What is crimping?

Crimping is a system 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 pro-
cessed 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.

Here are the main benefits

• harvest three weeks early at peak
digestibility and nutritional content.

• be self-sufficient with 100% traceability

• suitable for all cereals, peas, beans, even
lupins

• easy to ensile and feed straight from the
clamp after three weeks

• reduce labour costs

• no drying costs or expensive storage

• increases DM yield per acre by up to 30%

• improved straw value

• less weather dependent

• feed greater quantities of cereals without
risk of metabolic disorders

Frequently Asked Questions on crimping
are all here.

You can download the FAQ sheet now by using
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Acrobat Reader, version 3.0 or later.

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e-mail: Bruce Woodacre:
idwood@globalnet.co.uk