What is grain crimping?

Grain crimping is a system developed in Finland that enables farmers to harvest, process, store, and preserve the full feed value of their own or locally-grown cereal and protein grains for use as animal feed without the use of expensive drying and storage facilities. The only storage requirement is a clean, airtight clamp where the processed cereal grain can be ensiled; or a hard-standing where a plastic-tube bag can be laid.

Freshly harvested grain is processed through a Murska or Korte crimping machine to expose the carbohydrate and/or protein. CrimpSafe 300, a proven preservative, is applied while crimping, and the resulting feed is ensiled in airtight storage and ready to feed in three weeks.

Crimping reduces the cost and environmental impact of livestock feed production by eliminating the need for grain drying and minimising feed transport distances.

CrimpSafe 300 preservative ensures maximum retention of valuable nutrients in ensiled grain at moisture contents from 45% down to 25%.

The most digestible crimped grain, which results in the best animal performance, is harvested when the grain moisture content is below 45% and above 25%. This grain should be treated, as it is crimped, with CrimpSafe 300 to ensure a controlled fermentation and maximum nutrient retention.

When this harvesting ‘window’ is missed, or where drier grain is more suitable for the on-farm feeding system in use and it is harvested below 25% moisture, grain can still be ensiled if treated with CrimpSafe Hi-Dry to ensure effective grain preservation and optimise cereal processing.

In both cases good ensiling practice is essential. For more information on how to get the most from your crimped grain click here.

Why crimped grain?

Maximises nutrient value and digestibility when harvested at higher moisture levels, together with maximum DM yield per hectare of grain and straw
Enables earlier harvesting at peak nutritional value for cereal processing
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
Flexible and cheap storage of all feed-grain crops from 15-45% moisture
Turns home-grown moist cereals into quality digestible and palatable concentrate feed
Reduces bought-in feed requirement
Backed by over 40 years successful use in Finland and northern Europe
On-going product support from Kelvin Cave Ltd, the UK market leader in crimping and ensiling technology