Spring oats contracts

[Jo28]

Ive seen there are quite a few threads on spring oats. having never grown them, was just wondering if anyone could give me an idea on what sort of contracts are available for growing them, as i understand its better to grow them with one. cheers

 

[teslacoils]

It's less risk to grow with one. Better? Not always. They are normally after selected varieties (canyon) and priced at a discount to wheat futures. Spec is 50kg bushel minimum.

I would always grow a new variety on contract. Only twice have my non contract oats done better than on contract, but both times made a lot of money. Contracts may restrict your choices of pgr.

 

[Flat 10]

It's less risk to grow with one. Better? Not always. They are normally after selected varieties (canyon) and priced at a discount to wheat futures. Spec is 50kg bushel minimum.

I would always grow a new variety on contract. Only twice have my non contract oats done better than on contract, but both times made a lot of money. Contracts may restrict your choices of pgr.

Much of a discount? I assumed they would be above wheat futures as I thought they were for human consumption

 

[Jo28]

why would they restrict which pgr to apply?

 

[robbie]

Does the same apply to winter oats??
I fancy giving them ago to replace a bit of winter barley.

 

[juke]

Much of a discount? I assumed they would be above wheat futures as I thought they were for human consumption

oats used to be a good way above wheat futures normally on contract... haven't been the last couple of year

 

[teslacoils]

why would they restrict which pgr to apply?

Chlormequat residues. Or something.

 

[teslacoils]

Much of a discount? I assumed they would be above wheat futures as I thought they were for human consumption

£5 under to £8 under.

Oats were painfully short six months ago. They were taking *anything* and paying good money.

 

[Noyb]

what are the milling oats specifications. obviously 15% is moisture, 51kg is specific weight and 2 is screening but what is 6?

 

[Noyb]

do people usually half the nitrogen in the seed bed, or wait until gs30 and apply half then and the rest later?

 

[average farmer]

do people usually half the nitrogen in the seed bed, or wait until gs30 and apply half then and the rest later?

Half in seed bed and rest when a drop of rain is forecast.

 

[teslacoils]

Ours all goes on the seedbed now for April drilling.

 

[Brisel]

what are the milling oats specifications. obviously 15% is moisture, 51kg is specific weight and 2 is screening but what is 6?

2% admix & 6% screenings?

 

[Brisel]

do people usually half the nitrogen in the seed bed, or wait until gs30 and apply half then and the rest later?

All mine was on the seedbed but was sown early April. All spring crops need at least half in the seedbed and the rest before tillering.

£5 under to £8 under.

Oats were painfully short six months ago. They were taking *anything* and paying good money.

Elyann springs £7 under wheat futures here, but I'm a longer haul to Bedford or Crewe than most people. Winter oats are normally worth more.

 

[teslacoils]

While they can be pushed, spring oats need to be kept firmly in the "cheap to grow" category, so loosing a fert spreader pass is a good start. And over the years getting a thick or thin crop appears to be more random than on any other crop we grow.

Just been to drop the children off and the trip I took passed a *lot* of spring oats. I dont know what they are replacing but spring barley and oats seem to be everywhere now. Even farms who thought we were crackpots have some!

 

[Brisel]

There are no real graminicide options in oats these days, so I can see less winter oats being sown on blackgrass farms.

 

[teslacoils]

I loved winter oats.....but couldn't make them pay as well as springs for loads more hassle.

 

[DCM]

It's less risk to grow with one. Better? Not always. They are normally after selected varieties (canyon) and priced at a discount to wheat futures. Spec is 50kg bushel minimum.

I would always grow a new variety on contract. Only twice have my non contract oats done better than on contract, but both times made a lot of money. Contracts may restrict your choices of pgr.

How is it priced from wheat futures? Do you pick a particular month? The reason I am asking is because I have been offered a contract for milling oats, priced off the average LIFFE for the months July+Aug+Sept. I'm new to using contracts, so unsure as how other pricing structures work.

 

[teslacoils]

Contract will say wheat minus whatever. Price is normally fixed when you choose. So say you want them moved in November it would be Nov futures on the day you chose to price them,less the amount. Most contracts are signed just to fix the discount to futures bit, and to make sure you have a home.

There is a fixed capacity of oat mills in the world. Any surplus oats go to feed. Conversely, they cannot make barley into porridge oats, so they must have them. If there is a shortage like last year, Mr miller will pay whatever. He has no substitutes.

I'd expect the vast majority of oats to be contracted. Uncontacted you have the chance of making some crazy money once in a blue moon, but otherwise a pile of very cheap feed oats.

Same with the straw. Conventional bales of oat straw equal gold dust. Oat straw for sale in the swath you can't give away up here.

 

[Brisel]

They didn't want my 42 kg/hl oats last autumn!