Crimping grain

Location
Devon
Do anybody on here crimp barley/wheat for cattle instead of conventional harvesting and what are the good/ bad points about crimping corn and have you any advice for doing it ( ie : how to store it/ best % to cut at etc etc

( just that i'm thinking of crimping a lot of my grain for various reasons )

Thanks

Should add it prob wont be fed until the start of next spring thru to harvest as still have a large carry over of 2012 grain!
 
There'll be others i'm sure who are far more knowledgeable and experienced in crimping who'll have plenty of advice for you, but to start you off as far as I know...

The pros: 3 weeks (ish) earlier to harvest (and therefore prompter entry into OSR, forage crops, stale seedbed opportunity etc), higher nutritive value, greater palatability, safer to feed at higher ration inclusion rates than dry grain.

The drawbacks: what put me off crimping was the difficulty in finding a contractor with a crimper and additive applicator, also the loss of flexibility in how to use your cereals (dried grain can be sold or fed in response to the beef/cereal price over the following 12 months whereas crimped grain is committed to feeding), and also what to do with the green straw - can be wrapped as 'strawlage' but i'm not particularly keen on that. Furthermore, we don't actually have a proper clamp, and the idea of building a make-shift one from bales sounds like asking for a rodent apocalypse!!!!

If you've got a clamp, a contractor and an idea of what to do with the straw then i'd say give it a go (y)

This seems to be the most useful guide I found: http://www.hakmet.com/images/Agri/CrimpingGuide.pdf

Let us know how you get on!
 

An Gof

Member
Location
Cornwall
Neighbour crimps Triticale for beef cattle. Used Trit as cheap to grow with plenty of straw. By cutting early for crimp he avoids the sprouting problems. He has been using the system for many years. Quite a lot if grain crimped in SE Cornwall with several crimping contractors about.
Ian Gordon from FSL Bells got a lot if people started on this many years ago. You could also get information from Kelvin Cave.
HTH

An Gof
 
Location
Devon
There'll be others i'm sure who are far more knowledgeable and experienced in crimping who'll have plenty of advice for you, but to start you off as far as I know...

The pros: 3 weeks (ish) earlier to harvest (and therefore prompter entry into OSR, forage crops, stale seedbed opportunity etc), higher nutritive value, greater palatability, safer to feed at higher ration inclusion rates than dry grain.

The drawbacks: what put me off crimping was the difficulty in finding a contractor with a crimper and additive applicator, also the loss of flexibility in how to use your cereals (dried grain can be sold or fed in response to the beef/cereal price over the following 12 months whereas crimped grain is committed to feeding), and also what to do with the green straw - can be wrapped as 'strawlage' but i'm not particularly keen on that. Furthermore, we don't actually have a proper clamp, and the idea of building a make-shift one from bales sounds like asking for a rodent apocalypse!!!!

If you've got a clamp, a contractor and an idea of what to do with the straw then i'd say give it a go (y)

This seems to be the most useful guide I found: http://www.hakmet.com/images/Agri/CrimpingGuide.pdf

Let us know how you get on!

Thanks, some very usefull info,

Covering your main points, I have my own crimper so that side of things shouldn't be a prob, use a contractor for cutting who may not be too happy cutting high % grain! as for the straw I hate the idea of strawlage as well, ( esp given the price of straw down here ) but I use an old type machine ( no idea what its called as I inherited it!! ) that is good for turning straw to help it dry ) you are right about the loss of flexibility on using the grain as feed or selling it but unless stores get crazy money I will keep on buying them!

Biggest prob I have is the clamp as I don't have one, I was wondering about putting down a concrete pad and storing it on that?? wouldn't actually have any side's and wouldn't use bale's for the reasons you state, would that be feasible or too much wastage??

Plus side for crimping this year is that its all spring crops and I want to get a lot of forage crops drilled for the sheep next winter so crimping would help clear the fields a tad quicker + would get more straw from the spring barley as it will be cut a bit green so shouldn't break up like it usually does.
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
We used to crimp 300 acres every year for a long time , can't think of any disadvantages plenty of advantages including higher feed value saffer to feed easier to harvest better yield through less grain loss , only small down side straw will need a few more days to dry but will feed a lot better


As for selling it, dairy farmers will be banging at yo your door as they know how good it is

Mash filter grains a ft cover on top will seal it off and keep rats out
 
Location
Devon
We used to crimp 300 acres every year for a long time , can't think of any disadvantages plenty of advantages including higher feed value saffer to feed easier to harvest better yield through less grain loss , only small down side straw will need a few more days to dry but will feed a lot better


As for selling it, dairy farmers will be banging at yo your door as they know how good it is

Mash filter grains a ft cover on top will seal it off and keep rats out

What do you mean by filter grains??

Hell you learn something new every day :) I didn't know rats hate lime...
 
Location
Devon
maybe invest in some farm cats.

HA HA got plenty of those bloody pesky things!! only good thou for sun bathing or sitting in the middle of the bloody yard getting in the way of the tractors as they drive in and out!!!! if they see a rat walking by they look up... sigh... and go back to sleep!!
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
Mash filter grains is milled grains from brewers used to get ours from Brains on Cardiff , it will seal the top so you don't get any waste and for bulls you won't need any added protien as grains will lift it

Rats will hole the sheet if not carefull so a byproduct is a good way of preventing this as it don't go off like crimp
 

Derrick Hughes

Member
Location
Ceredigion
And make sure it's wet enough a good water supply near the mill if to dry,

And open the combine right out as long as it don't block so nothing goes over the back you ain't looking for a clean sample
 

bigw

Member
Location
Scotland
http://www.kelvincave.com/agricultural/grain-crimping-slash-your-costs-by-feeding-crimped-grain/ Ian Hall is the man to speak to.

We have crimped for years, it makes good stuff and we have crimped grain from 25%-40% i always like to get it a bit riper as it makes the straw baling a bit easier. That would be the biggest downside especially it the weather is poor as it can take a bit of work to get fit to bale, if you want it for feeding then baling it on the back of the combine and wrapping it makes a good job. Rats will eat it so need to put bait down. If you not have a clamp either make a wedge or get it bagged up, Ian would keep you right i have his number if you want it.

We have also done some maxxamon treating of grain which requires it to be under 25% and it makes really good feeding for cattle and the straw is easier to get baled up.
 

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