Barley Protein levels

[Zippy768]

So we home mix feed with a large percentage of barley.
Had the mix tested and cam back about 12% protein, way down on what I expected.
So then had the barley tested, and came back at 6% - I was budgeting on around 11/12%.

I only grew feed cereals and have no Idea on protein. So why would that crop had been so low and how do I increase it?
It was winter barley 2023 crop.
Will get this years tested

 

[Woody j]

So we home mix feed with a large percentage of barley.
Had the mix tested and cam back about 12% protein, way down on what I expected.
So then had the barley tested, and came back at 6% - I was budgeting on around 11/12%.

I only grew feed cereals and have no Idea on protein. So why would that crop had been so low and how do I increase it?
It was winter barley 2023 crop.
Will get this years tested

Never seen barley as low as 6% always 9-11 here, are sure it was tested correctly

 

[spin cycle]

So we home mix feed with a large percentage of barley.
Had the mix tested and cam back about 12% protein, way down on what I expected.
So then had the barley tested, and came back at 6% - I was budgeting on around 11/12%.

I only grew feed cereals and have no Idea on protein. So why would that crop had been so low and how do I increase it?
It was winter barley 2023 crop.
Will get this years tested

sounds fishy...6% protein is 1% nitrogen.....lowest n I ever had wad 1.25 in specialist malter

almost like they have a test button on the machine and pressed/read that by mistake?

 

[Zippy768]

Never seen barley as low as 6% always 9-11 here, are sure it was tested correctly

sounds fishy...6% protein is 1% nitrogen.....lowest n I ever had wad 1.25 in specialist malter

almost like they have a test button on the machine and pressed/read that by mistake?

So it was tested through the vets. She was mushing about and got chatting about the feed. She offered to test it. With a low 12% protein of the mix, so tested barley as well.

 

[Zippy768]

Can protein levels be varietal?

 

[spin cycle]

Can protein levels be varietal?

oh yeah....most of protein is in the skin so shape /surface area is big influence

 

[Zippy768]

Sensation was the variety last time. 4 rower. Nice variety

 

[Woody j]

Sensation was the variety last time. 4 rower. Nice variety

6 row

 

[Zippy768]

6 row

Yeppy

 

[thorpe]

ive never had our barley analised, to many variable's winter, spring, variety,and 9 fields oop's 12 better not forget to cut 3

 

[Jerry]

Im feeding whole barley/wheat plus a protein pellet at moment to lambs.

Feed co tested barley and wheat with barley at 11%.

Im at 1 part barley, 1 part wheat and 1/2 part protein pellet that should end up about 16% according to them.

Lambs are doing very well on it

 

[AlphaBravoPapaSux]

Get the barley tested by a grain merchant. They’ll give you a Nitrogen reading. Multiply that by 5.25 to get your protein content

 

[yellow belly]

i grow barley
the lowest i have ever tested is 1.4 but usually around 1.8 but as high as 2.1

 

[som farmer]

the sample is minute, compared to the 'heap', anything out of normal range, should be retested, before relying on it, to produce a ration.

 

[Breckland Boy]

i grow barley
the lowest i have ever tested is 1.4 but usually around 1.8 but as high as 2.1

My Laureate samples are 1.0- 1.3. N
Highest I ever had was 5. N

 

[Zippy768]

the sample is minute, compared to the 'heap', anything out of normal range, should be retested, before relying on it, to produce a ration.

True. But the mix tested 12% instead of an expected 16%/18%.
So for further inspection had the untouched barley tested

 

[deleted user 837354]

I would sooner send the stuff to a feed lab. Sciantec will do this for you (if they still exist???), it's where I sent samples years ago.

Low protein barley or cereals is definitely a thin but 6% would be a new one on me, I've seen 9% before. There is natural variation in all feedstuffs, just the way of the world unfortunately, especially with these strange growing seasons we get.

 

[spin cycle]

Im feeding whole barley/wheat plus a protein pellet at moment to lambs.

Feed co tested barley and wheat with barley at 11%.

Im at 1 part barley, 1 part wheat and 1/2 part protein pellet that should end up about 16% according to them.

Lambs are doing very well on it

no acidosis issues? mvf pellet 30%?

 

[organicguy]

Get the barley tested by a grain merchant. They’ll give you a Nitrogen reading. Multiply that by 5.25 to get your protein content

Think it's 6.25!

 

[e3120]

Think it's 6.25!

I agree, subject to my "urea is 286% protein" recollection.