Monitoring grain bins is so important to protect the quality of stored grain, especially during spring as temperatures warm up.
“Bins can heat up really fast when sunlight hits them during spring and summer,” says Dave Ellis, GSI district manager. “Protecting quality grain means less dockage at the elevator and more money for your bushels.”
Ellis’ recommendations include:
- During spring, keep the grain temperature within 10 degrees of the ambient average to prevent condensation that can lead to grain spoilage. After the outside temperature gets above 50, manage aeration to keep the grain as cool as possible for the rest of the summer.
- Check grain at least weekly by climbing to the top of the bin. DO NOT enter the bin though, it’s best to avoid entering to minimize your risk of entrapment. Crusting on the top layer or any off smell could indicate spoilage.
- Blending off crusted grain may be an option if there is only a small amount. Otherwise, remove spoiled grain as quickly as possible, as keeping out-of-condition grain in the bin can cause clogging.
- Remote monitoring tools can help automate grain quality. Most grain bin monitoring technology setups provide real time moisture and temperature data 24/7 to control fan operation to dry, cool, rehydrate or warm grain. Alerts are issued when potential signs of spoilage are detected.
“This technology not only promotes safe storage, but also eliminates the need for farmers to regularly climb their bins for visual inspections,” Ellis says.
He notes that protecting grain quality should actually begin when bins are first loaded with dry grain. Ellis suggests:
- Equip bins with spreaders, which improve airflow by evenly distributing grain throughout the bin.
- As soon as possible after harvest, pull peaked grain down so the center is just below the grain at the bin wall. The grain will look somewhat like an “M” from the side, promoting air movement in the center.
- For every 10 feet of grain depth in the bin, pull out about 300 bushels during loading. This will create an inverted cone, removing many of the fines that accumulate in the center and greatly improving aeration.
North Central Ohio farmer Matt Spillman stores grain on-farm in a multi-bin setup that holds up to 160,000 bushels. He recommends making sure all your bins are “cored out” regularly.
“Get the core pulled out and get some airflow going through the center of the bin,” Spillman says. “And get that grain nice and cold. When we do that in the winter we hardly ever have to run our fans when it warms up. I can reach my arm down into the bin in July and the corn is still nice and cool.”
Another best practice is to focus on filling your bins with high quality, fully intact grain kernels. Don’t fill with a lot of fines, broken kernels, bees’ wings or dust, Spillman recommends.
“And try to keep pulling a load or two out of the bin regularly (throughout the growing season) and keep that top (level) moving,” he adds. “And make sure you alternate between bins.”
In his experience, Spillman shares, high yield environments are often the most susceptible to grain spoilage.
“Corn likes hot, humid, wet conditions when it’s filling out, and I think that correlates to what the vomitoxin fungus likes,” he says.
For additional grain management recommendations, farmers can contact their grain system dealer or visit grainsystems.com.
