Propcorn NC beats grain drying on cost and nutrition

With input costs and efficiency once again under the spotlight, many farmers are looking at home-grown energy sources. But for those already growing cereals to feed their livestock, and others planning to do the same, what is the most effective way of preserving grain on-farm? We look at the two main options and weigh them up for cost and nutritional value.

Consider the costs

The labour and resource maintenance costs of grain drying and taking a Propcorn approach are similar, and relatively small compared to the main ticket items. For Propcorn, the main cost is the additive, while for grain drying the largest costs are energy for drying and depreciation of the grain dryer.

A batch grain dryer is the most popular choice for livestock farmers. A machine that will easily do 450 tonnes of harvested grain will cost around £62,500 (ex VAT) and, if well maintained, has a lifespan of 8-10 years. So the annual depreciation cost is £6,250, or £13.89 per tonne of grain to dry.

The other main cost of drying is the fuel used to do the job. This accounts for 95% of the energy expense of the operation, the remainder being electricity. We also need to consider the water loss from drying: drying from 20% moisture to 14% (required for 6-12 months’ storage) causes a loss of grain weight equating to about 64kg per tonne, so one tonne of wet grain generates 936kg of dry grain.

The table below looks at the costs of drying 200 tonnes of wheat or barley. The calculation comes from an online grain drying cost calculator at agriops.online/tools.

Nutritional quality, flexibility and safety

There are other advantages of using Propcorn NC over grain drying.

Feed value: labelled as a complementary feed under EU feed regulations, Propcorn NC provides a nitrogen source to rumen microbes, the protein concentration is 20.5% and the components are glucogenic energy sources for ruminants.

Energy levels: adding one tonne of Propcorn NC to 100t of grain gives an additional calculated energy value equivalent to 1.5t of barley (according to BP Nutrition).

Livestock performance: independent trials have shown that using Propcorn NC can increase milk yield and daily liveweight gain in beef by up to 4%, and feed conversion efficiency in pigs by up to 6%.

Preserving versus drying – other benefits of Propcorn NC:

Earlier harvest – because Propcorn NC will handle any moisture content for cereal grains up to 30%, there is the flexibility of harvesting earlier, which means lower shedding losses and the potential for better establishment in follow-on crops.

Shelf-life when processed – grain can be rolled as it is treated at harvest, reducing workload during winter or potentially saving costs when using a contractor compared with regular visits to roll small batches.

Health and safety – compared with grain drying, using Propcorn NC reduces dust during processing, which lowers the risk of respiratory problems in livestock farm workers.