Grain storage options for dry grain

Initial assessments of standing corn and soybeans in the county suggest that the crops are drying down very fast, especially since the frost.

Based on some initial samples we are concerned that corn destined for "snaplage" could get too dry before it gets harvested. Also, some fields that got flooded still have significant silt on the corn husks, and may be best harvested as dry shell corn.

Recommended kernel moisture for HMC, HMEC,and snaplage is the same, 26-32%. The cob in HMEC and snaplage will increase the moisture content of the total feed another 4-6%. The literature suggests that moisture content as high as 40% is OK for snaplage.

If farms would be best served by letting the grain go for dry shell corn, the questions become what we can do with the grain once harvested. Some grain, if it is not contaminated with silt, could be purchased by the local feed mills, or stored and mixed into a farmer's feed.

With the advent of custom on farm grain processing in Delaware County (Dennis Deysenroth's grinder-mixer available for rent as well as the Albano's roller and grinder mills), another option would be on farm storage and grinding.

As most farms do not have on farm grain storage, one option that might be attractive is storing grain in an ag bag. This has been done successfully in the midwest for the last 10 years. Moisture content plays a big role in how the crop keeps. As you might suspect, corn that is too dry for HMEC (or snaplage) but too wet for dry shell is the hardest to manage.

There is little information suggesting that aeration is necessary for proper storage in bags, but in principle, getting the grain cool and keeping it cool is still a good idea. Rodent and bird damage is also a consideration.

Below are links to some good articles on the subject.

Please note that some industry literature indicates that silage bag and grain bags are manufactured with different properties due to differences in stress that the grain places on the bag verses silage and to accommodate automatic grain bag unloading equipment.


Iowa Farmer Today article

University of Minnesota Engineering Notes

AT films article