Frequently Asked Questions
1. What experience do PDS have with triticale & lupin crops?
a. PDS planned and delivered the first large scale commercial acreage of the crop in the U.K IN 2004.
2 Do PDS have enough knowledge & expertise to improve client's;crops?
a. PDS have been at the fore front in providing new practical crop agronomy for triticale & lupin forages.
3 What yields per acre have been recorded from Triticale & lupin crops?
a. A high yielding crop that achieves full maturity and is agromonically correct will yield between 16-20tonnes per acre.
4 How does using a new alternative forage crop save money?
a. The savings are in bought in fertilizers and sprays and depending on the crops inclusion level per animal/day, concentrates costs also the crop also has environmental advantages by not being reliant on nitrogen.
5 Will using either wholecrop triticale & lupin, triticale or lupins fit in with other forages?
a. Their inclusion will improve animal dry matter intake due to their high level of digestibility. It may also allow an adjustment to existing forage policy.
6 What are the options for harvesting lupin crops?
a. There are a few possibilities:
- Crimping (grain silage) - The grain is harvested 3-4 weeks earlier than normal at 30-35% moisture. The grain is then crimped through a roller mill and ensiled for on farm use.
- Combining - The crop is combined and the grain sold to seed merchants and compounder's;or used for home mixing.
- Whole crop silaging - The whole plant is ensiled when pods are full but not at fully ripened. Whole cropped lupins provides a high yielding crop but the protein quality will not be comparable to crimping.
7 The issue with direct cut wholecrop lupins is effluent. What other measures can be taken to get maximum dry matter silage.
- desiccating the crop will allow the plant to dry out so vastly improving the crop dry matter
- mow down and wilt between 48-72 hours or longer
- using the correct variety of lupin white, yellow or blue for that particular area
8 What are the main differences between the white, yellow and blue lupin?
a. The protein/oil content, harvest dates, yield/acre & resistance to disease
9 Triticale is sown with white, yellow and blue lupin what's;the difference.
a Their will more yield per acre when using a white lupin over the yellow and blue but the yellow and blue will be more suitable when sowing is later in the spring. A white needs to be sown earlier to get the plant to full maturity.
10 Do lupins feed as well when the crop is wet?
a. The tendency is for a lupin crop to feed better than forage analysis stipulates.
11 Why use triticale over wheat as a wholecrop?
a. Triticale has more resistance to many of the diseases that affect other small grain crops. It also offers a higher feed value and % of protein, fibre and starch.
12 What are the main attributes of triticale and lupin crops?
a. The bi-crop offers a high quality % of Soya type protein, fibre and starch. Additionally good digestibility, crop stability to weather and disease resistance.
13 What is a good bi-crop analysis of triticale & lupin crops?
a. A very good crop would return. DM 30%, Starch 20%, ME 11, Crude Protein 16%
14 How does using lupins or triticle/lupins improve a dairy ration?
a. It's;the amount of digestibility they offer to a ration. Increases in animal dry matter intake have been recorded; it also allows rations to change over normal standard practices due to the quality of protein, fibre and starch within the crop. If using lupins it offers a single source of high energy and protein similar to Soya.
15 What are the main pests to lupins and wholecrop protein mixes?
a. Pigeons, crows, slugs and rabbits are the main pests for the first 3 weeks while the crop becomes established but with good planning beforehand these issues can be minimised.
16 What are the advantages to milk or beef stock through using wholecrop mixes, lupins or triticale?
a. Wholecrop mix 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. Triticale provides a higher % protein to contribute lowering purchased feed costs of rations while lupins provide protein of Soya quality and energy.
17 What are the critical factors for harvesting lupins, wholecrop mixes or triticale?
a. 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).
18 I would like to grow a protein crop to provide more of my own organic concentrate rations. Would Lupins be suitable?
a. Lupins are potentially an excellent crop because of their high protein quality and they can be taken as grain or crimped.adding substancially to a proposed ration.
19 Would it be possible to bale lupins?
a. Big bales account for approximately 30% of total silage in the UK. One of the main reasons for baling lupins as a forage is the low protein degradation and high digestability along with very high fibre levels. Its important to use the correct amount of wrap.
20 What is the maximum proportion of in-conversion feed used in livestock rations?
a. When the in-conversion feed comes from the unit the % can be increased to 60% and the mimimum of fully organic feedstuffs may be reduced to no less than 40%
21 The cost of organic purchased feed is considerably more than conventional systems how can the overall cost of production be reduced.?
a. To become less reliant on purchased feed and produce more home grown foodstuffs to replace a % of them would be beneficial
22 How would using Triticale and Lupin mixed forage be advantageous to the organic livestock producer?
a. To grow a forage crop that provides the animal with quality home produced protein rather than purchased. It fits in with the organic rotations with the lupin being deep rooted therefore improving soil structure and relies mainly on supplying its own nitrogen.