They say a watched pot never boils and that's the strategy behind staying on top of potential storage mold and insect problems. Like a boil on your skin, a pocket of poorly conditioned grain can spoil the rest of the bin. Keep an eye on it and you can nip it in the... bin.

Hot dry conditions during the late growing season have left us with a special need to be continuously cautious about stored grain. The production of aflatoxin from the growth of Aspergillus Flavus is the primary concern. Continued growth of the storage mold in the bin can lead to continued production of aflatoxin.

As reports of aflatoxin hit the newswire in late December and early January, checking bins for signs of potential spoilage went to the top of our lists. Even some corn that had been supposed to be in good condition has shown some signs of the development of aflatoxin as it moved into the market. Once aflatoxin has been produced, there is no way to remove it from the grain, but with good management, we can minimize activity of Aspergillus Flavus and minimize or stop the production of aflatoxin.

There was a relatively smaller opportunity to cool grain to 35 or 40 degrees F in much of Missouri before the end of the calendar year, and a warmer than normal January just didn't help much. Now that the weather has finally begun to seem a little more like winter, it is certainly beneficial to run another cooling cycle through the bin even in February. Storage molds and insects will lie dormant at temperatures close to freezing.

It's important to stay on a weekly inspection schedule whenever grain has shown any signs whatsoever of less than ideal quality. Run fans at least momentarily remaining in a safe location outside the bin. The nose is one of the best tools for detecting a problem.

Be careful when entering a suspicious bin. Carbon monoxide has no odor and no mercy. If possible remove a truckload or two of grain and determine if the grain has formed a characteristic cone. Never enter a bin with bridged grain. Coring the bin by removing a couple of truckloads will usually remove the most commonly encountered spoiled grain occurring at the top of the bin. Be safe.

Bill Casady
573-882-4370