Crop conservation

Health, stress resistance and vitality of sows and piglets are directly related to the quality of the food. Since an increase in feed intake in pigs is hardly possible (unlike cattle) the demands on food quality have increased more and more. Therefore, the maximum amount of energy should be put in a food ration. Especially autonomously produced forage has often proved to possess a higher energy density than purchased feed mixes. What you should consider when preserving grain is revealed in the following points: 

The goal of conservation is to prevent aerobic spoilage of the crop. Naturally, on all crops there is an initial content of microorganisms. However, in the presence of oxygen in combination with a sufficiently high water and nutrient content the formation of undesirable microorganisms can occur. Yeasts, molds and bacteria are responsible both for the deterioration of the fodder during nutrient reduction and for the formation of mycotoxins. In order to counter this food spoilage you should clean your crop in any case to reduce microorganism content. This way, third-, break and hollow grains are sorted out. It is also advisable to reduce the water content, either by drying on the culm or through active post harvest drying down to about < 14% grain moisture. Health measures prior to storage of the grain should be likewise strongly considered. This also includes the thorough cleaning of the storage place and the combatant of storage pests with chemical agents such as Actellic 50 (Note: strictly follow the relevant instructions of the manufacturer).

These include amongst others the grain beetle (Sitophilus granarius), the grain flat bark beetle (Oryzaephilus surinamensis), the Red-brown ledge head flat bark beetle (Cryptolestes ferrugineus), the Red-brown rice flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum), the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae), the flour beetle (Tenebrio molitor), the grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella), the maize moth (Nemapogon granellus) and the Warehouse Moth (Ephestia elutella). Your storage should be regularily checked for above mentioned vermin. Infested grain must be immediately transferred and in case it has not already been handled treated with a suitable chemical appliance.

Field mushrooms, brought in with the harvest, can lead to crop spoilage (similar to storage fungi). Said spoilage becomes visible through the brownish to grey coloring of the crop, a musty smell as well as differently colored mold coverings. Contrary to silage, where fodder conservation and mortification of undesired micro organisms is ensured through natural acid formation, in crop conservation no Ph lowering occurs. Therefore we recommend a crop conservation appliance (such as KOFA GRAIN -ph 5-) to both counteract the food spoilage and simultaneously stem the growth of yeasts and fungi as well as keep the grain stable during storage. By combination of sodium benzoate and propionic acid KOFA GRAIN -pH 5- has a long lasting effect against a wide spectrum of yeasts and molds and also provides high moisture content (thus ensuring conservation success). 

Under stress many molds frequently form toxic metabolites, so called mycotoxins. Small but steadily absorbed amounts of mycotoxins in practice often lead to acute and chronic poisoning (toxicosis) and corresponding performance depression. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEA) are among the most important fusarium toxins. ZEA has a mainly estrogenic effect in sows, such as fertility disorders and changes to sexual organs and mammary glands. DON on the other hand leads to reduction or in bad cases to refusal of food intake, vomiting and diarrhea and general poor animal health. The main aspergillustoxines include aflatoxin and ochratoxin which lead to growth depression, withering, jaundice and weakening of the animals´ body´s defenses. Due to these reasons under no circumstances should grain contaminated with mycotoxins be used as animal food. Once these toxins are formed they are almost impossible to neutralized since they are relatively insensitive to both acid and heat. Agronomic measures and preservation of cereals are therefore useful steps for the prevention of mycotoxin formation.