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Rivers, MB | Here in Canada, falling # is kind of new to us because of our beloved grading system and wheat board. however, things have changed and falling # is something to learn more about from you south of the border.
1. Is falling # a major grading factor for you?
2. Do all elevators buy based on falling #
3. What is considered a good falling # for milling wheat (talking hard red spring and hard red winter)
4. Will a 350 falling # of hard red winter give you the same quality of flour as a #350 falling # of hard red spring wheat. Or is the falling # of hard red winter lower than hard red spring wheat typically
5. Does fusarium/scab affect falling #?
We have some general purpose wheat (most buyers won't buy it as milling wheat) but it has a falling # of 415. Is that a good falling #??
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Guymon, OK | Falling number is how they test for sprout damage. Basically, when a seed begins to germinate an enzyme called alpha-amylase starts to convert the starch in the endosperm to sugar. To test for it, a sample of grain is ground into flour, then mixed with water in a test tube. After some stirring, the stirring rod is dropped into the tube, and timed for how long it takes to reach the bottom; the falling number being the number of seconds it takes. Unsprouted grain will be more viscous (higher falling number), and spouted grain will be less viscous (lower falling number).
The only time falling number has been important in my part of the world is when we grew white wheat for a few years, since it's much more likely to sprout in the head than red wheat. We're so hot and dry during harvest that sprouting isn't normally an issue. Downstate, sprouting can be more of a problem if they get a wet period during harvest. I can't remember what the cutoff was when we grew white wheat, but I think it was around 350, or perhaps 330. Anything less was rejected.
Edited by okpanhandle 1/14/2013 18:24
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Texas/New Mexico Stateline | Learned something new today. |
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ne north dakota | I see all the canadian trucks by our farm everyday your 415 is good if you have any questions get ahold of me our coop is buying lots of canadian grain |
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Montana | This should help - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KELVUzIl_ts
Ohh the memories two years ago when this hit us over the head...
Edited by mtremraf 1/14/2013 20:46
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Earlton Ontario | Alot of wheat is bought and traded in eastern Canada with minimum 250 falling number and 12.5 protien. You will learn as you continue to freely market your wheat to sample test heavily as you harvest and store your wheat. Knowing what you have pays huge when you know what your buyers want... We grow winter and spring wheat. We send samples of and market "wheat".. Bids are simply a fundamental of the composites we send... I have only had one load of wheat downgraded to feed grade in the past nine years..... And we grow ALOT of wheat. Segregated storage is a must. |
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just a tish NE of central ND | Falling numbers is used to grade flour making quality and determine deterioration of the seed (sprouting). Swathing is unfriendly to falling numbers tests when we have wet fall weather as sprouting in swath conditions are revealed by the test.
Edited by School Of Hard Knock 1/14/2013 23:48
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NC ND | it comes down to management and luck Steve. I've seen lots of sprouted wheat come out of standing fields also. When the crop has been sprayed
with roundup and/or is overripe yet still standing when it should be in the bin the sprouting can be just as bad. What gets guys in trouble swathing
is when they knock down the whole farm or cut it green and it has to lay for 2 weeks. We had some laying last year, cut green and that rain spell
started. I brought mine up wet and the falling numbers made it, Dad left his lay because he wasn't going to dry anything that was swathed, his
I have to mix off.
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Sanilac Co. Michigan | In Michigan it's primarily a soft white wheat issue though it certainly can happen in red. Some say it's directly related to sprouting but that's not really the case. You can have a low falling number yet have few if any sprouts. This has been a problem particularly since MPCI hasn't recognized the falling numbers test as a factor in discounts. Rather they went by the % sprouts. A few years ago this lead to some bitter anguish when growers were heavily docked for low falling number, yet % sprouts was within tolerance. Since MPCI didn't recognize LFN, the grower wasn't covered. Some of this has been addressed since, however it did put some growers off of growing white wheat in the future. The millers really love the falling numbers test as they believe it's a more objective method of determining quality than % sprout-the farmer thought it one more way they were taking it in the, uh, neck. |
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s nd | We have a spring wheat that is known for it low falling numbers. Got a seventy five cent spanking on a couple loads at harvest a few years ago. Usually don't deliver bushels at harvest time just for dockings as this. They don't check as much during off season. |
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falling # in wheat questions
