So it didn’t raise the grain protein by the stated 30%?
home'n dry.....again
- Thread starter spin cycle
- Start date
So it didn’t raise the grain protein by the stated 30%?
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I pour a bag over a bucket of Barley (which works out at about 30kg per t), then tip it out and turn it over a couple of times on the floor in front of the heap, before pushing it up onto the heap. Then repeat with the next bucket.
As long as it’s evenly mixed then the job’s a good ‘un.
Norfolk Hill Farmer
Member
The grain would have come in at say 12% for easy maths. A 30 % increase from that would be another 4 % , so the protein is then 16% , in the case above 17%.
Devil's advocate
Member
- Location
- Posh side of Barnsley
Can Alkagrain be made & stored in a steel upright silo. Thinking say 10 ton & filled right to the top.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
As it’s relatively airtight, or presumably could be, then you could.
The urea reacts with the moisture in the grain to produce ammonia gas, which is what treats the grain. You need to be able to retain that (heavy) gas for a 10-14 days, but after that it doesn’t matter.
I don’t know what ammonia gas does to steel?
- Location
- Northumberland
I have questioned this for a few years but never been brave enough to do it! The process would work OK and it would keep OK but my worry would be getting it out again. I don't think it would drop down to the bottom well enough, unless you have a full sweep auger at the bottom?
- Location
- Northumberland
As answered above, it depends where the starting point is on your barley. Some barley grown for low nitrogen malting can be as low as 8-9% protein.
If we take ours at 11% and its finished at 17% that a 54.5% increase. A 30% increase as stated is easily achievable.
We do have a full sweep auger, I would think if it kept ok it should flow ok?
Would the gasses affect the panels?
The towers aren’t air tight now so the barley needs to be dry when it goes in, a few hours sun would be the best/cheapest option but unfortunately nobody will deliver that to Cumbria
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I'm pretty sure there is another ingredient (an enzyme?) that activates the urea to turn it into ammonia. It appears that the product that @Fergieman is using doesn't contain urea, but you add whatever quantity of feed grade urea to it in addition to the product? No idea if it works out less money though.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Dugdales kindly did 'before and after' tests for me last year. I was surprised that the Spring Barley was 12% CP before treatment, as I'd always assumed 10-11% was more normal. The finished product came out at 15.1% CP, with a pH of 8.7
- Location
- Northumberland
@neilo is correct there is an enzyme included to help the process along. Home'n'dry Is feed grade urea, soya and the enzyme in one pellet. Maxammon and Alpha are supplied in two bags one is the enzyme along with some soya or other carrier and the other being feed grade urea. The problem with Home n dry is if you want to increase the rates as its in one pellet it turns expensive.
To use feed grade urea only you will still get a reaction but it may not be as constant, they say the PH rise will not be as much and if the moisture & natural enzymes in the grain are not correct the whole job could go wrong, but probally will work 9 times out of 10.
People say that either of the products didn't work for us, but I would say if the product dosn't work there is a problem on farm! The product works if used correctly and with some attention to detail.
Some of the problems are green grains, moisture too high or low, stored too deep during reaction time, not sheeted correctly, damp sheds, product not applied at correct rates, product not mixed correctly etc.
- Location
- Northumberland
Devil's advocate
Member
- Location
- Posh side of Barnsley
As it’s relatively airtight, or presumably could be, then you could.
The urea reacts with the moisture in the grain to produce ammonia gas, which is what treats the grain. You need to be able to retain that (heavy) gas for a 10-14 days, but after that it doesn’t matter.
I don’t know what ammonia gas does to steel?
I was thinking glass fibre. They build EB bins about 6 miles away. The plastic ones seem popular. Or even plastic tote bins with secure lid?
Devil's advocate
Member
- Location
- Posh side of Barnsley
How do you keep Roland & other tin hats out of there?
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Supposedly vermin aren’t as attracted to urea treated grain, which does give off an ammonia smell from what lingers in the heap.
It certainly doesn’t totally stop them though, as I’ve watched rats travelling across a shed to my treated heap for a feed, sometimes through telescopic sights...
I parked the sprayer up this afternoon and saw there were half a dozen sparrows helping themselves to the treated grain, through the holes in the sheet made by marauding squirrels.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
All bins should be fine, but I don’t know what the ammonia gas might do to any metalwork under long term storage.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Adam@Rumen
Member
- Location
- Nantwich/Rishton
You're welcome, thank you for the order
