Drying grain

[Billboy1]

Got about 400t at 16% thinking I’ll dry 1/2 of it down to 13% and blend the other 1/2 in as it comes out the batch dryer what do others do in this situation ? (Wheat )

 

[MrNoo]

Depends if/when you plan on getting rid of it? I wouldnt but am sure others do, I would be worried about getting it mixed enough.

 

[7610 super q]

I dunno. My first loads off the field were 16%, last loads 14.5. That should work out at 15.25 % mixed ?. No. A random mixed sample sent to my merchant was..............16%. I suspect every single grain needs to be dried to be sure......

 

[yellow belly]

mix it should be no problem
I often have a drier full then add a trailer when loading a lorry

at harvest often dry the wettest then ad to the heap mix it with the pusher then cool it with pedistals and have very few claims

1 trailer at 13 plus one at 16 mixed well and left to settle will test at 14.5
get a sample of wet and a dried on tested in a proper lab to properly check your moisture meter

once mixed let the grain settle for a few days as readings from a sample can be variable

 

[Brisel]

Blending is ok but needs to be done well. Your 16% grains are also inherently unstable long term, so will need cooling and conditioning. The moisture will even itself out throughout the heap with good mixing and some low volume air through it.

The current nightmare here is green grain in the malting barley sample. Most of it hardly needs any drying (until the weather turned recently) but even one green in a sample puts the whole reading off. Some will sweat out ok with air through the bulk. This is the downside of drilling without tramlines.

 

[Clive]

I will blend anything 15-15.5% anything else goes through the dryer for reasons @Brisel posts above

 

[Honest john]

Got about 400t at 16% thinking I’ll dry 1/2 of it down to 13% and blend the other 1/2 in as it comes out the batch dryer what do others do in this situation ? (Wheat )

I feel it will even out over time, less risk if you have low volume air under the floor.

If moving to market in near time it could be a problem.

 

[Brisel]

It would be a gamble if it didn't average 15% - drying later in the autumn takes more energy but it depends on your attitude to risk & whether you can easily blend the wetter stuff away later on. I've run our CF drier on colder autumn days & failed to get the high enough hot air temperature on some mornings despite full flame & 10 litres/minute gas oil consumption.

 

[T Hectares]

Blending is ok but needs to be done well. Your 16% grains are also inherently unstable long term, so will need cooling and conditioning. The moisture will even itself out throughout the heap with good mixing and some low volume air through it.

The current nightmare here is green grain in the malting barley sample. Most of it hardly needs any drying (until the weather turned recently) but even one green in a sample puts the whole reading off. Some will sweat out ok with air through the bulk. This is the downside of drilling without tramlines.

Yep, my drying floors are great for this situation, CF driers are a pain though, good ventilation needed in store

 

[goodevans]

Yep, my drying floors are great for this situation, CF driers are a pain though, good ventilation needed in store

Got about 400t at 16% thinking I’ll dry 1/2 of it down to 13% and blend the other 1/2 in as it comes out the batch dryer what do others do in this situation ? (Wheat )

Take the deductions far cheaper(and easier)

 

[jh.]

The current nightmare here is green grain in the malting barley sample. Most of it hardly needs any drying (until the weather turned recently) but even one green in a sample puts the whole reading off. Some will sweat out ok with air through the bulk. This is the downside of drilling without tramlines.

We used to have under floor drying and never use round up . Since going to an opico the greens are a real pita. Ripe stuff can be hard and probably the ideal moisture but the greens can make the whole pile heat, even after being in drier . Pointless drying stuff straight off the combine at times as clearly over drying the fit stuff and greens still come out soft , leave it to sweat for 3 or 4 days and dries much easier but not always ideal .

Glyphosate does make the job a lot easier especially in bad secondary growth years .No idea whats worse , round up or burners. No doubt once they ban one they will start on the other.

 

[ZXR17]

I have 130 ton of spring barley with quite a lot of greens on a drying floor . Will they dry out ok ? I have started the burner today or should I let them sweat for a few days ? It was cut yesterday . @jh , @Brisel
I've not had this problem before .

 

[Brisel]

They can sweat out a bit but get some air through the heap before long even if it's only ambient.

 

[glasshouse]

We used to have under floor drying and never use round up . Since going to an opico the greens are a real pita. Ripe stuff can be hard and probably the ideal moisture but the greens can make the whole pile heat, even after being in drier . Pointless drying stuff straight off the combine at times as clearly over drying the fit stuff and greens still come out soft , leave it to sweat for 3 or 4 days and dries much easier but not always ideal .

Glyphosate does make the job a lot easier especially in bad secondary growth years .No idea whats worse , round up or burners. No doubt once they ban one they will start on the other.

Why did u stop floor drying

 

[jh.]

Why did u stop floor drying

Under floor ducts are metal which are now rusty letting air out and vermin in .

 

[Jellyfarm]

We are fortunate to have a batch drier and an aerated floor store with stirrers. We find stirrers are excellent for greens, so tip, leave 24 hours and blow and stir - usually job done if moisture of bulk ok. Batch drier we leave in a heap to shrivel greens a bit then quickly through - seems to work.
J