Miller Magazine Issue: 150 June 2022

76 COVER STORY MILLER / JUNE 2022 Pieter Steyn Selko-Trouw Nutrition As global grain markets experience sustained disruptions, protecting the qual- ity of raw ingredient investments is essential. Selko, the feed additive brand of Trouw Nutrition, Nutreco's livestock feed business, recently presented a webinar, “Optimize your grain investment: How to safeguard the economics and quality of grains.” Following are 10 questions addressed by moderator Pieter Steyn, Selko’s global programme manager raw material quality during the webinar. 10 questions with an expert: managing the grain investment How are macroeconomic factors affecting grain market prices and quality? Both grain prices and quality levels are under pressure. As Russia and Ukraine generate about 30% of the world’s traded wheat crop, it is unclear how much the geo-political conflict will affect pro- duction and grain prices. Other aspects of process- ing grains for animal feed, such as grain drying, also may be affected by rising energy prices. How is volatility influencing grain crops around the globe? Australia and India have expanded wheat crops and the U.S. plans for a larger corn crop. However, an ongoing drought in Brazil and Argentina is ex- pected to lower yields. Global corn production is anticipated to be predominantly from the U.S. and Brazil. Ukraine’s harvest is expected to be down by at least 50%. Wheat producing regions outside of Ukraine and Russia are expanding production. During this period of uncertainty, the feed produc- tion sector should anticipate the potential for lower quality grain supplies and consider interventions to help safeguard grain quality. Considering grain safety, how prevalent are moulds? About 80% of agricultural commodities are in- fected with mycotoxins and the adverse effects of mycotoxins can make some grain unusable in feed. Looking just at the reductions in stored grain, loss- es during storage as well as mycotoxin contamina- tion can be more than 30%. Moulds and the mycotoxins they generate are an ongoing concern and can threaten grains in the field, during transport or in storage. Damaged ker- nels or broken grains can host moulds while oxy- gen levels, temperature, relative humidity, pH, and water activity can all increase mould growth rate.