Australia
June 13, 2013
The decision to buy a silo for on-farm grain storage can be daunting given it’s a major investment, and one you will live with for some time.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation says by following its strategic guidelines, growers can ensure they are buying silos to enable them to follow best practice and establish excellent storage facilities on farm.
Two new GRDC fact sheets produced by GRDC’s national grain storage extension team and a new video guide by Philip Burrill aim to make the process of identifying your silo needs easier by outlining key features required for good storage and fumigation results.
Philip Burrill says a well-designed, aerated, sealable silo using quality materials means filling, aeration, out loading, cleaning out and maintenance are trouble free. When fumigation is required, good design ensures it achieves a reliable gas-tight seal.
“Growers should be sure to look for the Australian Standard 2628 when purchasing a sealable silo. This means it meets a five minute pressure test when new. If it can’t pass this test when you purchase the silo, it is unlikely to achieve reliable fumigations over the longer term.
“Well designed silos also won’t have areas that trap grain residues and dust. It should be simple to clean. Hygiene is one of the key methods of reducing pest numbers and maintaining grain quality,” Mr Burrill said.
In the video Stored Grain: Silos for Fumigation Mr Burrill steps growers through easy ways to check your existing or new silos for key features required to ensure effective fumigation.
“With fumigation, even a small gas leak in the silo can mean insects will survive in the grain, because you just won’t reach the right gas concentrations for the time required to kill the full insect life cycle. This means large numbers of insects can quickly reappear.
“Maintaining grain quality during storage relies on the ability to manage grain moisture, temperature and insects. It makes sense to look for storage that includes both aeration cooling and the ability to be sealed gas-tight for the typical 7 or 10 day fumigation when required.”
Aeration passes cool air through grain to reduce its temperature to a level where insect development is slowed or stopped. As grain is cooled, insect breeding slows down and virtually stops at temperatures below 15°C.
“If a farm storage complex has a high standard of hygiene and silos include well managed aeration cooling, grain is less frequently infested. This means silos are only occasionally sealed up for fumigations.
“Regular monthly grain storage inspections and sieving for insects puts you back in control of grain quality. It reduces those nasty surprises when the truck arrives,” Mr Burrill said.
The decision to buy a silo for on-farm grain storage can be daunting given it’s a major investment, and one you will live with for some time.
The Grains Research and Development Corporation says by following its strategic guidelines, growers can ensure they are buying silos to enable them to follow best practice and establish excellent storage facilities on farm.
Two new GRDC fact sheets produced by GRDC’s national grain storage extension team and a new video guide by Philip Burrill aim to make the process of identifying your silo needs easier by outlining key features required for good storage and fumigation results.
Philip Burrill says a well-designed, aerated, sealable silo using quality materials means filling, aeration, out loading, cleaning out and maintenance are trouble free. When fumigation is required, good design ensures it achieves a reliable gas-tight seal.
“Growers should be sure to look for the Australian Standard 2628 when purchasing a sealable silo. This means it meets a five minute pressure test when new. If it can’t pass this test when you purchase the silo, it is unlikely to achieve reliable fumigations over the longer term.
“Well designed silos also won’t have areas that trap grain residues and dust. It should be simple to clean. Hygiene is one of the key methods of reducing pest numbers and maintaining grain quality,” Mr Burrill said.
In the video Stored Grain: Silos for Fumigation Mr Burrill steps growers through easy ways to check your existing or new silos for key features required to ensure effective fumigation.
“With fumigation, even a small gas leak in the silo can mean insects will survive in the grain, because you just won’t reach the right gas concentrations for the time required to kill the full insect life cycle. This means large numbers of insects can quickly reappear.
“Maintaining grain quality during storage relies on the ability to manage grain moisture, temperature and insects. It makes sense to look for storage that includes both aeration cooling and the ability to be sealed gas-tight for the typical 7 or 10 day fumigation when required.”
Aeration passes cool air through grain to reduce its temperature to a level where insect development is slowed or stopped. As grain is cooled, insect breeding slows down and virtually stops at temperatures below 15°C.
“If a farm storage complex has a high standard of hygiene and silos include well managed aeration cooling, grain is less frequently infested. This means silos are only occasionally sealed up for fumigations.
“Regular monthly grain storage inspections and sieving for insects puts you back in control of grain quality. It reduces those nasty surprises when the truck arrives,” Mr Burrill said.
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