Growing Food: A Guide to Food Production

YIELD

The global average yield of oats in 2004 was 2.2 MT/ha according to FAO, though 7
or 8 MT/ha is possible in good growing conditions.
The UK reported the highest average yield for that year (6.0 MT/ha) and Israel
the lowest (363 kg/ha).
Harvesting should be done in good time (early) to minimise shattering.

UTILISATION
Oats are mainly used for animal food; both the grain - rolled, and with husks -
and the straw are eaten. The straw is highly absorbent, and so is good for
bedding.
The rest of the grain is dehusked and used for human food, as oatmeal, porridge,

husk does not develop, is also used, mainly for breakfast cereals.

Oatbran, and to a lesser extent oatmeal, are rich sources of inositol, part of the

vitamin B complex and important in nerve transmission, the metabolism and

movement of fats and for reducing blood cholesterol levels. Inositol is also

seeds and nuts, etc.

In some cold regions the young plants of winter sown types are grazed in

spring. If no top dressing is applied the grain yield may be reduced a little,

though with crops which are too thick (“winter proud”) the yield is often

increased by grazing.

The plants can make good hay and silage.

In industry, oat hulls are sometimes used as a source of furfural (or

furfuraldehyde) a chemical intermediate in the production of many industrial

products such as solvents and resins.

LIMITATIONS

acids which produce a soapy taste due to the activity of an enzyme called lipase,

Also it can be more difficult to separate this husk (the “chaff”) from the grain

limited success.

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Very few, although other cereals normally produce higher income per hectare.

Oats and oat products can rapidly turn rancid due to the presence of free fatty

though this can be rendered harmless by steam treatment.

Oat plants can and do lodge badly, especially in fertile soils.

The seed shatters very readily when ripe.

than wheat and barley.

The seed:husk ratio is very low - the husk can weigh 25% of a grain sample.

Breeding of improved varieties of oats with wide adaptation has only had

GROWING FOOD – THE FOOD PRODUCTION HANDBOOK

oat cakes, muesli, etc. Grain from so-called “naked oat” varieties, where the

found in a wide variety of other food, including beans, citrus fruit, meat, raisins,