Crimped wheat clips feed cost

1 June 2001

Crimped wheat clips feed cost

By Hannah Velten

SUBSTITUTING crimped wheat for whole cereals in sheep rations has cut feed costs by £50/t for one 80-head pedigree Texel flock.

Last September, John Studley, Springfield Farm, North Perrott, Somerset, approached crimping specialists SAS Kelvin Cave to supply him with crimped wheat. "When feeding barley and wheat, I felt I would need to soak grains to improve digestibility and prevent health problems caused by feeding dry whole grains," says Mr Studley.

But crimped wheat provided a less labour-intensive alternative. Having seen the feed at the Three Countries Show, Mr Studley was impressed. "It provides 12% protein, does not need soaking and costs £80/t, compared with £130/t for straights."

The crimped wheat is delivered in 1t bags and incorporated, using a concrete mixer, into a total mixed ration for his Trindlewell Texels flock.

Being one of the first sheep breeders to feed the product, Mr Studley initially had to use trial and error to establish feeding regimes. "But it seems difficult to overfeed crimped wheat, unlike compounds which cause laminitis and other foot problems."

Ewes started on crimped wheat and minerals two months before lambing. In mid-February, two weeks before lambing, twin and triplet-carrying ewes received about 1kg/head of 18% protein mix of crimped wheat, dried lucerne and soya meal.

"Lamb birth rates were good, averaging 5-7kg. The complete diet was continued after lambing and this season, because of poor weather, it was also fed at turnout," says Mr Studley.

One-month-old lambs have been fed on a 22% protein creep ration, which also contained crimped wheat. Other ingredients were dried lucerne, micronized peas and soya meal.

Growing grass provides protein, so when temperatures rise, feeding lambs ad-lib crimped wheat and minerals is adequate. "Lambs eating about 0.45kg a head have had a daily liveweight gain of 0.33kg."

Although Mr Studley stopped creep feed for ewe lambs at weaning, ram lambs will continue to be fed crimped wheat until they are ready to market as terminal sires.

"Because ram lambs are grazed on old permanent pasture they need 1kg of substitute feed to reach their full potential. Some rams have reached 100kg at a year old." &#42

Some rams lambs fed a crimped wheat ration have reached 100kg at a year old, says John Studley.

CRIMPEDWHEAT

&#8226 Reduced feeding costs.

&#8226 Moist, palatable feed.

&#8226 Supports high growth rates.