The properties of cereal grains change with their storage. Initially, such grain is characterized by high biochemical activity and higher activity of anti-nutritional substances that negatively affect both the animals themselves and the quality of the feed. Fresh grain is therefore not a perfect component of feed mixtures. The theory is that it should be subjected to a rest period, which is 3 weeks for wheat and barley, and up to 8 weeks for other species.
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Why is fresh grain harmful?
In practice, however, few producers can afford to "ripen" the grain for such a long time. The storage base on farms is not made of rubber and such an operation would require additional facilities. Therefore, they necessarily use fresh grain. However, one must take into account the negative effects of such action. Feeds based on fresh grain are less digestible and may cause diarrhea in animals and reduce feed intake. This risk increases with lower grain quality. The activity of harmful compounds increases with higher material moisture and grain contamination, e.g. with weed seeds.
Feed additives
When deciding to use fresh cereal grains, it is worth paying attention to several factors. The most important of them is the inclusion of enzyme additives in the feed, which to some extent reduce the activity of anti-nutritional substances. Whenever possible, fresh cereal grains should be introduced into the diet gradually so as not to cause a nutritional shock.
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It is also worth enriching the feed used during this period with additives that improve its palatability, such as fish or vegetable oil. This will limit the decline in animal feed intake and maintain a satisfactory level of animal growth.
