As outdoor temperatures warm up, protecting the quality of stored grain is especially important. Greg Trame, director of technology sales for GSI, said large temperature swings can make it easier for grain to spoil.
?As we go into spring and summer, you have the potential for much larger temperature swings, and this can be a challenge in managing stored grain,? Trame said. ?Large temperature differentials can cause condensation to form inside bins, which can lead to grain spoilage. The goal is to try to keep the two temperatures as close together as possible, ideally within 10 to 15 degrees by slowly warming up grain with aeration if we intend to keep it through the summer. Optimal storage conditions also depend on a grain?s moisture level when stored. To help make this determination growers can obtain safe storage charts from university extension services, and other resources.?
Trame said stored grain should be checked weekly, and safety should be top of mind?especially if bins have already had some grain removed from them.
?We want to make sure that we do not enter a bin to avoid the risk of entrapment and visually inspect the top layer of grain around the interior wall,? Trame said. ?Any signs of crusting could mean grain spoilage. One other common method is to detect spoilage by smell. If you see or smell something you don’t like it’s important to get aeration fans running to get fresh air in and equalize that bin and outdoor temperature as quickly as possible. If grain crusting is present in a small amount, you may be able to blend that off and solve the issue. However, it can be hard to know how far down a problem goes. If you can’t get it under control. it’s important to move the grain out of the bin and market it as quickly as possible even though it may receive a dockage at the time of sale.?
Leaving out-of-condition grain in the bin can cause clogging during unloading and lead to a series of unsafe events. Trame said grain monitoring tools can help farmers protect grain quality.
?The task of monitoring grain weekly does not have to be difficult,? Trame said. ?There are several tools available to allow remote monitoring and can alert you about temperature and moisture problems in a bin before they become serious. One example is GSI?s new GrainVue digital cable system that can detect early signs of spoilage and automatically turn on aeration fans to protect grain quality and value. The system also enables remote management using a mobile or desktop device, reducing the need for farmers to make trips up and down the ladder, and allow you to manage bins from wherever you are at.?
For more information, visit www.grainsystems.com.
