Tag: 4248

Organic Triticale Resources

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  1. Triticale: The Versatile Hybrid for Grain, Grazing, and Silage
  2. Advantages of Growing Triticale as Grain
  3. Advantages of Growing Triticale for Grazing
  4. Advantages of Growing Triticale for Silage
  5. Overall Benefits
  6. Triticale Seed Count and Weight
  7. Planting Rate
  8. Planting Depth
  9. Additional Considerations
  10. Seed Companies
  11. Organic Small Grain (wheat, oats, triticale, barley, and rye) Traders
  12. Other Resources

Triticale: The Versatile Hybrid for Grain, Grazing, and Silage

Triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye, offers the benefits of both parent crops, such as disease resistance, drought tolerance, and high forage quality. In organic farming, triticale is valued for its role in enhancing crop diversity and resilience, which helps manage pest populations and reduces reliance on chemical controls. Organic triticale is commonly used for forage, silage, and grain, providing high-quality feed for livestock without the environmental impact associated with synthetic inputs. By integrating triticale into organic rotations, farmers can diversify their cropping systems, improve soil health, and contribute to a more sustainable agricultural landscape.

  • Food Use: Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye, developed to combine the high yield potential of wheat with the disease resistance and hardiness of rye. It can be used in bread, cereals, and other baked goods. However, its use in human food is less widespread than wheat due to differences in gluten quality.
  • Animal Feed: Triticale is often used in animal feed due to its higher protein content and improved amino acid profile compared to wheat. It is particularly valuable for swine and poultry diets and is appreciated for its balance of energy and protein.

Advantages of Growing Triticale as Grain

While triticale is not widely used as a grain for human consumption, there are still some benefits when it is grown for this purpose:

  1. High Protein Content: Triticale grain typically has a higher protein content compared to wheat and rye, making it a potentially valuable grain for animal feed where protein is a key nutritional component.
  2. Disease Resistance: Triticale combines the disease resistance of rye with the productivity of wheat, offering improved resilience against common wheat diseases like rusts and ergot. This can reduce the need for fungicide applications, lowering production costs.
  3. Adaptability to Marginal Soils: Triticale performs well in a wide range of soil conditions, including poor or sandy soils where wheat might not thrive. This makes it a versatile option in challenging growing environments.
  4. Potential for Niche Markets: There is potential for niche markets, particularly in specialty animal feeds and occasionally in health foods, due to its favorable amino acid profile and digestibility.

Advantages of Growing Triticale for Grazing

  1. High Forage Quality: Triticale provides high-quality forage that is rich in protein and digestible energy, making it an excellent option for grazing livestock. It has comparable or superior forage quality to wheat and rye, especially when grazed in the vegetative stages.
  2. Extended Grazing Period: Triticale can be planted in the fall and grazed in early spring, extending the grazing period when other forages might be limited. It provides an early feed source before other pastures become available.
  3. Vigorous Growth and Regrowth: Triticale exhibits rapid growth and good regrowth potential after grazing, allowing multiple grazing events in rotational grazing systems. Its robust growth habit helps sustain forage availability under grazing pressure.
  4. Tolerance to Adverse Conditions: Triticale is more tolerant of drought, acidic soils, and cold temperatures than wheat, providing reliable forage even in less-than-ideal growing conditions.

Many times, triticale or any small grain for silage is “wilted” first instead of direct cut by a silage chopper.

Advantages of Growing Triticale for Silage

  1. High Yield Potential: Triticale produces high biomass yields, which translates into significant silage volume per acre. This is advantageous for livestock operations needing large quantities of silage.
  2. Balanced Nutritional Profile: Triticale silage offers a good balance of energy, protein, and fiber, making it suitable for ruminant diets. Its higher protein content compared to some other silage crops can reduce the need for protein supplements.
  3. Early Harvest and Double-Cropping Opportunities: Similar to rye, triticale can be harvested for silage in the spring, freeing up fields for a subsequent crop. This double-cropping ability increases land use efficiency and overall farm productivity.
  4. Resilience Against Diseases: By growing triticale for silage, farmers can avoid many of the grain-specific diseases, such as fusarium head blight, that could reduce the quality of grain crops.

