This harvest was good for many in terms of yield and ease of harvesting. The downside, of course, is a poor price for a quality product. For some mixed farming operations and other livestock farmers with access to field grain, there is some potential to reduce costs.
Historically, many farmers would have processed their own barley or oats for feed. These farms will generally have equipment in place to handle and process the grain for feed.
The main element of this operation is a roller mill, such as a McMaster or Fraser unit. Most of these would originally have been sold as pto-driven machines. There are a number of electric units or units that have been converted to electric drive out there too.
If all the equipment and storage facilities are still in place and serviceable, then there is the potential to utilise high-quality, low-cost grain for animal feed. Without equipment or facilities in place, some investment and work is needed to utilise low-cost grain this winter.
Storage
Traditionally, many farms would have lofts on which to store grain for use throughout the winter or even the full year. From the loft, many would devise some sort of hopper system to feed a roller mill below. Simpler again is where there is room for both grain storage and mill. Side by side allows the roller mill’s hopper to be filled by a variety of methods. One critical factor of storage is that it needs to be dry. Access to the grain also needs to be safe and as easy as possible to manage. Eliminating manual handling and dust is critical to the success and viability of handling rolled grain.
Where there is a lack of farm building for grain storage, there are other options. Modern solutions include all sorts of grain storage bins, silos or hoppers. Some require grain to be blown into them, which is not very farmer-friendly. Others are more open, even hopper-like and can be loaded with a tractor and front-end loader. Where new storage facilities are outside of individual budgets, there seems to be much available secondhand. Also, there is no shortage of agricultural engineering firms capable of designing storage solutions.
Transfer
How the grain is transferred from storage to the roller mill’s hopper is a critical part in any system. Ease of filling, speed of the transfer system and safety are important in putting a system together. If the roller mill has a suitably large hopper, then it may be possible to fill it with a tractor and loader. At last, a use for the small loader bucket kicking around the yard for years. This system requires room for dry storage of both rolled and unrolled grain. It also needs to be tractor-friendly, with a good concrete floor and access for the tractor.
The tractor and loader combination is perhaps the safest and fastest system if there are the facilities on the farm to operate it. It is also the simplest if suitable storage facilities already exist. The only other requirement is a mill with big enough hopper, so it can be cleanly loaded by tractor loader. Where convenient storage facilities are lacking, the roller mill is likely to be consigned to an older farm building with limited access for tractor and loader. On many farms, augers have been used to transfer grain on to lofts or into storage facilities where no tractor can go. The auger or augers are generally used to transfer the grain to the roller mill during the winter.
The least desirable is an all-out manual system of physically filling the roller mill hopper with a bucket, usually an old oil drum with the lid removed. Rolled grain is then hauled away again with the same bucket or wheelbarrow
Some farms have a neat system. One farmer we visited in Offaly never has to leave the tractor cab when rolling barley. This is achieved by using a suitable grain hopper to fill the mill. The rolled barley is carried by an auger to a sealed-off end of the shed. Then the rolled barley is taken to the diet feeder by the bucket on the tractor loader. The farmer has no dust, no buckets, and no hassle.
Mill
For anyone considering the purchase of a roller miller, there are numerous options. Around the country, there are many examples of secondhand roller mills to be found. As mentioned earlier, McMaster, Suiter and Fraser were popular in past years. These are largely pto-driven units with 9in rollers. Quick research will find many examples with a broad range of prices from as little as €350 to over €1,000.
Be careful to check any used machine out thoroughly. Bearings and pto guards are easy enough to both source and replace but rollers that are damaged, broken or have some form of defect are not. There are grain roller units manufactured in Ireland. For example, Wakely Engineering in Co Louth manufactures all types and sizes of grain mills, rollers and crimpers. The firm’s 130 roller mill is a typical agricultural machine with a new price tag of €3,600, plus VAT. It is available in roller configuration or grinding configuration. The 130 is one of the smallest machines Wakely Engineering makes, but still has a decent capacity of 1.5t/hour. This would be typical of many of the used machines to be found on the market as well. Unlike many of second-hand examples, the Wakely 130 is electrically driven and is available in single or three-phase configuration.
Electrically driven units have considerable advantage in that they have no emissions. They allow a tractor to be free for other jobs and they can also be set up in the position that most suits a farm’s grain-handling system.
Much thought needs to be put into the safe operation of any corn-rolling system. If old lofts are to be used for storage, the building must have a sound structure and floors. A detailed risk assessment should be carried out, putting a plan in place to rectify any potential hazards. In the case of an electrically powered roller mill, all guarding should be in place. The machine should be inspected by a suitable electrician for any potential hazards.
Pto-driven mills present the biggest potential risk. In addition to standard guarding, pto guards need to be in place on the actual pto shaft and pto stubs on the mill and tractor.
Manually loading the mill leaves the operator exposed to more potential hazards, if guarding is missing or defective. If a mill has the potential to be bolted to the ground, it should be to make it as safe and stable as possible. When planning out the operation, keep manual handling to a minimum, saving your back.
The environment around a mill and grain supply will be extremely dusty. A wise precaution is a suitable dust mask to protect the respiratory system of anyone operating within the roller mill area. In any work environment, adequate lighting is essential. This is especially important where there is equipment or machinery operating. This is essential where visibility may be obscured by dust and fumes.
The potential for using good quality native grain is a real advantage this year. If considering setting up or renewing a system on the farm for rolling storing and handling grain, evaluate the farmyard for the most efficient area to set up. Keep an eye on the costs. Simple systems work well if properly planned. Ensure that the mill is safe with all guards and covers in place. Reduce as much manual handling as possible, as this may be the key to long-term success.
