Grain Storage without DryingDrought across Europe and a stronger Euro caused 2003 wheat to rise to £80 per ton ex combine for clean dry samples - some £15+/t above 2002Grain for conventional storage over 6 months should be Max 16%
moisture - preferably 14.5% and kept cool - below 15 and preferably 10C. At 18%
moisture store for a maximum 6 months and keep cool with low
volume ventilation fans. Linseed should be below 10% moisture
- preferably 7%. Crimping by roller is simple, for all cereals - but generally not pulses. Acids or inoculants work to a degree, but the cost is expensive - up to £23 per ton of Dry Matter. Feedout rates must be very fast in summer - preferably one foot per day. Recent developments with whole grain treatment with Urea, Innoculant (Biograin), and the Forage processor mill for ground grain (not Corn Cracker) offer realistic alternatives. The lowest cost least technically demanding is Urea treatment and is a direct replacement for Caustic Treated Grain. With a good water supply 25 tons per hour can be processed for storage up to a year under plastic with minimal vermin damage at £1t/ processing and £3 materials costs.
Urea treatment of wheat is the cheapest way of preserving grain at high moisture and providing additional protein
Commercial dry Ammonia treatment is known to reduce field mould and store mould toxins (mycotoxins) - in particular Aflatoxin (liver damage - cancer) so we would anticipate some level of mycotoxin reduction.
Buying in ex combine grainDeductions
PestsKey messages: for conventional storage.
Q. Why are pests becoming more important in relation to storing grain?A. Firstly, the market now demands complete freedom from any pests and, with low grain prices, standard terms are strictly enforced. Secondly, many stores have been registered under the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme and will be subject to inspection to meet the scheme's objectives. And thirdly, the majority of pests but especially mites and rodents are significantly more difficult to control using the pesticides that we have successfully used over many years. Q. Why are these pests becoming more difficult to control?A. There is increasing resistance in many beetle and mite populations to the organophosphate pesticides currently approved for admixture with grain (Figure 1). Most of these have been on the scene for some 30 years. Levels of resistance, particularly in storage mites, have risen to such levels that control of established pests is not possible, even with a very effectively applied treatment. Finally, while some rodent populations can survive after eating large quantities of anticoagulant bait, there is also strong evidence that behavioural resistance in some populations is contributing to control failures Q. Why are mites seen as so important now?A. Storage mites are strongly allergenic and there is currently great concern about food intolerances and allergic reactions. While a study of cereal-based foodstuffs purchased from retail outlets showed mites were present in 1 in 5 products sampled, the general infestation level was very low (at 1 mite per 20g of sample - or the equivalent of 75 in a household bag of flour). However, some samples contained very large mite numbers - in one sample of cereal Rusk baby food, nearly 400 mites per 20g were present. Q. Is there any evidence that they can cause harm?A. Mite allergens have been linked to the steady rise in asthmatic problems in this country, which have to date remain unexplained. Killing mites present in a foodstuff is not the answer, as mites constitute an allergenic challenge even when dead. Mites have probably always been present in foodstuffs, but it is possible that other environmental factors are predisposing people to react to storage mites in their diet. Finally, early results from a clinical trial show that more atopic individuals in the Manchester area reacted to storage mite allergens than to house dust mite allergens - and we are all aware of the media attention that house dust mites attract. Q. What can be done to prevent problems with insect and mite pests in stored grain?A. The best - cheapest and most effective - answer is to cool and dry the grain to prevent pests developing Insects do not generally breed below 15°C and mites will not survive cereal moisture contents of 14.5% or lower (7% mc on oilseed). Ensure that grain is dried and cooled as quickly as possible to these levels. However, the cooler the grain becomes, the less the risk of any pest problems developing (remember there is a 15°C maximum for grain going into intervention). For longer-term storage in this country, 5°C should be the target by the year-end. With the right equipment, this is a very cheap strategy costing only around 10 pence per tonne of grain for the energy required (or 5 pence per tonne if you have access to low tariff electricity and can blow at night) (Figure 4). A differential thermostat ensures the most efficient use of electricity |
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