Are you needing to increase your grain storage capacity, or looking to maximize the efficiency of your loading and unloading sites? Wondering what is the best way to store grain?
Whatever the case, your grain needs to be stored, and as you know, there’s a few ways to go about it.
In this article we look at: grain tarps, grain bags, silos and grain sheds.
On-farm grain storage not only protects your grain but can also help you increase your marketing opportunities and dollars-per-tonne when the time is right to sell.
However, storing grain comes with a few challenges. So, when it comes to deciding on the best option for your operation, it’s important to consider the following:
- How long are you planning to store the grain?
- What are your access requirements? Is the ability to load and unload quickly important to you?
- How will you manage the risk of cross contamination and infestation?
- Will you require ventilation or aeration systems for your grain storage?
- How will you manage temperature control for your grain storage?
It is also important to consider the type of grain you will be storing, as some storage options are more suited to certain grain types than others.
So, what are your grain storage options? And which is the best way to store grain?
Grain Tarps
If you’re looking for a temporary solution for grain storage on your property, grain tarps or bunker tarps might be your best option. They can be practical, easy to use and a low investment.
Grain tarps are available in a range of sizes, and if you purchase a good-quality tarp with UV resistant material, it can last several seasons.
And there’s minimal preparation needed to use one. All you need is a suitably prepared space to dump the grain and a system to secure the tarp around the edge.
So, they’re practical, but of course, like any solution they come with some drawbacks:
- Controlling vermin like grain pests such as the lesser grain borer and the rice weevil can be a challenge
- Humidity building up under the tarp can lead to mold issues
- They are quite labour and resource intensive with labour and equipment require to move large tarp covers – large tarps can be heavy and cumbersome
Storage Bags
Single use grain bags are another option and are ideal when a permanent structure is not a feasible or practical option.
Although specialized equipment is required for filling the bags, they’re generally considered an economical (due to their low cost) and practical (due to quickly improving logistics at harvest) solution for short term storage – they are usually used for up to three months.
It is important to pay special attention to site preparation for storage bags though. The area needs to be clean and elevated so that water will drain away from the bags. They are not always easily accessible in wet conditions, which can be inconvenient.
Credit: Grant Singleton
Bags must also be regularly checked for signs of vermin activity. Pests such as rats and mice, birds, foxes, and kangaroos can all puncture grain bags and contaminate the contents. Any damaged bags must be taped up immediately to avoid contaminated grain.
Maintaining an even temperature and controlling humidity inside the bags can also present some challenges. For example, if one side of the stack receives a lot of direct sunlight, the internal temperature of the bag will rise, and moisture accumulation on the other side of the stack could be an issue.
This may also be a challenge for pest control, as generally cool grain storage conditions are an effective way to control grain pests as many cannot survive in low temperatures.
Grain Silos
Silos are a popular grain storage for a number of reasons.
As well as having a long service life (a good quality silo can be expected to last around 25 years), silos provide effective protection and well-sealed and segregated storage for a variety of grains. Silos are usually the storage option of choice for high-value grains or grains that cannot have protectants applied.
Silos are generally easy to load and unload, requiring very little manual labour in comparison to grain bags and tarps. Cone-bottom silos in particular require minimal labour as there is no need to shovel the grain out to completely empty the silo.
Silos aren’t without their disadvantages, though!
Disadvantages of silos include:
- They can be expensive and require extensive pad prep for each silo.
- Silos can fail when they collapse, split or spill, which can be caused by overfilling the silo or an extreme weather event.
- There are a number of serious safety issues associated with silo storage including injury or even death of workers inside silos, and the danger of silo gases.
- Silos are not an effective storage option for all grain, for example, high moisture grains do not empty well from silos. In these cases a grain shed would be a better option.
Grain Sheds
If you’re looking for an excellent all-round solution for both short-term and long-term grain storage, a grain shed is the way to go.
Sheds for grain storage require walls such as concrete panel walls that are engineered to withstand the grain loaf. They also require a concrete slab floor and suitable access points and hatch systems for loading and unloading.
There are three main grain shed designs; the inside-out grain shed design, the concrete panel design and the open-front grain sheds design. The recommended design is the fully-enclosed concrete panel grain shed..
Grains such as feed grade wheat, faba beans, canola and barley are suited to shed storage.
There are a few key advantages that grain sheds offer:
- A fully-enclosed grain shed effectively protects grain from weather damage
- Good ventilation and airflow is easily achieved in a grain shed.
- Improve logistical efficiencies and facilitates fast storage at harvest reducing interruptions and delays.
- Concrete walls can be used for segregating different sorts of grain. If strict segregation is important, silos may be the better option.
- A concrete floor and and walls protects against vermin and pest controls
Safety is another advantage of a grain storage shed, particularly in comparison to silos.
You can learn more in this article – Grain Sheds Versus Silos (Pros, Cons & Prices)
Should I Store My Wheat In A Shed?
The type of product grown and/or its grade at harvest will determine how well it is suited to shed storage.
As we have already mentioned, lower grade wheat such as feed grade wheat is commonly stored in sheds, given it can be stored in one bulk area without the need of segregation.
On the other hand, higher grade wheat varieties are often best suited to silo storage.
Should I Store My Faba Beans In A Shed?
A shed is an excellent storage option for faba beans because they don’t require sealed storage as they aren’t prone to pea weevil infestations.
Faba beans also require plenty of aeration and air movement during storage. The large surface area of grain exposed to air when stored in a shed, as well as the natural air movement and ventilation shed storage provides – especially compared to silos – means sheds are the preferred storage option for faba beans.
The other significant advantage of shed storage for faba beans is that shed provides a cooler and a drier environment than a silo, this means the seedcoat will generally be slower to darken, resulting in a higher market value or a longer term of storage.
Disadvantage Of Grain Sheds
Of course, grain sheds come with a few disadvantages too, for example, shed storage is not suited to all grain types.
A grain shed also has the highest initial cost of all your grain storage options. However, this is offset by the low cost per tonne, longer service life and versatility of a grain shed.
What Is The Best Way To Store Grain?
So, what is the best way to store grain? As we have discussed throughout this article, the best way for you to store your grain will depend on the type of grain your are storing, how long you will be storing your grain for and other factors like your budget and the resources you have available.
Grain bags, grain tarps, silos and grain sheds all serve their purpose and are suited to different storage requirements.
Useful Resources
A collection of articles and videos that you might find helpful for planning your on-farm storage.
- 6000 Tonne Shed A Smart Investment For Darcra Farming
- The Benefits Of A Fertiliser Shed & How To Maximise ROI
- What Is The Best Height For My Farm Shed?
And browse the Learning Hub to find more articles, videos and brochures.
To get your grain shed project planning underway, call us on 1800 687 888 to speak with a building consultant.