This harvest was good for many in terms of yield and ease of harvesting. The downside, of course, is a poor price for a quality product. For some mixed farming operations and other livestock farmers with access to field grain, there is some potential to reduce costs.
Historically, many farmers would have processed their own barley or oats for feed. These farms will generally have equipment in place to handle and process the grain for feed.
The main element of this operation is a roller mill, such as a McMaster or Fraser unit. Most of these would originally have been sold as pto-driven machines. There are a number of electric units or units that have been converted to electric drive out there too.
If all the equipment and storage facilities are still in place and serviceable, then there is the potential to utilise high-quality, low-cost grain for animal feed. Without equipment or facilities in place, some investment and work is needed to utilise low-cost grain this winter.
Storage
Traditionally, many farms would have lofts on which to store grain for use throughout the winter or even the full year. From the loft, many would devise some sort of hopper system to feed a roller mill below. Simpler again is where there is room for both grain storage and mill. Side by side allows the roller mill’s hopper to be filled by a variety of methods. One critical factor of storage is that it needs to be dry. Access to the grain also needs to be safe and as easy as possible to manage. Eliminating manual handling and dust is critical to the success and viability of handling rolled grain.
Where there is a lack of farm building for grain storage, there are other options. Modern solutions include all sorts of grain storage bins, silos or hoppers. Some require grain to be blown into them, which is not very farmer-friendly. Others are more open, even hopper-like and can be loaded with a tractor and front-end loader. Where new storage facilities are outside of individual budgets, there seems to be much available secondhand. Also, there is no shortage of agricultural engineering firms capable of designing storage solutions.
Transfer
How the grain is transferred from storage to the roller mill’s hopper is a critical part in any system. Ease of filling, speed of the transfer system and safety are important in putting a system together. If the roller mill has a suitably large hopper, then it may be possible to fill it with a tractor and loader. At last, a use for the small loader bucket kicking around the yard for years. This system requires room for dry storage of both rolled and unrolled grain. It also needs to be tractor-friendly, with a good concrete floor and access for the tractor.
The tractor and loader combination is perhaps the safest and fastest system if there are the facilities on the farm to operate it. It is also the simplest if suitable storage facilities already exist. The only other requirement is a mill with big enough hopper, so it can be cleanly loaded by tractor loader. Where convenient storage facilities are lacking, the roller mill is likely to be consigned to an older farm building with limited access for tractor and loader. On many farms, augers have been used to transfer grain on to lofts or into storage facilities where no tractor can go. The auger or augers are generally used to transfer the grain to the roller mill during the winter.
The least desirable is an all-out manual system of physically filling the roller mill hopper with a bucket, usually an old oil drum with the lid removed. Rolled grain is then hauled away again with the same bucket or wheelbarrow
Some farms have a neat system. One farmer we visited in Offaly never has to leave the tractor cab when rolling barley. This is achieved by using a suitable grain hopper to fill the mill. The rolled barley is carried by an auger to a sealed-off end of the shed. Then the rolled barley is taken to the diet feeder by the bucket on the tractor loader. The farmer has no dust, no buckets, and no hassle.
Mill
For anyone considering the purchase of a roller miller, there are numerous options. Around the country, there are many examples of secondhand roller mills to be found. As mentioned earlier, McMaster, Suiter and Fraser were popular in past years. These are largely pto-driven units with 9in rollers. Quick research will find many examples with a broad range of prices from as little as €350 to over €1,000.
Be careful to check any used machine out thoroughly. Bearings and pto guards are easy enough to both source and replace but rollers that are damaged, broken or have some form of defect are not. There are grain roller units manufactured in Ireland. For example, Wakely Engineering in Co Louth manufactures all types and sizes of grain mills, rollers and crimpers. The firm’s 130 roller mill is a typical agricultural machine with a new price tag of €3,600, plus VAT. It is available in roller configuration or grinding configuration. The 130 is one of the smallest machines Wakely Engineering makes, but still has a decent capacity of 1.5t/hour. This would be typical of many of the used machines to be found on the market as well. Unlike many of second-hand examples, the Wakely 130 is electrically driven and is available in single or three-phase configuration.
Electrically driven units have considerable advantage in that they have no emissions. They allow a tractor to be free for other jobs and they can also be set up in the position that most suits a farm’s grain-handling system.
Much thought needs to be put into the safe operation of any corn-rolling system. If old lofts are to be used for storage, the building must have a sound structure and floors. A detailed risk assessment should be carried out, putting a plan in place to rectify any potential hazards. In the case of an electrically powered roller mill, all guarding should be in place. The machine should be inspected by a suitable electrician for any potential hazards.
Pto-driven mills present the biggest potential risk. In addition to standard guarding, pto guards need to be in place on the actual pto shaft and pto stubs on the mill and tractor.
Manually loading the mill leaves the operator exposed to more potential hazards, if guarding is missing or defective. If a mill has the potential to be bolted to the ground, it should be to make it as safe and stable as possible. When planning out the operation, keep manual handling to a minimum, saving your back.
The environment around a mill and grain supply will be extremely dusty. A wise precaution is a suitable dust mask to protect the respiratory system of anyone operating within the roller mill area. In any work environment, adequate lighting is essential. This is especially important where there is equipment or machinery operating. This is essential where visibility may be obscured by dust and fumes.
The potential for using good quality native grain is a real advantage this year. If considering setting up or renewing a system on the farm for rolling storing and handling grain, evaluate the farmyard for the most efficient area to set up. Keep an eye on the costs. Simple systems work well if properly planned. Ensure that the mill is safe with all guards and covers in place. Reduce as much manual handling as possible, as this may be the key to long-term success. 
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