Dont waste nutrients
28 June 2002
Dont waste nutrients
WAITING until conventional harvesting time before cutting cereal crops is a waste of nutrients, man-hours and money, according to Cardiff-based additive company Biotal.
Combining cereals at 35-40% dry matter and crimping will result in feed with higher energy and crude protein levels than harvesting at higher dry matters, says technical manager John Bax.
"Harvesting earlier results in approximately 15% more dry matter yield than for a conventional harvesting date. Allowing for costs of a crimping machine and additive treatment, total cost of dry matter production when crimping works out at £8/t less than for conventionally harvested crop. This is due to extra yield and elimination of drying and milling costs." *
See more