As grain and hay prices soar, a Northern California company says it has a way to feed livestock for a fraction of the cost.
Grow your own.
It's hardly an original idea. But this model, called Fodder Solutions, doesn't require vast amounts of land, good weather, field hands or even a tractor - just a large shipping container, plastic trays, grow lights and an automated climate system. And it only takes six days to grow a crop of grain sprouts large enough to feed 300 dairy cattle a day, or 800 horses, or 400,000 chickens. The grower can choose organic or conventional seeds, and the process is chemical free.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Hydroponic-sprouts-hyped-as-animal-feed-4215446.php