Overall Benefits

  • Versatility in Use: Triticale’s flexibility to be used for grazing, silage, or grain (even if limited) makes it a highly adaptable crop that can meet various farm needs, from livestock feed to soil health management.
  • Improved Soil Health: Like rye, triticale helps improve soil structure and reduces erosion, particularly when used as a cover crop or for grazing, enhancing soil organic matter and supporting sustainable farming practices.
  • Cost-Effective: Triticale typically requires fewer inputs in terms of fertilizers and pesticides compared to wheat, especially in marginal environments. This can lower production costs and improve farm profitability.
  • Reduced Pest and Disease Pressure: The inherent disease resistance traits from rye make triticale a robust choice against many common pests and diseases, reducing the need for chemical controls.

Triticale Seed Count and Weight

  • Seeds per Pound: Triticale typically has around 10,000 to 12,000 seeds per pound, depending on the variety and seed size. This is slightly larger than wheat and barley seeds.

Planting Rate

  • Typical Planting Rate: For triticale, the standard seeding rate is usually 60 to 80 pounds per acre, translating to roughly 600,000 to 960,000 seeds per acre, based on average seed counts.
  • Range of Planting Rates:
    • Grain Production: The typical range is 50 to 80 pounds per acre. The exact rate will depend on factors like soil fertility, moisture conditions, and the specific variety used.
    • Forage or Cover Crop Use: Higher rates, ranging from 80 to 100 pounds per acre, are used to ensure dense stands for forage production or effective ground cover.
    • Poor Soil or Dry Conditions: Lower seeding rates, such as 50 to 60 pounds per acre, may be used to reduce competition among plants for limited moisture or nutrients.

Planting Depth

  • Optimal Depth: Triticale should be planted at a depth of 1 to 2 inches. The ideal planting depth depends on soil type and moisture conditions:
    • 1 to 1.5 inches is generally sufficient in well-moisturized, lighter soils.
    • 2 inches may be necessary in drier conditions or in heavier soils to ensure adequate seed-to-soil contact and access to moisture.
  • Depth Considerations: Planting too shallow can expose the seeds to adverse weather conditions, while planting too deep can slow down emergence and reduce seedling vigor.

Additional Considerations

  • Soil Temperature: Triticale is fairly cold-tolerant, with an optimal germination range between 50°F to 77°F (10°C to 25°C). It can be planted in early spring or fall, depending on the desired use.
  • Row Spacing: Common row spacing for triticale is 6 to 8 inches. Narrower rows can help with weed suppression and efficient light use, especially in forage or cover crop situations.
  • Uses: Triticale is valued for its versatility, being used for grain, forage, and cover cropping. It combines the quality traits of wheat with the hardiness of rye, making it suitable for a range of environments. It performs well in poorer soils and can be used to improve soil health, provide forage, or as a green manure.

Seed Companies

Organic farmers are required to purchase organic seed when it is available, but for many crops, organic seed options are limited or unavailable. Many seed companies offer both organic and non-organic seed, and it’s essential for farmers to understand that non-organic seed can be used on certified organic farms as long as it is non-GMO and untreated. Farmers should always verify seed sourcing requirements with their organic certifier to ensure compliance while balancing the need for high-quality planting seed.

Turner Seed Company

Limagrain Cereal Seeds

Albert Lea Seeds (Organic Varieties)

Trical Superior Forage

Warner Seeds, Inc.

Organic Small Grain (wheat, oats, triticale, barley, and rye) Traders

Here is a list of potential organic commodity buyers (based on organic certification) who have historically engaged in the organic grain market. While these companies have shown interest in organic commodities, it’s important to note that their purchasing activities can vary based on market conditions, demand, and availability. I encourage you to contact them directly to inquire about their current buying needs and contract opportunities, as their purchasing intentions may change over time.

Barton Springs Mill, Inc.

Pink Rose Organix

Caprock Enterprises LLC

  • Beau Brown
  • 1301 E 5th
  • Plainview, Texas 79072
  • PO Box 53538, Lubbock, Texas 79453
  • 806-798-8900
  • beau@lonestarcom.org

Commodity Brokerage Services LLC

Coyote Creek Organic Feed Mill & Farm

Deaf Smith County Grain

Enger Farms, LLC

Lone Star Commodities, Ltd.

McDowell Feed Source

Muleshoe Specialty Grain, LLC

New Deal Grain Inc

TIERRA MANNA TRADING

Triple Nickel, Inc.

  • Kayla Nickels
  • 808 W 19th St
  • Muleshoe, Texas 79347
  • Triple Nickel East
  • 413 East American Blvd.
  • Muleshoe, TX 79347
  • (806) 272-7500
  • Triple Nickel West
  • 1680 CR 1044
  • Muleshoe, Texas 79347
  • (806) 272-5589
  • kayla@cknickels.com
  • https://cknickels.com/

Other Resources