Grain crimping
Encyclopedia
Grain crimping or moist grain crimping is an agricultural
technology, an organic
way to preserve
feed grain
into livestock fodder
by fermentation
.
Crimped grain brings health benefits to the animals and economical benefits such as cost savings and increased meat
or milk
production to the farmer.
in the end of 1960s by two farmer brothers, Aimo and Gunnar Korte, based on findings of British researchers as early as 1918. The brothers made the first crimper machine for home farm use, and as the word started to spread, they set up a company to manufacture and sell the machines.
The British researchers had established, that grain attains its peak nutritional value when the moisture content of the grain is between 35% and 45%. However, it took about 50 years before this knowledge was successfully turned into a method to process and preserve the grain when still moist.
s, which always increases costs.
In crimping, the grain is combined moist and run through the crimper machine, which will break and flatten the grains. Additives, such as certain preservatives or molasses
and water (if necessary) can be added in order to ensure the protection of nutrients.
Crimped grain is stored in storage silo
s as a silage
.
Crimped grain is dustless, thus convenient to handle, does not require any further processing, and is often preferred by the animals to drier and dustier feeds.
Practical experiments by farming and livestock research institutions in Finland
, Sweden
, UK
and elsewhere have confirmed, that crimped feed has higher nutritional values, it increases the animals' growth and milk production, improves milk quality and the animals' health, and in addition, helps cut costs.
An important point is that crimping home-grown grain and processing the feed on the spot at the farm, the feed ingredients can be controlled and are fully traceable, thus helping in prevention of diseases, such as BSE
.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
technology, an organic
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
way to preserve
Food preservation
Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down spoilage and thus allow for longer storage....
feed grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
into livestock fodder
Fodder
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin...
by fermentation
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
.
Crimped grain brings health benefits to the animals and economical benefits such as cost savings and increased meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
or milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production to the farmer.
History
Crimping was developed in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
in the end of 1960s by two farmer brothers, Aimo and Gunnar Korte, based on findings of British researchers as early as 1918. The brothers made the first crimper machine for home farm use, and as the word started to spread, they set up a company to manufacture and sell the machines.
The British researchers had established, that grain attains its peak nutritional value when the moisture content of the grain is between 35% and 45%. However, it took about 50 years before this knowledge was successfully turned into a method to process and preserve the grain when still moist.
Description
Traditionally, grain is not harvested until it is dry enough to be ground by a hammer mill. Moist grain often cannot be ground or stored without machine drying and using preservativePreservative
A preservative is a naturally occurring or synthetically produced substance that is added to products such as foods, pharmaceuticals, paints, biological samples, wood, etc. to prevent decomposition by microbial growth or by undesirable chemical changes....
s, which always increases costs.
In crimping, the grain is combined moist and run through the crimper machine, which will break and flatten the grains. Additives, such as certain preservatives or molasses
Molasses
Molasses is a viscous by-product of the processing of sugar cane, grapes or sugar beets into sugar. The word molasses comes from the Portuguese word melaço, which ultimately comes from mel, the Latin word for "honey". The quality of molasses depends on the maturity of the sugar cane or sugar beet,...
and water (if necessary) can be added in order to ensure the protection of nutrients.
Crimped grain is stored in storage silo
Storage silo
A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in agriculture to store grain or fermented feed known as silage. Silos are more commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use...
s as a silage
Silage
Silage is fermented, high-moisture fodder that can be fed to ruminants or used as a biofuel feedstock for anaerobic digesters. It is fermented and stored in a process called ensiling or silaging, and is usually made from grass crops, including corn , sorghum or other cereals, using the entire...
.
Crimped grain is dustless, thus convenient to handle, does not require any further processing, and is often preferred by the animals to drier and dustier feeds.
Practical experiments by farming and livestock research institutions in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and elsewhere have confirmed, that crimped feed has higher nutritional values, it increases the animals' growth and milk production, improves milk quality and the animals' health, and in addition, helps cut costs.
An important point is that crimping home-grown grain and processing the feed on the spot at the farm, the feed ingredients can be controlled and are fully traceable, thus helping in prevention of diseases, such as BSE
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy , commonly known as mad-cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. BSE has a long incubation period, about 30 months to 8 years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age onset of...
.
External links
- Aimo Kortteen Konepaja Oy the pioneering company that introduced the method and has been developing the necessary machines
- A UK company's guide to crimping at Kelvincave.com