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To encourage the 2010 growing of Berkshire, the new high yielding triticale, meetings of triticale growers, agronomists, pork producers and feed mills were recently hosted by Australia’s Pork Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), co-developer of the variety with The University of Sydney and the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Berkshire was one of three new grain varieties from Pork CRC plant breeding projects released for commercial sowing during the 2009 season and now available for extensive release. The others were the field pea, Maki and the barley, Shepherd.
Berkshire seminar attendees were told by Pork CRC Program One Manager, Dr Ray King, that, at an average digestible energy (DE) content of 13.9 MJ DE/kg, Berkshire contained about 0.5 MJ DE/kg more than the average energy in other triticale varieties, including Tahara.
At the Pork CRC March 2010 feed grains seminar at Technology Park, Western Australia, were (L to R) Craig Mostyn Group Chief Executive Officer David Lock, Wannamal pork producer and WAPPA President Steve Martin and pork producer Torben Soerensen of ‘G D Pork’, Pinjarra.
“The higher DE content of Berkshire was confirmed by AusScan feed analysis on samples of Berkshire collected from around Australia during the current 2009/10 harvest, making it similar to the ‘average’ wheat,” Dr King explained.
The revolutionary AusScan technology, released by the Pork CRC last year, predicts DE content with an accuracy of ± 0.27 MJ/kg and is now available from major Australian feed testing laboratories.
Dr King urged pork producers and feed suppliers to routinely analyse grain to assist in purchasing decisions and to adjust their feed formulations to maximise productivity.
There is considerable variation in the nutrient value of grains, according to Dr King, with energy values varying by up to 4 MJ DE/kg within a cereal grain.
Following a limited release last year through Waratah Seeds, Berkshire was grown commercially in several pork producing regions, performing very well, while outyielding other triticales and often outyielding wheat grown on the same farm.
“There is anecdotal information from WA suggesting Berkshire yields, at three tonnes per hectare, were superior to wheat and other triticales,” Dr King said.
A controlled marketing system involving growers and end-users will enable pork producers and grain growers to benefit from Berkshire’s yield and quality advantages.
According to ABARE (2007), triticale comprised about 13% of the cereal grains in Australian pig diets, with wheat at 38%, barley at 30% and sorghum at 14%. About half a million tonnes of triticale is currently grown across Australia.
At the Pork CRC March 2010 feed grains seminar at Technology Park, Western Australia, were Craig Mostyn Group Piggeries Manager Jorge Chorrez (left) and Wesfeeds Technical Manager Daniel Goussac.
For more information about the new Pork CRC supported feed grains, Berkshire, Maki and Shepherd, interested grain growers and pork producers can contact Dr Ray King, Manager, Pork CRC Program One, ‘Securing more reliable and consistent supplies of protein and energy for pig diets’, Mob 0412 322 047 or Email r.h.king@bigpond.net.au
For specific agronomic advice regarding Berkshire, including preferred growing zones, disease resistance and management of stripe rust, growers should contact Waratah Seeds, The Seed Professionals, via their website www.waratahseeds.com.au or email info@waratahseeds.com.au
A second Pork CRC developed triticale variety, JRCT400, is on-line for release with Waratah Seeds, which is bulking up seed this season.
www.porkcrc.com.au
