Cropping
�ere is also about a penny per bushel cost in aerating dried grain stored on the farm in order to keep it in good condition. Aeration is needed to cool the temperature of the grain in the winter and warm it up in the spring so the moisture remains balanced with the outside air temperature. Operating an aeration fan may also help move moisture from wet to drier kernels. Knowing the moisture content requirements of your end user is an important factor in delivering optimum moisture content and to managing your pro tability. When storing grain, there are also potential extra costs related to extra shrinkage and grain handling. When grain is dried and the moisture is removed, the number of bushels in the bin will decline.
�e shrinkage for farm-stored grain is about 1.25 % and will be slightly higher than that for commercially stored grain. Another related cost that should be included in the storage cost is the electricity and labor required to move grain into and out of bins. Estimates for this cost range from 2-3 cents per bushel.
�e last cost to consider while storing your grain is quality deterioration. �is cost can be quite variable depending on the quality of the grain that was put into storage and how well the grain is managed. Problems may erupt from moisture, hot spots, insects, or even mold in the grain that was not detected. �ere are many pieces of technology available to monitor the grain quality and all elevators use these tools. For the best success in storing grain, here are recommendations:
· Clean grain to remove chaff, weed seeds, and broken kernels.
· Handle grain gently to minimize cracked and broken kernels.
· Store grain at the recommended moisture.
· Aerate stored grain to maintain a cool, uniform, recommended temperature.
· Check stored grain frequently and take immediate action to eliminate problems.
It is also important to note, that many of the risks associated with additional handling and loss of condition can be shi�ed to an elevator by using commercial storage, however these costs will be covered in the elevators storage charges. Like with all areas of production and management, grain drying and storage management can be an important aspect of overall pro tability.
tsgc @ TSGCinc. com www. TSGCinc. com
www. farmersreviewafrica. com January- February 2017
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