Triticale - who is thinking of growing it?

celtis man · May 1, 2022

We used to grow triticale for a few years but had to stop as it was bad for germinating in the ear when ready to combine in early August

it would not take much warm rain to set it off. Shame really as it was cheap to grow and binova would yield well, but that variety went and what followed was crap so we now grow spring barley.

Kevtherev · May 2, 2022

I

eulb said:
Any ideas who’d have seed?

I bought it off someone on bff last time.

If you can’t get any seed then forage rye would be an alternative.
(Should be available)

Barmyfarmer · May 2, 2022

If one of the negatives for triticale is frost damage and I don't want to drill it to late into autumn because we are on heavy ground is grazing it with sheep an option if it gets a bit forward? Think it's meant to taste bitter which keeps rabbits and deer off but if the sheep are hungry enough I'm sure they would take a liking to it if they had to

ollie989898 · May 2, 2022

Barmyfarmer said:
If one of the negatives for triticale is frost damage and I don't want to drill it to late into autumn because we are on heavy ground is grazing it with sheep an option if it gets a bit forward? Think it's meant to taste bitter which keeps rabbits and deer off but if the sheep are hungry enough I'm sure they would take a liking to it if they had to

I definitely would not go drilling triticale late into cold, wet ground or slop. It won't like it. Wheat will stick punishment.

Chrisw · May 2, 2022

We have been growing trit for aboit 10 years and have found it to be very forgiving in relation to weather but it doesnt like water logging, but few crops do

Simon Chiles · May 2, 2022

Barmyfarmer said:
If one of the negatives for triticale is frost damage and I don't want to drill it to late into autumn because we are on heavy ground is grazing it with sheep an option if it gets a bit forward? Think it's meant to taste bitter which keeps rabbits and deer off but if the sheep are hungry enough I'm sure they would take a liking to it if they had to

Personally I wouldn’t worry too much about frost damage, in my experience it’s only ever been minimal and drilling it a bit earlier would more than make up the yield you may, or may not, loose due to the frost. Heavier soil tends to lay colder in winter anyway. I’d be happy to drill triticale late September early October.

robbie · May 3, 2022

ollie989898 said:
I definitely would not go drilling triticale late into cold, wet ground or slop. It won't like it. Wheat will stick punishment.

Ive got some November drilled spring triticale and that's doing ok. I did wonder if it would get too proud but it hasn't and is at about leaf 2 emergence.
Spring triticale is a did for not tillering(or atleast this variety is) so I thought I'd try it in the autumn but it still hasn't tillered anymore than if it was drilled in the spring.

I like it as a crop am planning plan 20 odd ha next year but I think I'll try winter instead. Rue is another option but I'm waiting to here what they're offering for it and the down side is hellishly expensive seed.

Huno · May 3, 2022

Really like spring triticale compared to spring barley as in AB 14 it needed no inputs and yielded 4 tonne per Ha planted in March and Combined in July 21.. In the absence of a proper market for it we only planted it as AB9 spring wild bird food this year and with no inputs the birds can combine it.... it needs marketing as it is a great crop as an alternative to wheat

Huno · May 3, 2022

Simon Chiles said:
Personally I wouldn’t worry too much about frost damage, in my experience it’s only ever been minimal and drilling it a bit earlier would more than make up the yield you may, or may not, loose due to the frost. Heavier soil tends to lay colder in winter anyway. I’d be happy to drill triticale late September early October.

Always worry about frost damage if you are a uk farmer!! What a daft comment

Will 1594 · May 3, 2022

eulb said:
Any ideas who’d have seed?

I bought it off someone on bff last time.

How much do you need

ploughman1963 · May 3, 2022

Barmyfarmer said:
If one of the negatives for triticale is frost damage and I don't want to drill it to late into autumn because we are on heavy ground is grazing it with sheep an option if it gets a bit forward? Think it's meant to taste bitter which keeps rabbits and deer off but if the sheep are hungry enough I'm sure they would take a liking to it if they had to

Our trit was looking very forward coming out of winter so the agronomist agreed we should graze our ewes and lambs on it. Looked a bit rough and open when the sheep came off but looking really well again now

Simon Chiles · May 3, 2022

Base Farmer John H said:
Always worry about frost damage if you are a uk farmer!! What a daft comment

OK, fair enough, if you want to worry about it feel free. I’ve grown triticale for as long as I can remember and the frost damage has been both rare and minimal. I have also read numerous trials and reports on frost damage and their findings were in line with my experience. I don’t worry about frost damage so my advice would still be not too. My triticale is already in ear.

Brisel · May 3, 2022

Always best to look at the location of the poster to get an idea of context!

warksfarmer · May 4, 2022

lou89 said:
Who is growing triticale this year? Or are you thinking of including it in your rotation for 2019?

A long term research project is being carried out by AHDB/ADAS into growing triticale, showing it can be sown later and harvested earlier and so can be useful in a rotation. Does this sort of research sway you or would you prefer to hear from actual farmers on their experiences?

I have attached a picture of Securo and KWS Fido from our untreated trials this year where it demonstrates how well triticale performs in terms of smothering.

View attachment 588294

We are looking to hear from and speak to farmers considering triticale. Please tag anyone you know who maybe considering it

Very underwhelming crop. Looks great on paper but not so good in reality. We tried 60 acres. 2/3 went for AD and a 1/3 was combined. Getting rid of the harvested grain was a slow process and discounted to wheat. Getting rid of the straw in the trade was nigh on impossible so it was used in a biomass boiler. It’s slightly more waxy than wheat so didn’t burn as well. Grain yield wasn’t great at 3t/acre.
It goes flat very easily as well.

Simon Chiles · May 4, 2022

warksfarmer said:
Very underwhelming crop. Looks great on paper but not so good in reality. We tried 60 acres. 2/3 went for AD and a 1/3 was combined. Getting rid of the harvested grain was a slow process and discounted to wheat. Getting rid of the straw in the trade was nigh on impossible so it was used in a biomass boiler. It’s slightly more waxy than wheat so didn’t burn as well. Grain yield wasn’t great at 3t/acre.
It goes flat very easily as well.

I’d agree that selling triticale is definitely difficult if you haven’t got a use for it yourself, or a neighbour, for feed or you grow it on a seed contract.
I personally wouldn’t grow it on land that could consistently yield 4 plus tonnes of wheat although I do know of a seed producer who did and regularly achieved 4-4.5 tonnes.
On more marginal land it will achieve comparable yield to wheat at a fraction of the input costs.
I’ve never had it go completely flat despite normally being chest height. I’ve had it lean over when we’ve had strong winds and heavy rain just before harvest but there’s always been at least a foot underneath it to get the knife under it.
We bale the straw up for the equestrian market in conventional bales, my customers like it because it tends to be less dusty than wheat. I attribute this to its better disease resistance.

czechmate · May 4, 2022

Simon Chiles said:
OK, fair enough, if you want to worry about it feel free. I’ve grown triticale for as long as I can remember and the frost damage has been both rare and minimal. I have also read numerous trials and reports on frost damage and their findings were in line with my experience. I don’t worry about frost damage so my advice would still be not too. My triticale is already in ear.

its the most common cereal in this area and I always do some for insurance really. A few years back we did have a late frost and mine was down in a low valley, my friend had some up on the top of a hill. His crop was fine, mine despite looking the much better crop hardly had any grain at all. It must have been down to the frost

Triticale - who is thinking of growing it?

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