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Grain handling chain
Special
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Six grain conditioning tips
A
common misperception is that grain can be held above 15%
moisture without risking quality or loss of net income.
To safely store maize postharvest through the following
spring, moisture content generally should not exceed 15%. To safely
store through the winter, it should be no higher than 14% and to store
grain for one year or longer, it should be no more than 13% moisture.
Small grains do not drop as much, but they should be targeted at
least a point below 13% to hold more than a year.
Check with local grain conditioning experts, too, because specific
recommendations vary from location to location.
Here are some helpful tips:
As grain enters the bin, run aeration fans to equalise kernel grain
moisture, which typically takes five to ten days. This puts the
grain in the best shape to store safely.
Fines can’t be thrown as far as kernels. Repetitive coring that
forms an inverted ten foot cone for every ten feet of depth as
the bin is filled, is a tremendous tool in minimising fines in the
centre.
Soon after harvest, pull the bins with peaked grain down so the
centre is just below the maize at the wall. The grain will look
somewhat like an ”M“ from the side, promoting air movement in
the centre. Levelling at this point is also a good practice.
Watch the ambient temperature, and use aeration fans to get
the grain temperature below 10°C as soon as possible. Nearly all
insect and mould activity ceases below this temperature.
Don’t completely empty one bin at a time when time comes to
sell the grain. Instead, take partial amounts from multiple bins to
form the ”M“ shape and move the remaining grain around. That
not only promotes air movement, but also reduces the risk of
grain plugging the discharge.
Check the grain weekly. Climb to the top of the bin, without
entering and observe whether there is a crust or any noticeable
smell. An increase in surface moisture usually is the first sign of
problems.
GARY WOODRUFF,
grain handling applications manager: GSI
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