Value Adding
Market outlets for Forerunner.
While there are farmers who still have their full carrying capacity of stock and can capitalise on the high prices by grazing cereals or producing high value fodder.
Others who are locked into cereal production see no benefit in purchasing Forerunner Triticale. There will be markets for the grain or hay.
Grain
Triticale is one of the preferred grains for processing in the in the stock feed market.
To this end Milne Agri Group would be prepared to discuss the possibility of supply of the grain with growers of Forerunner Triticale. They would also be prepared to discuss the supple of the baled Triticale stubble providing the distance of carting the bales doesn’t make it unviable.
Chaff
Well over 60 years ago since the wheat Baroota Wonder became available as an ideal cereal for making chaff and it still the only one available. Over the years it has had its problems with disease and low seed production. The awnless forage triticale Forerunner seems to have the charactistics for making chaff. Does not have the same disease problems and the same range of chemicals for wheat can be used for weeds. So Forerunner has a future in this area.
Horse Industry
One of the most discerning industries is hay for horses especially those who require high performance. Most Triticale has been discounted by the horse industry because of the awns that can affect the mouths of horses. Forerunner has overcome this problem so it should be considred as a hay for the horses.
Within the horse industry around the world the feed back is the same as the sheep and cattle industries. Probably becuase it is slightly sweeter tritcale hay in prefered to others by the feeding animals. Our Group is interested with a service where the horse owner nominates before the feed quality required and the crop is cut to that requirements based on testing of the hay by independent lab services.
Hay
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If Forerunner was acceptable as an export hay it would have some advantages over the traditional oaten hay as it can be treated with all chemicals that are applied to wheat cutting down on the problem of rye grass. It would be baled about one month later overcoming some of the problems of spoilage from rain.
.Some export hay was sourced from Manjimup that had yield ranging from 9 to 12 tonnes per ha. Because of the prolonged spring rains the time between hay cutting and baling had to be minimal. The moisture level must have been high as it sweated in the container which created some spoilage. It also could be that Triticale hay dries at a different rate to oaten hay.
In a year where 70-80% of export hay was damaged and in a previous year where drought also created a problem. It may be still be worth perservering with a late maturing crop that can be grown in the higher rainfall regions.Massif Alliance would like to thank the principals of Hay Australia.
The average of Forerunner Triticale hay tested at sites in WA. .
Compared by a point system developed by the WA department of Agriculture to calculate grades of export hay
