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November 2000 |
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Giving Thanks for an Early Cool November: Don't Wait - Aerate! |
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Early Cool November - Aerate Jim Jarman |
Compared to last year, November 2000 is a cool one and that's something to be truly thankful for. A lot of grain went into storage very early this fall and at warmer than normal temperatures that could have a profound effect on storability into next spring. A quick look at a typical storage chart tells the story. For example, corn at 16% moisture and 70 degrees would have a storage life of only about 93 days according to the chart. Let's suppose that we binned this grain around the first of October, which was about 46 or 47 days ago, which is about half of 93 days; hence, we've used up about half of the storage life for that grain. It becomes very likely that this grain would just barely make it to the end of the year (another 46 or 47 days) at these conditions. Storage time for corn (days).
For the sake of this example, let's suppose that you cool this grain to 55 degrees now in the middle of November. The chart shows a storage life of 215 days. Since we already used up half the storage life, the remaining storage life is 215 divided by 2 or about 107 days. At the new conditions, this grain may store well into February. Keep in mind that the allowable storage time in the chart is certainly not a guarantee but rather a guide for making decisions. Grain should also be cooled to avoid the problem of moisture migration. When the outside air temperature is cooler than the temperature of the grain, the layer of air at the inside walls of the bin becomes cool and dense and begins to fall toward the floor. This sets up mild air currents inside the bin that can move moisture and cause a pocket of spoiled grain to form at the top and center of the bin. Use aeration fans to cool grain now before spoilage becomes a problem. Take advantage of early cool weather to maximize storage life. An aeration cycle should begin every time the average outside air temperature drops by 10 to 15 degrees. Aeration is both inexpensive and the best natural method for keeping insect and disease pests from claiming stored grain. The information for this article came from Bill Casady, UMC Extension Assistant Professor of Agricultural Engineering and member of the Commercial Agricultural Crops focus Team, 573-882-2731). Don't forget the annual Crop Management Conference (formerly Ag Chem Shortcourse) will be held on November 28 and 29 at the Holiday Inn Select Center in Columbia. Registration begins at 7:30 am on Tuesday, November 28. This program is the cornerstone of agricultural information for the coming cropping season. Jim Jarman (573) 642-0755.
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Old habits never die. At least we hope not.
November usually arrives with enough crisp weather to cool stored grain
to acceptable temperatures for long-term storage. But the last two
harvests have ended with long warm Novembers presenting a challenge for
grain managers who typically hold grain until some time after the
beginning of the new year.