[bussard]

Got results back from bin samples and loads... Majority has become above 400 falling numbers with last combined still well above three hundred mark...was lucky to have most cereals combined before last few big rains..

Proteins were not surprisingly 16 plus with lighter test weights 55 to 59lbs... Dockage between 1 to 1.2percent

Samples all sent to state of Montana for testing

Had same samples done locally at ... And it went from number two( less than twenty percent) to majority a number three, and then the rest feed... Said up to two percent sprouts.... Witch would mean very low falling numbers

Much better pricing so far south of line and much better protein premiums as well...

Shop around

 

[wmell]

Durum or Spring Wheat?

 

[West Central]

Been hearing a lot of talk they are going to start buying cereals by falling number in western Canada. Anyone else hear that? If they don't there will be a lot of grain heading south.

 

[MNfarmer85]

Don't grow much wheat in this area, and kinda know what falling numbers test is, but what is the scale they use? Around here never seen anyone grade by falling numbers, but most of the time should be very good since it often stops raining here for a bit in the summer which ends up being right around the first 3/4 of wheat harvest.

16% protein sounds pretty good, most of ours is in the 14% range, under that the co-op here will start docking...

As far as better pricing further south... Since the US has a lot of winter wheat which is a lower protein wheat, they blend it with spring wheat to make bread and all purpose flours, maybe shipping grain south your tapping into some of the supply lines for flour mills in the US where as Canada it might have been bound for export markets?

 

[bussard]

Nice little video on falling numbers... Yes on spring wheat, but last years durum follows same procedure

protein is effected by yeild, this year June/July were very dry, and yeilds were reduced considerably, but had nitrogen numbers for bigger bigger yeilds, why protein is that hi and test weight low

It seams the grain company's south of the line must have much better access to better markets and have buyers just looking for their product, or Cdn companys run on different business platforms and need much higher returns

Not to uncommon this year to see a dollar fifty over futures south of the line where Cdn terminals are still 50 cents under futures... Then throw dollar exchange in and now grading differences and it makes a huge difference in farmers returns

 

[kirschenman]

Problem is they still need to calibrate machines. Same samples taken from same sample pail this year have tested from a low of 64 to a high of 125 in rye. So it seems falling number is as bad as visual grading. Another one was from 209 to 261 on the good stuff.


So you still don't know what you have even if you get it tested!

 

[rook]

Problem is they still need to calibrate machines.

Yes but I think Montana grades all wheat centrally, at a state lab. Could be wrong though. If that is true that's an entirely different model than w. canada

 

[Don Boles]

Darn!

Huh, I was hoping such a scientific procedure would provide some consistency and take out human subjectivity, looks like not.

 

[tbone95]

Problem is they still need to calibrate machines. Same samples taken from same sample pail this year have tested from a low of 64 to a high of 125 in rye. So it seems falling number is as bad as visual grading. Another one was from 209 to 261 on the good stuff.


So you still don't know what you have even if you get it tested!

Huh, I was hoping such a scientific procedure would provide some consistency and take out human subjectivity, looks like not.

Falling number test has been woefully erratic around here. A couple years ago, our trucker took a sample to see if the elevator would take it. Nope! Took another sample 2 days later (same exact sample unknown to them!) Yep! We'll take it. Truck load was tested when it got there, tested even better and ended up with a protein premium. Horrible test, at least so far around here.

 

[wmoebis]

Part of the problem maybe that equipment has to be thoroughly cleaned between samples to reduce X contamination. Elevator staff would need to be trained. There isn't even official universal training or checking to see if grading is properly done now. In Canada.

 

[brazil07]

falling number - nothing to be scared of, but pretty good thing to know

So everybody's combine of particular make is calibrated and set for say canola exactly the same and/or people stop the harvest show until this happens? If for $25(cost of falling number and other tests) a person could get independent combine calibration that would guarantee you losing less than 2b/acre think nobody has a problem with it, but knowing what falling number means to different buyers could make this look like chump change. Case in point - had sample of Rye this fall that had falling number of 65(falling number of water is 60) with only 2.3% sprouts. As 3cw rye in ethanol mkt looked at $3.75/bus, but there were other buyers willing to pay over $7/b.

 

[drylandfarmer]

Got results back from bin samples and loads... Majority has become above 400 falling numbers with last combined still well above three hundred mark...was lucky to have most cereals combined before last few big rains..

Proteins were not surprisingly 16 plus with lighter test weights 55 to 59lbs... Dockage between 1 to 1.2percent

Samples all sent to state of Montana for testing

Had same samples done locally at ... And it went from number two( less than twenty percent) to majority a number three, and then the rest feed... Said up to two percent sprouts.... Witch would mean very low falling numbers

Much better pricing so far south of line and much better protein premiums as well...

Shop around

How long did it take to get your samples back? Mine have been there 2 weeks today and still no word yet. I understand they are very busy right now.

 

[bussard]

I had a few samples that were tested in less than a week and a few more just over two weeks... My understanding is they are tested at the state university in montana...

I personally take the U.S. system over Cdn system any day... It always graded better south of the line...

 

[BuckwheatMT]

Sgl.mt.gov

Located in Great Falls, Montana.........

 

[bussard]

Over 2000 samples at the lab still waiting to be done, said they are working 70 hr weeks and that far behind...

Most years falling number are not a factor, but this year around the 40 percent mark are under 300 they have done so far, 14 day turnaround is average