Considering to grow spring barley this year again, and wondering if there’s more feed value of whole cropped it and clamped it? I would feed it to my finishing cattle with around 7kg of rolled barley, I’d add silage maize if required. Anyone else finishing cattle with grain and whole crop ?
Whole crop spring barley
- Thread starter Herefordshirefarmer4321
- Start date
- Location
- Cork Ireland
There will be different senarios where it makes sense to wholecrop. But what always strikes me is that setting out to do it in the first place only makes sense in a few scenarios. Like if you’ve undersown or if organic and want to home grow own feeds. Otherwise it’s kinda damage / cost limitation for example in a poor weather year
When you’ve a good crop you’ll want to combine it. But getting a decent crop ain’t always easy so more palatable to put it in the pit.
When you’ve a good crop you’ll want to combine it. But getting a decent crop ain’t always easy so more palatable to put it in the pit.
ollie989898
Member
It makes fine wholecrop, just watch it because it will go from green as green to fit to combine in the blink of an eye during the hot days in July.
Wholecrop is good because:
No combining involved.
No drying involved.
No rolling (dust) involved.
Can store in silage pit with grass silage on top- no dry storage required.
A low protein but more complete feed than rolled grain- lower risk of acidosis because there is straw in it. Palatable and lovely caramel smell to it.
If the crop is undersown with grass, you will probably get a cut or two from this once the whole crop is off. You just need to be careful with weed control in the crop to avoid hurting the grass.
Wholecrop barley, being cut that bit earlier, is less likely to go flat.
Cheap and simple to grow. Just watch the rooks don't try to eat the seed and be careful with how much nitrogen you go putting on. On many stock farms you won't need much at all.
Use an additive with all wholecrops to help avoid it heating once the clamp is opened.
Wholecrop is good because:
No combining involved.
No drying involved.
No rolling (dust) involved.
Can store in silage pit with grass silage on top- no dry storage required.
A low protein but more complete feed than rolled grain- lower risk of acidosis because there is straw in it. Palatable and lovely caramel smell to it.
If the crop is undersown with grass, you will probably get a cut or two from this once the whole crop is off. You just need to be careful with weed control in the crop to avoid hurting the grass.
Wholecrop barley, being cut that bit earlier, is less likely to go flat.
Cheap and simple to grow. Just watch the rooks don't try to eat the seed and be careful with how much nitrogen you go putting on. On many stock farms you won't need much at all.
Use an additive with all wholecrops to help avoid it heating once the clamp is opened.
- Location
- Hereford
.....and you will attract all the rats from miles around . They love whole crop .
michael N123
Member
We wholecropped for the first time this year stores are doing great on it
Ideally you want a long narrow pit so there’s not much face on show as it heats up faster than normal silage
Ideally you want a long narrow pit so there’s not much face on show as it heats up faster than normal silage
Rowland
Member
- Location
- Northeast England
That’s why you put a bit of grass on top
Rowland
Member
- Location
- Northeast England
Mix some peas in with it
- Location
- Northumberland
We normally put Wheat in the Whole crop pit
Due to the wet winter we did not get the pre em spray on the Barley , as a result the crop was not a pretty sight.
So we decided to combine the wheat & WC the barley
Here is the analysis. Basic summary , Storming energy & very low protein
Due to the wet winter we did not get the pre em spray on the Barley , as a result the crop was not a pretty sight.
So we decided to combine the wheat & WC the barley
Here is the analysis. Basic summary , Storming energy & very low protein
Last edited:
No we haven’t
What value do peas bring to the mix ?
Thanks very much, reckon I’d be better off with it than maize ?
ollie989898
Member
Good stuff. I've seen it as high at 40% starch, yours possibly a bit on the dry side but that links in with what I said earlier. Very kind to the animals and less problems with acidosis, dust and the like. I'll never understand why more people don't grow it for wholecrop, it's basically half the cost of winter wheat wholecrop.
ollie989898
Member
Maize yield might be double but spring barley costs not a lot to grow and it's off in July...
- Location
- Northumberland
Yep, suits us far better here in the north east than maize. Crop cleared in july means far more options for next crop & less chance of damaged soil,.
See this post in the autumn reseed thread
autumn re-seeding
Can I ask some advice please? These 4 paddocks were plowed and reseeded at the end of July. Been grazed twice with weaned calves, the last time 4 weeks ago. I have 80 tack lambs coming and was wondering if I should put the sheep on now or wait a bit longer. Its come in pretty well, there are...
thefarmingforum.co.uk
- Location
- Gods country (England)
You wont have a problem with it in the clamp any more so than maize
Rowland
Member
- Location
- Northeast England
Not sure of the actual value but they’d put the protein value up and put some n back in the land . Oats and peas , good break crop but possible problems with wild oats
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Wholecrop winter wheat, first analysis said 36% starch now this one at 40% would this be correct?!?
ollie989898
Member
Starch figures that high for wholecrop are not uncommon. Yours a touch on the dry side which is often the case with wholecrop hence the recommendation to use an additive just so that it is more stable when the pit is opened and keeps a bit better. Good stuff.