, i presume its barley. how much pig nuts can it replace - 50%?
is it any breweries wer r talking about? tempted to try some now wev 5 adults. any places near peterhead?
keep us updated harry cos its interesting to read  ;) ;)
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: princesspiggy on March 11, 2012, 11:54:46 pm
are we talking beer breweries or whisky breweries? or does it not matter? and is it legal to feed it? ta
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: robert waddell on March 12, 2012, 12:12:20 am
perfectly legal to feed it
harry gets his from a micro brewery
the big distillery's/brewers will not entertain small users you have to go through a feed merchant
it is a supplement like fruit/veg
 :farmer:
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: princesspiggy on March 12, 2012, 12:23:51 am
ta, im off to try... :D :D :D
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: anderso on March 12, 2012, 01:21:28 am
Hi - used to deliver this stuff in 25 tonne loads to farmers and small holders all over the South of England - Just upended the load on to the concreate floor or into the barns on to a bed of straw - they then covered with a tarp lasted them about a month - when I askedhow they feed it they all said "mix it with some nuts and thee animal love it....
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 12, 2012, 07:55:49 am
all large brewerys are contracted to feed merchants, only worth trying micro brewerys... i got lucky i emailed just after the person that used to take it moved away. i went to 2 micros and they both used about 10 bags once every 2 weeks. Again lucky cos mines on the way home after work so no extra travel involved. Google spent brewers grain for info ..its only crushed and boiled grain .not sure how benificial it is as there poo is nearly all grain husks now but they must be getting something out of it, also been told feed this and no more pellets or rolls.mine have free range to root etc
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: xemonsus on March 12, 2012, 08:17:28 am
We are lucky as ours is picked up from a brewery on route to our holding so not bad fuel wise. We fed it along with nuts and fruit just reduced the total amount fed of each :)
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on March 20, 2012, 08:54:06 pm
update..... i put it all in tin bins with a hole in the bottom for drainage, covered it with white plastic and 2 weeks on its still ok smells fine.
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on April 01, 2012, 03:49:20 pm
anyone ever tried freezing this grain.... i have an old chest freezer thought i might fill it with half bags and freeze it, take it out a half bag at a time and thaw it for next day.... thought it would stop mould and bacteria now its getting warmer.
Title: Re: spent brewers grain
Post by: harry on April 06, 2012, 07:53:30 pm
ok.... frooze some waste grain it went like rock.... experimenting now, got one chest freezer full, freezer not working so just useing it to keep grain cool outside insulated  from sunshine,,,, and another working  one full switched on low. also old chest freezer not working good for feed storage ie vermin proof etc