Urea treated wholecrop

[Headless chicken]

has anyone done it? Idea seems good but not sure on cost? Seemingly home n dry pellets are costing roughly £20 a tonne on grain assume the rate isn’t as high for wholecrop or it would cost a small fortune.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

has anyone done it? Idea seems good but not sure on cost? Seemingly home n dry pellets are costing roughly £20 a tonne on grain assume the rate isn’t as high for wholecrop or it would cost a small fortune.

I don't do home n dry or anything but I do chuck on a 25 kg bag of urea for every trailer load in the pit. It's only enough to up the protein % a couple of points but it's something.

 

[Beef farmer]

I don't do home n dry or anything but I do chuck on a 25 kg bag of urea for every trailer load in the pit. It's only enough to up the protein % a couple of points but it's something.

Including silage?

 

[Headless chicken]

I don't do home n dry or anything but I do chuck on a 25 kg bag of urea for every trailer load in the pit. It's only enough to up the protein % a couple of points but it's something.

Just plain old urea fert? Or proper feed grade urea?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Just WC. Did the same with maize for several years but haven't had any maize for 5 years now. Like many things it's a miserable job, trying not to get run over by trailers and buckrake and you can't even leave the apprentice to do it because any lumps or pockets are likely to lead to dead cows.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Just plain old urea fert? Or proper feed grade urea?

Feed grade. It comes in handy size sacks and isn't usually much of a premium over feet.

 

[Friesianfan]

If using home’n’ dry be very careful to keep any stock away from it. Unbelievably palatable but deadly

 

[Headless chicken]

If using home’n’ dry be very careful to keep any stock away from it. Unbelievably palatable but deadly

Yes we would be making sure it was well secured or hopefully delivered just before use

 

[Headless chicken]

Just WC. Did the same with maize for several years but haven't had any maize for 5 years now. Like many things it's a miserable job, trying not to get run over by trailers and buckrake and you can't even leave the apprentice to do it because any lumps or pockets are likely to lead to dead cows.

That’s interesting I thought the whole idea was it created a gas or maybe this is just home n dry

 

[Jamer]

Used feed grade urea through the crimper mill with a hose pipe last couple of years: no drawbacks from what I can see. Sheet it down for 6 weeks and it seems stable, feeds well. The first year it soaked up water running down the floor (outdoor pits) and we were worried it would degenerate and rot but it just mixed in and almost turned into a bran mash. It's a lot less hassle than caustic and cheaper though obviously requires more planning.

 

[More to life]

If you wagon feed just put the urea in the wagon so simple

 

[Fergieman]

If you wagon feed just put the urea in the wagon so simple

You don't get the advantage of the PH buffering.

 

[deleted user 837354]

I reckon alkalage is probably better.

 

[Blue.]

I'd only use home n dry or maxxamon,I'm considering making a clamp of alkastraw,depends how the summer pans though.

 

[Jamer]

Alkalage/grain and Maxammon just add urease? to the urea to ensure you get hydrolysis in drier crops. If you cut the cereals at anything around 20% you can get away with straight urea. We have used 15% wheat and a hose pipe. Totally unscientific, unquantified but it works.

Edit; this is for grain, no experience of w.c. or straw

 

[More to life]

You don't get the advantage of the PH buffering.

Why where did it go ?

 

[cows r us]

We looked at this but decided to cut slightly earlier and clamp it as wholecrop silage without the urea.

 

[Farmer_1994]

Ive never heard of this process, can someone explain the idea and the benefits to storing silage like this? What is the target dry matter for this to work?

 

[Skylark]

Alkalage/grain and Maxammon just add urease? to the urea to ensure you get hydrolysis in drier crops. If you cut the cereals at anything around 20% you can get away with straight urea. We have used 15% wheat and a hose pipe. Totally unscientific, unquantified but it works.

Edit; this is for grain, no experience of w.c. or straw

When you urea treat the grain does it change anything in the analysis beyond the protein content? I'm assuming not and thinking of trying it this year with some of ours but can't find a huge amount online about it.

 

[bigw]

When you urea treat the grain does it change anything in the analysis beyond the protein content? I'm assuming not and thinking of trying it this year with some of ours but can't find a huge amount online about it.

ph