slash your costs by feeding crimped grain

What is Crimping | Why Crimp | How to Crimp | When to Crimp | Harvesting |
Crimpstore Preservative | Download How to Crimp Brochure | Download Crimpstore & Preservative Brochure

What is Crimping?

Crimping is a system developed in Finland that enables farmers to harvest, process and store their own or locally grown cereal and protein grains for use as animal feed when they are at their maximum nutritional value and digestibility. Grains are harvested up to four weeks earlier than normal at moisture contents of 30 to 45%. They are then processed through a crimping machine which crushes them to expose the carbohydrate and/or protein and a special preservative is applied.

The processed feed is then ensiled and can be fed after three weeks airtight storage. Because grain is harvested earlier, before losses occur in the field, and is utilised more efficiently by livestock when crimped than when it is processed in more traditional ways, land use and animal health and performance are significantly improved.

The impact on the environment of livestock feed production is greatly reduced because there is less need to transport animal feed over long distances.

Why Crimp?

✔ Maximises nutrient value and digestibility

✔ Enables earlier harvesting at peak nutritional value

✔ Simple process - crimp, ensile, feed

✔ No drying required

✔ Allows early establishment of follow-on crops

✔ Reduces grain loss in the field

✔ Makes harvesting less weather dependent

✔ Increases DM yield per acre of grain & straw

✔ Flexible and cheap storage

✔ Reduces bought-in feed requirement

✔ Backed by over 40 years successful use in Finland and northern Europe

✔ Turns home-grown moist cereals into quality digestible and palatable concentrate feed

✔ On-going product support from Kelvin Cave Ltd, the UK market leader in crimping technology

How to Crimp

If you can make good grass silage you will have no trouble with crimped feed.
Just make sure that you take account of the following 10 golden rules:

1) Aim to harvest the crop at the right stage: cereal grain at 35-45% moisture, pulses and grain maize at 30-35% moisture. Process and ensile within 24 hours of harvesting. Contact your Kelvin Cave Ltd. representative for advice on checking moisture content correctly. N.B. Moisture meters will not give accurate readings above 30% moisture.

2) Ensure that all areas where the crop will be handled and stored are clean.

3) Make sure that the clamp walls are solid and can withstand the pressure of consolidation.

4) Use new 1000 gauge polythene sheeting for the sides and ClampFilm™ and a 500 gauge sheet on top.

5) Ensure that the Murska or Korte crimper is set correctly so that all grains are crushed.

6) Apply Crimpstore at the recommended rates, having assessed the moisture content of the crop. Check moisture content regularly and add water as recommended.

7) Consolidate the crimped crop well in thin layers using the Dorset Wedge method.

8) Seal the clamp well for at least three weeks before feeding. Make sure that all air is excluded.

9) Cut the feed neatly from the face and manage it so that feed is removed across the whole face at least once a week, or more frequently in warmer weather.

10) Follow the recommendations for vermin control.

When to Crimp

All cereal crops (wheat, triticale, barley and oats) should be harvested at 35-45% moisture. This stage is reached when the stem immediately below the ear has turned yellow in the majority of plants. Grain from the middle of the ear should be at the ‘firm cheese’ stage, and can be squashed between thumb and finger with no visible moisture squeezing out.

Pulses (peas, beans and lupins) should be harvested at 30% moisture. The plants will have died and the pulses should be firm but ‘chewy’ rather than ‘crunchy’.

Maize grain should also be harvested as near to 30% moisture as possible. The plants should have lost their green colour at this stage. Remove the cob from its sheath and grip it firmly in both hands. If it produces a slight rattling sound when rotating the hands in opposite directions, it is ready to harvest.

Harvesting

Generally speaking, combining crops for crimping is no more difficult than combining traditionally. Remember that the crop will be bulkier than when it has dried out completely, so it may be necessary to drive slightly slower, but provided the crop is not wet with external moisture it should present no significant problems. Our staff can give advice on refining combine settings to optimise performance.

Download Crimpstore & Preservative Brochure

Crimpstore Preservative

Essential for the effective preservation of high value crimped feeds, Crimpstore 2000S (and Crimpstore Premier for organic farms) available from Kelvin Cave Ltd is applied by a pump applicator through the crimping machine. Both products work by directly acidifying the crimped grain, thereby minimising the amount of valuable rumen nutrients that could be lost in a poorly controlled fermentation. The formulation of both is designed to give maximum protection against spoilage organisms that could cause deterioration of the feed once the clamp or bag is opened at feedout. Crimpstore preservatives should be applied at the rates detailed on the container, or as advised by your Kelvin Cave Ltd. representative.

For more information on Crimping, including Ensiling & Feeding,
download our brochure here

Download Crimpstore & Preservative Brochure

For further advice on Crimping call us at Kelvin Cave on 01458 252281

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Field studies:

I am convinced that crimped feed is the way forward. I would like to expand my cereal production to creep feed calves and fattened lambs

Thomas Toppin, Penrith