Milling Oats

[Ron]

Just wondering about growing and marketing milling oats, what are the historical premium to feed oats? What about pony oats? How do the economics work out? I have been told they are cheap to grow (but are they cheap to grow a good crop and high yield?). What can you expect for yield in the black soil zone with moderate inputs?
This is really two separate questions, marketing and producing.
I dont want any anti cwb stuff, if I liked the board I wouldnt be looking at oats. Looking for info from actual growers.
Thanks

[JACKFLASH]

Ron:
Find yourself some oats, that have a good disease package.

You need to have a patch of land that is reasonably wild oat free.

Delay your seeding until the wild oats have germinated and are present, your burnoff, is essential,but not to the point of waiting too long. June seeded oats tend to have light weight.

35-45lbs. actual N is fine, you may want to tweek that in the black zone. Over fertilizing grows more straw, you want bushel weight.

In crop spraying should be delayed to the 4-5 leaf. MCPA amine and Banvel, but do exceed 1oz., of the Banvel,plus for good measure1/2 rate tilt.

Swathing is almost like canola,don't swath when they are too green. The longer oats can stand the more weight you get.

Everyone has their own tricks. These are mine.

P.S. If you get a flush of wild oats, post seed,before the tame oats are up, don't hesitate to go in again with a fourth/L glyphosate, to control them.

[JACKFLASH]

Ron: Sorry do not exceed 1oz.Banvel.
As to the marketing, you know your cost of production and cash flow requirements. Oats are a good fall cash flow crop. Contracts should be available this winter,early spring.

[rbrunel]

Hey Ron
Sure oats are considered a cheap crop to grow,but dont cheap out when growing oats. I find that if you cut back you N 20lbs from that of wheat is a good starter. 100lbs of available N is about what you should shoot for. Adding K isn't a bad idea as it will help in the bushel weight. I like to straight combine oats. so I find that extra n help give me extra straw to help it fall over and not shell. Not really you conventional way of thinking. this year I had 480 ac of Assinneboia oats that yeilded over 125bu/ac on average. price that at 2$ ANDu have made yourself some $$
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