Winter barley is all but finished around the country and will be remembered as a year of variation. Variations in yield, quality, moistures, straw ripeness and harvest weather.
Every area in the country experienced these variations including Co Louth. Last week, we visited the McGuinness family in Ardee, Co Louth, who were just finishing the last of their winter barley crops.
Harvest progress had been relatively steady. Grain was ripe but straw was still somewhat green. The McGuinness family explained that they generally had to leave the straw for up to five days in order to let it mature.
Yields were also variable ranging from 2.5t/ac to over 4t/ac in places. Moisture levels were reasonable throughout the harvest ranging from 16% to 18%.
Six-row hybrid v two-row variety
The family grows both six-row hybrids and two-row varieties. The six-rows varieties such as Belfry, Bazooka, Quadra and Volume have out-performed all of the two-rows this year. They asked whether the hybrid varieties were better equipped to deal with the colder growing conditions during May.
They run a Massey Ferguson 7360 Beta alongside their two Case Axial Flow 7230s. The five-straw walker machine is in its second season on the farm.
Having three combines in operation helps them to increase output and better deal with their narrow weather windows.
Read more
Tillage management: variable harvest performance leaves mixed emotions
Listen: grants to encourage the use of native grains
Watch: harvesting winter barley on the foot of Burt castle in Donegal
Winter barley is all but finished around the country and will be remembered as a year of variation. Variations in yield, quality, moistures, straw ripeness and harvest weather.
Every area in the country experienced these variations including Co Louth. Last week, we visited the McGuinness family in Ardee, Co Louth, who were just finishing the last of their winter barley crops.
Harvest progress had been relatively steady. Grain was ripe but straw was still somewhat green. The McGuinness family explained that they generally had to leave the straw for up to five days in order to let it mature.
Yields were also variable ranging from 2.5t/ac to over 4t/ac in places. Moisture levels were reasonable throughout the harvest ranging from 16% to 18%.
Six-row hybrid v two-row variety
The family grows both six-row hybrids and two-row varieties. The six-rows varieties such as Belfry, Bazooka, Quadra and Volume have out-performed all of the two-rows this year. They asked whether the hybrid varieties were better equipped to deal with the colder growing conditions during May.
They run a Massey Ferguson 7360 Beta alongside their two Case Axial Flow 7230s. The five-straw walker machine is in its second season on the farm.
Having three combines in operation helps them to increase output and better deal with their narrow weather windows.
Read more
Tillage management: variable harvest performance leaves mixed emotions
Listen: grants to encourage the use of native grains
Watch: harvesting winter barley on the foot of Burt castle in Donegal
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