Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Crimping
Crimping or moist grain crimping is an agricultural technology, an organic way to preserve feed grain into livestock fodder by fermentation.
Crimped grain brings health benefits to the animals and economical benefits such as cost savings and increased meat or milk production to the farmer.
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History
Crimping was developed in Finland in the end of 1960s by two farmer brothers, Aimo and Gunnar Korte, based on findings of British researchers as early as 1918. The brothers made the first crimper machine for home farm use, and as the word started to spread, they set up a company to manufacture and sell the machines.
The British researchers had established, that grain attains its peak nutritional value when the moisture content of the grain is between 35% and 45%. However, it took about 50 years before this knowledge was successfully turned into a method to process and preserve the grain when still moist.
Description
Traditionally, grain is not harvested until it is dry enough to be ground by e.g. a hammer mill. Moist grain often cannot be ground or stored without machine drying and using preservatives, which always increases costs.
In crimping, the grain is combined moist and run through the crimper machine, which will break and flatten the grains. Additives, such as certain preservatives or molasses and water (if necessary) can be added in order to ensure the protection of nutrients.
Crimped grain is stored in silos as a silage.
Crimped grain is dustless, thus covenient to handle, does not require any further processing, and is often preferred by the animals to drier and dustier feeds.
Practical experiments by farming and livestock research institutions in Finland, Sweden, UK and elsewhere have confirmed, that crimped feed has higher nutritional values, it increases the animals' growth and milk production, improves milk quality and the animals' health, and in addition, helps cut costs.
An important point is, that crimping home-grown grain and processing the feed on the spot at the farm, the feed ingredients can be controlled and are fully traceable, thus helping in prevention of diseases, such as BSE.
Related topics
External links
- Aimo Kortteen Konepaja Oy the pioneering company that introduced the method and has been developing the necessary machines
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