HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-03-17, Page 27PAGE A2. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005.
Triticale offers high protein in livestock feed
T ritieale
Brussels-area farmer Ross Hemingway examines a handful
of triticale which he put into a bin last fall. (Jim Brown photo)
after reading something about it. My
dad also read something about it.” he
said.
He indicated scientists tried to
cross the two grains in the 1800s, but
were unable to produce a fertile
product.
While fairly popular in Europe, it
wasn’t until the early 1950s that a
By Jim Brown
Citizen staff
Triticale is a cross between rye
and wheat.
Ross Hemingway of Cranbrook
Road has been growing it for almost
25 years.
"I began growing triticale in 1981,
hybrid was developed in North
America.
"It was called triticaic in I979
when it was developed at the
University of Manitoba.” said
Hemingway.
Because it can produce in poorer
soil and withstand hot, humid
temperatures, it was being
developed for the Third World
countries.
However, it became popular in
Europe, mostly Russia, and has also
come to North America.
Although primarily grown for
livestock feed — both cattle and pigs
-- Hemingway said triticale is very
high in protein.
“The protein is very high in
triticale,” he said. “That’s why I
looked at growing it as a crop for
livestock feed.”
“The protein percentage in
triticale is much higher than in
corn.”
He indicated the protein in corn is
six to seven per cent and the protein
in wheat is around 10 per cent.
“The protein in winter triticale is
15 to 16 per cent and the percentage
of protein in spring triticale is 17 to
18.” said Hemingway.
When he initially began growing it
in the early 1980s. he used it to feed
his pigs. He found that because it
was higher in protein than corn, he
was not required to add as much
soybean meal to the livestock feed.
The only thing he has to add to the
triticale feed is a ‘handful’ of
mineral supplement.
The quality of the meat from a
triticale-fed animal to a corn-fed
animal is the same.
According to Hemingway, a
neighbour fed some of the triticale to
some geese and the meat was whiter
than usual.
He indicated the goose is usually a
yellowish colour after being cooked
because of all the fat dripping onto
it.
Hemingway said he gets a mixture
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Of triticale and peas for livestock
feed and the crude protein in the dry
product is 19.7 percent.
“The protein percentage as fed is
17.63 per cent,” he said.
Continued on A3