Grain Store Hygiene
Some winter barley crops have been harvested. In order to ensure harvested crops are kept free from pests,stores need to be thoroughly cleaned to ensure any debris that may be harbouring pests is removed.Pests arise from within the store and not from harvested grain.Reldan 22 can be applied to empty stores to combat grain store pests.
Potatoes
The risk of blight remains high with great variations in particular areas due to localised showers. To try and keep crops free from blight where pressure is severe, requires short intervals appropriate for high risk and also the use of fungicide products with curative activity. Fungicides with good rainfastness will be very beneficial given the current spells of heavy rain, especially because it’s been difficult to accurately predict the timing and location of showers.
Propionic Acid
Propionic acid has an energy value of 1.5 times that of barley, so as well as preserving the grain it also adds to its energy value. With Propionic treatment, harvesting can take place when there is still surface dampness on the grain, dew or rain. Harvesting can start earlier in the morning or after rain and continue later at night, giving a quicker more flexible harvest, which leaves extra time for autumn cultivations. By harvesting before grain is fully ‘ripe’ a higher yield is also obtained, reduced shedding losses may save 200kg per hectare.
Natural vitamin E levels in moist grain, whether treated or not, are destroyed during storage. When moist grain forms a major part of the diet a mineral/vitamin supplement high in vitamin E should be used.
Grain at 18% moisture will require application of 7 to 8 litres of propionic acid per tonne and an additional half a litre added for each percentage of moisture above 18%. Application to rolled cereals or beans should be increased by 10%. Moisture levels should be checked regularly during the day to ensure that the correct application rates are used as it has been well established that under treatment of grain will fail to halt mould and bacterial activity. The flow rate of the auger should also be checked to calculate the treatment rate
Treated grain can be stored simply on a dry floor. It should not be stored with untreated grain.