Maximise Home Grown Grains with KERVA!
Noonan Agri Contractors Ltd are based in Conna, Co. Cork. Maurice Noonan (Moss) started the contracting business in 1970. His sons Padraig and Seamus run the business now with 5 full time workers with Moss still involved as well. They contract work approximately 15km radius of their successful tillage farm in Conna. Contracting duties include harvesting silage and maize, reseeding, slurry spreading, combining crops and crimping over 1,000 ton of grain per year.
Noonan Agri Contractors started the crimping side of the business in 2000 and since then Padraig has seen a shift from wet crimp to alkaline-based grain treatment systems over the last 20 years as farmers see the benefits of increased protein and ph for buffering from products like KERVA.
Sam Sweetnam of Inform Nutrition spoke to Padraig ahead of the upcoming season about his experience of using KERVA last year. Padraig made the move to KERVA treated grain in 2019 with no regrets. He stated that the combined product in a single 20kg bag per ton of grain makes the whole operation much more efficient and simpler. Competitor products on the market involve the mixing of products to get the desired result, whereas KERVA is a lot more straight forward with the added benefit of the product activating faster speeding up the whole process. Farmers who contracted Noonan Agri and treated their grain with KERVA were very happy with the results.
KERVA is an Alkaline Grain-treatment system for the treatment of whole or rolled grains for storage. KERVA can be used to preserve or treat a variety of grains such as fresh mature grains at harvest (Barley, wheat, oats, beans and maize, moisture content 14-22%), rolled, crimped or whole grains can be also treated, as well as mature whole crop and mature straw. Treating grain with KERVA produces a nutritionally enhanced feed (Increased protein content by 30% approx.), reducing the need for additional protein in the diet. KERVA increases the pH of the grain (pH 8.5-9.0) which results in better rumen buffering and a reduction in acidosis and laminitis. It is possible to safely feed higher levels of KERVA treated grain within your finished feed while also increases feed intake and fibre digestion in the rumen.
Padraig has seen that when the farmer has the correct storage facilities on farm for grain, such as clean dry storage area with good floor quality or lined with plastic then KERVA is a great option. The higher pH of KERVA grain ensures grain can be stored on farm for longer periods and without aeration.
Padraig is optimistic for the coming season for treating grain with KERVA as crops of barley and wheat are looking promising and farmers will be looking for better value for their winter feed options.
Padraig is pictured here, on the left, with Stephen Gumbleton of AMAC farm supplies in Midleton, Co. Cork
To get the best use in feeding your livestock with KERVA Treated grains consult your nutritionist or one of our KERVA representatives at Inform Nutrition:
- Liam Lacey – Leinster – 086 770 2570
- Kevin Conroy – Connacht – 083 159 1892
- Tom O Dwyer – Munster – 086 855 0759
