O ats are a hardy cereal grain able to withstand poor soil conditions in which other crops are unable to thrive. Although oats, or Aveena Sativa to give the Latin name, are more commonly eaten in the form of oatmeal or rolled oats, they also offer a vast array of other uses; from use as an ingredient in baked goods to use as a treatment for skin complaints. Oats have also found fame in recent years as a health food and are widely believed to be able to help combat a whole raft of serious ailments such as heart disease and diabetes. Although the crop is considered to be very resilient, a great deal of thought and planning is still required to ensure that the best quality product is delivered from seed to spoon. The very first stage of this journey involves the tending of the soil and seed planting. Planting When planting oats, the ground is prepared immediately after the previous crop has been harvested, which is usually during the late summer months time. The soil is then ploughed, a process which vastly reduces the risk of cross contamination of seed from the previous crop. Once the soil has been prepared, the seed is then sown. Once the seeds have been fully planted, the crop will then need to be tended right up until maturity. Tending The biggest problem when tending oats is weeds. To prevent the spread of weeds, a pre-emergent herbicide is applied within a week of sowing the field. The crop is then continually monitored for any pests and diseases. The soil is also tested every four to five years to ascertain the nutrient level. The results of the tests are then used to apply fertiliser, which provides the right amount of nutrients that the oats require. This stage is facilitated on some farms with the use of satellite navigation technology that steers the tractor in a perfectly straight line, thus saving time and ensuring even coverage. When spring arrives, nitrogen is then applied to the crop with the help of a nitrogen sensor mounted on a tractor, which can calculate how much nitrogen the crop needs. It then adjusts the application rates accordingly, in real time, as the tractor and spreader is moving through the crop. This new technology improves the efficiency of nitrogen application; so only what is needed is used. Once the crop has fully matured, it is then ready to be harvested. Harvesting The method that is usually used for harvesting oats is “direct heading”. This process involves the cutting of standing grain as soon as the crop has fully ripened. If the grain moisture is consistent throughout the crop and is less than 12 percent; then this is considered to be the method most likely to avoid mass shedding of grains. Whilst direct heading is the least expensive method of harvesting oats, the danger is that there may be long periods of high relative humidity in which the harvesting dry grain is not possible. This problem can cause considerable delays to the harvesting operation and increase the risk of head loss or grain washed out by rain. Once the matured crop has been cut, the crop is then gathered up into swathes. Swathing Swathing is a term used to describe the process of cutting the oat crop and placing it in rows held together by interlaced straws that are supported above the ground by the remaining stubble. Swathing is considered best practice where the crop is uneven in maturity; or the climate does not allow for rapid drying of the grain naturally. Swathing is also ideal for where there is a risk of crop losses from shedding and lodging. High yielding crops may gain more from swathing than low yielding crops. Generally, crops expected to yield less than two tonnes per hectare should not be swathed. Picking up swathed oats is significantly slower than direct heading because of the large volume of material. However, if the crop is either too thin or the stubble is too short to support the swath above the ground, then the crop should not be swathed. The main problem with swathing in these circumstances is that the heads on the ground may sprout and when attempts to pick up heads that are lying close to the soil surface are made, the crop may become contaminated with soil. Although it is better to swath early to prevent losses from shedding and lodging, one should not do so when the ground is wet after rain. Although it may be easier to swath later, the swaths of a ripe crop may not interlock well enough to withstand disturbance from strong wind. Harvesting the swath Once the crop has been swathed, the harvesting must be carried out as soon as possible, ideally within 10 days of swathing. If the crop is left exposed to the elements for too long too long and subjected to long periods of wetting, the grain may sprout and become stained. In more extreme cases the swath could also become contaminated with bronze field beetle. The stubble being torn out of the field during the swathing operation is one of the major sources of contamination in swathed oats. This usually occurs when the swather is operated at too high a ground speed or when trying to swath when the straw is tough due to it being cool or damp. As well as stubble contamination, another issue that can hinder farmers when harvesting oats is OATS by Andrew Wilkinson, staff writer, Milling and Grain Magazine STORAGE 60 | December 2015 - Milling and Grain F
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Oats are a hardy cereal grain able to withstand poor soil conditions in which other crops are unable to thrive. Although oats, or Aveena Sativa to give the Latin name, are more commonly eaten in the form of oatmeal or rolled oats, they also offer a vast array of other uses; from use as an ingredient
in baked goods to use as a treatment for skin complaints. Oats have also found fame in recent years as a health food and are widely believed to be able to help combat a whole raft of serious ailments such as heart disease and diabetes.
Although the crop is considered to be very resilient, a great deal of thought and planning is still required to ensure that the best quality product is delivered from seed to spoon. The very first stage of this journey involves the tending of the soil and seed planting.
PlantingWhen planting oats, the ground is prepared immediately after
the previous crop has been harvested, which is usually during the late summer months time. The soil is then ploughed, a process which vastly reduces the risk of cross contamination of seed from the previous crop.
Once the soil has been prepared, the seed is then sown. Once the seeds have been fully planted, the crop will then need to be tended right up until maturity.
TendingThe biggest problem when tending oats is weeds. To prevent
the spread of weeds, a pre-emergent herbicide is applied within a week of sowing the field. The crop is then continually monitored for any pests and diseases. The soil is also tested every four to five years to ascertain the nutrient level. The results of the tests are then used to apply fertiliser, which provides the right amount of nutrients that the oats require. This stage is facilitated on some farms with the use of satellite navigation technology that steers the tractor in a perfectly straight line, thus saving time and ensuring even coverage.
