Crimped wheat for dairy cows

[rusty]

Has anyone got any tips for crimping wheat for dairy cows. I am thinking of crimping 28 acres of winter wheat instead of making it into whole crop silage. I have another 53 acres to go in the pit and a bigger than usual heap of first cut.
I have storage in a purpose built indoor pit on a farm that I rent . The crop is at 1100ft up so will take time to ripen. I have tried combining a bit in the past and propcorning it in the mixer wagon but wasn’t very happy with the results as it tended to heat up.
What are the costs of Crimping and additives?
I had come to the conclusion that it was easier to buy wheat in to roll but that was before it got to £300/tonne.

 

[Milkcow365]

Has anyone got any tips for crimping wheat for dairy cows. I am thinking of crimping 28 acres of winter wheat instead of making it into whole crop silage. I have another 53 acres to go in the pit and a bigger than usual heap of first cut.
I have storage in a purpose built indoor pit on a farm that I rent . The crop is at 1100ft up so will take time to ripen. I have tried combining a bit in the past and propcorning it in the mixer wagon but wasn’t very happy with the results as it tended to heat up.
What are the costs of Crimping and additives?
I had come to the conclusion that it was easier to buy wheat in to roll but that was before it got to £300/tonne.

We crimp all the grain we keep for dairy cows, just use maize additive on it cheap as

 

[dinderleat]

Treat it with urea

 

[Old apprentice]

Treat it with urea

Keeps rats out. Changes to amonia.

 

[Beef farmer]

Crimp at 35% dm and use no additive.
Urea treated seems better tho.
Our maxamon came back at over 18% protien this last winter. Should ease the pain this winter

 

[Chimera]

We crimp in the mid 20%'s. So the straw is fitter, and we can stack the grain higher. We find it works really weĺl for us. Wouldn't think of holding out to dry combine.
All in outdoor clamps 4-500 tonne

 

[rusty]

Treat it with urea

Feed grade urea or home and dry type product?
what rate do you use and what moisture content do you aim for?

 

[dinderleat]

Feed grade urea or home and dry type product?
what rate do you use and what moisture content do you aim for?

Haven’t done any for a couple of years as managed to combine dry. But early 20’s is fine there’s a few products out there with the enzyme but feed grade urea should work fine think it’s 15kg urea per ton

 

[daveydiesel1]

What price is feed grade urea?

 

[More to life]

What price is feed grade urea?

Is it even available now

 

[daveydiesel1]

Is it even available now

Iv no idea

 

[Beef farmer]

Could you melt normal urea? I mean feed grade is only the small prills from a bag of fert. They literally just grade out the smallest prills and call it feed grade.
It's one of the biggest cons going and I'm sure some one before has just used normal urea.

 

[daveydiesel1]

How does urea keep it from heating?

 

[Beef farmer]

Dissolves and gives of ammonia that treats the grain. It dries it right out.
Stinks

 

[Kevtherev]

Is it even available now

Yes it’s still available but quite expensive

 

[dinderleat]

Maxomom is about £1500tn I think

 

[O'Reilly]

I've seen feed urea at £1150/t an £1450/t in the last month. We costed some rations for next winter with urea at £1450 and it was more expensive than using a 38%cake (to balance a high maize diet).

HOWEVER, a friend of mine feeds beef cattle on fertiliser urea and has been for a few years, up to 150g/day with no ill effects, that he's noticed. The only difference is that feed urea has an anti caking agent added apparently.

 

[Sambo]

What price is feed grade urea?

£1300+/t

 

[Old apprentice]

I was told only diference is feed grade has been tested for heavy metals. Could be questionable.

 

[ollie989898]

I've seen feed urea at £1150/t an £1450/t in the last month. We costed some rations for next winter with urea at £1450 and it was more expensive than using a 38%cake (to balance a high maize diet).

HOWEVER, a friend of mine feeds beef cattle on fertiliser urea and has been for a few years, up to 150g/day with no ill effects, that he's noticed. The only difference is that feed urea has an anti caking agent added apparently.

I'd sooner feed the 38% concentrate I think.

Main beauty of crimping/treating grain is no dust and no need for dry storage (which may heat or attract weevils and the like). Whether you crimp and ensile or treat with home and dry, urea or whatever they all have similar attractions. Some do not require the use of a crimper which could be a bonus, just mix it in, sheet it and wait.