1 - Wholecrop cereals are a bulk forage -
crimp is a
concentrate feed.Wholecrop if you are short of grass or
maize silage

2 - Wholecrop can be harvested 10 days before crimping,
maybe four or five weeks before
conventional harvest

3 - Nutrient value of
wholecrop will not
reach that of a
crimped grain

4 - Feeding crimped
grain and pulses can help achieve the
energy and protein requirements of your ration

5 - Don't wholecrop
more than you need: crimp the balance. Both types of feed complement each
other

Kemira's new Wholecrop Preserver
stops mould in the clamp

If you're short of bulk forage, then wholecrop silage is popular, but ensiling cereals at 35-45% DM presents a strong challenge to the agricultural scientist. Fortunately respected Kemira Chemicals Oy are using the latest buffering technology to produce Wholecrop Preserver an effective additive with all the advantages of acid preservation without the undesirable side effects.
Wholecrop silages give the flexibility of feeding a mixed forage based diet which has been shown to improve overall DM intakes in both dairy cows and beef cattle. The feed value of the crop depends on two critical factors: the DM content (when to cut) and preservation in the clamp (holding maximum nutrients, clamp management and preventing overheating).
Scientists have long acknowledged that the addition of selected organic acids at ensiling, giving a rapid drop in pH, results in minimal nutrient loss both in the sealed clamp and on exposure to air. Applied at three litres/tonne on material up to 35% DM and four litres/tonne on crops from 35-45% DM, Wholecrop Preserver will minimise ensiling losses and give unsurpassed aerobic stability in all wholecrop cereal silages.

When to harvest

To achieve the best balance of increasing grain starch content and reducing digestibility of the straw, fermented wholecrop needs to be harvested at 35-45% DM (growth stages 71-85). As you can see from the photo above, the heads are changing from green to yellow and the consistency of the grain from milky to cheesy (soft Cheddar, or Lancashire).

Harvesting

Aim to achieve a chop length of around an inch using a precision chop harvester fitted with a combine harvester or special wholecrop header. Wholecrop Preserver is applied at the recommended rate through the harvester additive pump. Discharge into a trailer with boarded or sheeted sides to prevent wind loss.

Our top tips for ensiling fermented wholecrop

If you can make good grass silage you will have no trouble with fermented wholecrop. Just make sure that you take account of the following:

1 Timing is crucial to gain full feed value. Aim to
harvest the crop at the right stage: cereals at 35-45% DM; pulses at 25-35%DM.

2 Cut when the straw still appears green.

3 Aim for a chopped length of one inch to help
clamp consolidation.

4 Apply Kemira Wholecrop Preserver at the
recommended rate. Ensure that all areas where
the crop will be handled and stored are clean.

5 Make sure that the clamp walls are solid and can withstand the pressure of consolidation. A narrow face is better than a wide one.

6 Use new 1000 gauge polythene sheeting for both sides and top sheet.

7 Consolidate well in thin layers using the Dorset
Wedge method. A layer of grass silage on top can help with consolidation.

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
every two to three days.

10 Net the top of the clamp to prevent birds from
making holes in the sheet and bait for rats
around the clamp.

Kemira's new Wholecrop Preserver stops mould in the clamp

Kemira's new Wholecrop Preserver
stops mould in the clamp