When spring arrives, nitrogen is then applied to the crop with the help of a nitrogen sensor mounted on a tractor, which can calculate how much nitrogen the crop needs. It then adjusts the application rates accordingly, in real time, as the tractor and spreader is moving through the crop. This new technology improves the efficiency of nitrogen application; so only what is needed is used. Once the crop has fully matured, it is then ready to be harvested.
HarvestingThe method that is usually used for harvesting oats is “direct
heading”. This process involves the cutting of standing grain as soon as the crop has fully ripened. If the grain moisture is consistent throughout the crop and is less than 12 percent; then this is considered to be the method most likely to avoid mass shedding of grains.
Whilst direct heading is the least expensive method of harvesting oats, the danger is that there may be long periods of high relative humidity in which the harvesting dry grain is not possible. This problem can cause considerable delays to the harvesting operation and increase the risk of head loss or grain washed out by rain. Once the matured crop has been cut, the crop is then gathered up into swathes.
SwathingSwathing is a term used to describe the process of cutting the
oat crop and placing it in rows held together by interlaced straws that are supported above the ground by the remaining stubble. Swathing is considered best practice where the crop is uneven in maturity; or the climate does not allow for rapid drying of the grain naturally. Swathing is also ideal for where there is a risk of crop losses from shedding and lodging.
High yielding crops may gain more from swathing than low yielding crops. Generally, crops expected to yield less than two tonnes per hectare should not be swathed. Picking up swathed oats is significantly slower than direct heading because of the large volume of material.
However, if the crop is either too thin or the stubble is too short to support the swath above the ground, then the crop should not be swathed. The main problem with swathing in these circumstances is that the heads on the ground may sprout and when attempts to pick up heads that are lying close to the soil surface are made, the crop may become contaminated with soil.
Although it is better to swath early to prevent losses from shedding and lodging, one should not do so when the ground is wet after rain. Although it may be easier to swath later, the swaths of a ripe crop may not interlock well enough to withstand disturbance from strong wind.
Harvesting the swathOnce the crop has been swathed, the harvesting must be carried
out as soon as possible, ideally within 10 days of swathing. If the crop is left exposed to the elements for too long too long and subjected to long periods of wetting, the grain may sprout and become stained. In more extreme cases the swath could also become contaminated with bronze field beetle.
The stubble being torn out of the field during the swathing operation is one of the major sources of contamination in swathed oats. This usually occurs when the swather is operated at too high a ground speed or when trying to swath when the straw is tough due to it being cool or damp. As well as stubble contamination, another issue that can hinder farmers when harvesting oats is
OATS by Andrew Wilkinson, staff writer, Milling and Grain Magazine
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60 | December 2015 - Milling and Grain
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known in the industry as lodging. In tall varieties of oats, lodging of oats is a more common problem. Due to the heavy mat of stems that is formed in a lodged crop, ripening can be delayed as a result of reduced airflow, increased shading and higher soil moisture.
Storage of Oats When destined for human consumption, correct storage of
oats is of paramount importance. Purchasers of milling oats will generally require farmers to have a quality management program in place. A suitable program should be able to show that considerations had been taken prior to harvest, that all grain handling equipment - harvester, truck, silos and augers have been thoroughly cleaned and that all residues have been removed. Grain stores should also be maintained and kept watertight as water can cause mould and sprouting of grain which could render the crop unsellable. Once the crop has been harvested, the grain must be stored safely, effectively and efficiently. When maintaining oat grain quality in storage, there are a number of important factors that need to be considered.
Grain moistureThe two biggest considerations that must be taken into account
when storing oats is that they are kept both dry and free from fungal growth. The maximum moisture content at which oats can be safely stored is 12.5 percent unless the temperature is reduced below 15 celsius (C). Above the safe limit, fungi may develop and cause grain spoilage. As well as moisture, another key consideration when storing oat grain is contamination from insects and other pests.
Insect ContaminationFor obvious reasons it is vitally important that stored grain
does not become contaminated by an invasion of insects. Serious infestation will usually occur within three months of harvesting, even in cases where risk of contamination has been reduced to an absolute minimum by application of strict hygiene guidelines throughout the harvesting process. However, in cases where these precautions have not been taken, insect contamination can occur in al little as six to eight weeks. Poor hygiene can also increase the risk of moisture problems and fungal growth.
Grain that has been infested can be cleaned up using Fumigants. These chemicals can also be used as preventative agents in sealed silos. Currently, the only approved fumigant for oats is phosphine. When applying a phosphine releasing fumigant, the silo must be sealed otherwise the treatment may not be completely successful.
Due diligence is of vital importance throughout the harvesting and storage process in order to ensure that the quality of the harvest is preserved for as long as possible. As well as contamination, another key consideration is the duration of the grain’s storage.
Duration of storageIn most cases, correctly stored grain should have a shelf life of
at least 12 months. For this duration of storage to be achieved, the initial moisture content should be lower than 12.5 percent for longer periods of storage.
Thorough aeration is also necessary for long-term storage of oats. Aeration helps to preserve the quality by keeping an even, cool temperature within the storage vessel. It is also a valuable tool for reducing the loss in grain quality caused by moisture, grain insects and mould.
There are many considerations to take when storing oats, and each process is required to ensure that the crop reaches the purchaser and in turn the consumer in the best condition possible.
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