It's getting a bit cramped in my laundry room with a 50lb container of chicken feed. I had been told to store my chicken feed only in a dry climate controlled area for best freshness and quality. Does anyone else out there do this or am I the only one sharing quarters with their livestock feed?? I go through it every three weeks, can I store it outside in my very well ventilated goat shed?
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All of this discussion about storage really does relate the decomposition of grains. Seeds, nuts and grains all go rancid in heat, air, light etc. In the ideal world we would all have some kind of cool storage - like a walk-in refrigerator :-) to take advantage of bulk prices for all these kinds of products. I regularly use for cooking all sorts of grains, and aside from the pest and rancidity problems of too-long storage, they are just not as nutritious if exposed to heat etc. as you say, Chris. Same thing with our critter feed.
I was not familiar with gamma lids so I will have to check them out. Thank you for all the good info.
Actually, your best bet is a HDPE food grade plastic container that is air tight. Galvanized garbage cans can sweat easily and they will allow moisture to seep in through the bottom between the bottom and the sides where they're interlapped.
While expensive, they're very convenient and I'd highly recommend a Vittle Vault. We use them religiously for our dry dog kibble and are approved for food service. Though with dog kibble, you loose one week of shelf life for every day the temp is above 85 degrees. Livestock feed is different obviously due to the process in which it is made.
Yes, most livestock feed will deteriorate quickly. Also another reason you need to check feed tags when you're buying too. When we bring in rabbit and poultry products to our store, we won't bring in more than a month's supply and we always check date codes as well. Will feed be "bad" if it's been sitting longer than 3 months? No, not unless it's gotten wet and molding, but to meet the label requirements for nutritional analysis, it's ideal to keep as little around as possible, even if it means more trips to the store to get it.
Water seepage has been a problem for years. I remember 20 years ago having issues with galvanized cans. When you consider the life span (and the air-tight abilities) of a good food grade plastic container, I personally think it outweighs the costs or use the Vittle Vault IIs, that aren't stackable but air-tight.
Gamma also makes air-tight lids that can pop on 5 gallon buckets as well called the Gamma Seal Lid. They're very affordable, especially if you requesition used 5 gallon buckets from the bakery dept at your grocery store when they're done with them :)
I can't thank you all enough for your input (on so many things!). I don't know what I'd do without PPG, learning the "hard way" is both discouraging and expensive :) Thanks again!
Thanks for the reference. I saw some of what you are referring to in my searching - really wanted everyone to have a little more info. If I can at all I have tried, where possible, to store anything food whether critter or human in glass :-)
I understand and agree with what you are saying, I'm just concerned about the 'scrapping' of feed going in and out of the containers. There is also some minor discussion on the internet about 'outgassing' of galvanized material, due more to the potential air bubbles between the layers, but which can cause it to peel. Probably nothing but glass would be almost perfect :-)
Ericka > Catherine, The Herb LadyMarch 23, 2011 at 8:06am
Glass would be best, and if you stop and think about all the plastic we come in contact with, you can never get away from it all. And, nothing "goes away."
A bit off topic, but there was a comprehensive study done on cisterns, plastic, metal, cement, metal roof, asphalt, wood. The only contaminate that was in all systems and was something to worry about was lead. Basically from the lead in gasoline that still circles the earth today, in the sky. And, that was mainly in the sludge at the bottom of each tank. Something to think about....
Replies
Hi Chris and all,
All of this discussion about storage really does relate the decomposition of grains. Seeds, nuts and grains all go rancid in heat, air, light etc. In the ideal world we would all have some kind of cool storage - like a walk-in refrigerator :-) to take advantage of bulk prices for all these kinds of products. I regularly use for cooking all sorts of grains, and aside from the pest and rancidity problems of too-long storage, they are just not as nutritious if exposed to heat etc. as you say, Chris. Same thing with our critter feed.
I was not familiar with gamma lids so I will have to check them out. Thank you for all the good info.
I won't start on the BHT. It's a sore subject, but there's way better options to preserving things than with BHT.
The Gamma lids run about $9.00 and the Vittle Vault IIs for a 40# size are about $25.00.
Actually, your best bet is a HDPE food grade plastic container that is air tight. Galvanized garbage cans can sweat easily and they will allow moisture to seep in through the bottom between the bottom and the sides where they're interlapped.
While expensive, they're very convenient and I'd highly recommend a Vittle Vault. We use them religiously for our dry dog kibble and are approved for food service. Though with dog kibble, you loose one week of shelf life for every day the temp is above 85 degrees. Livestock feed is different obviously due to the process in which it is made.
This is what we use. They have them a couple times a year at Costco for a greatly reduced price.
Yes, most livestock feed will deteriorate quickly. Also another reason you need to check feed tags when you're buying too. When we bring in rabbit and poultry products to our store, we won't bring in more than a month's supply and we always check date codes as well. Will feed be "bad" if it's been sitting longer than 3 months? No, not unless it's gotten wet and molding, but to meet the label requirements for nutritional analysis, it's ideal to keep as little around as possible, even if it means more trips to the store to get it.
Water seepage has been a problem for years. I remember 20 years ago having issues with galvanized cans. When you consider the life span (and the air-tight abilities) of a good food grade plastic container, I personally think it outweighs the costs or use the Vittle Vault IIs, that aren't stackable but air-tight.
Gamma also makes air-tight lids that can pop on 5 gallon buckets as well called the Gamma Seal Lid. They're very affordable, especially if you requesition used 5 gallon buckets from the bakery dept at your grocery store when they're done with them :)
I can't thank you all enough for your input (on so many things!). I don't know what I'd do without PPG, learning the "hard way" is both discouraging and expensive :) Thanks again!
Carrie
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the reference. I saw some of what you are referring to in my searching - really wanted everyone to have a little more info. If I can at all I have tried, where possible, to store anything food whether critter or human in glass :-)
Hi Chris,
I understand and agree with what you are saying, I'm just concerned about the 'scrapping' of feed going in and out of the containers. There is also some minor discussion on the internet about 'outgassing' of galvanized material, due more to the potential air bubbles between the layers, but which can cause it to peel. Probably nothing but glass would be almost perfect :-)
Glass would be best, and if you stop and think about all the plastic we come in contact with, you can never get away from it all. And, nothing "goes away."
A bit off topic, but there was a comprehensive study done on cisterns, plastic, metal, cement, metal roof, asphalt, wood. The only contaminate that was in all systems and was something to worry about was lead. Basically from the lead in gasoline that still circles the earth today, in the sky. And, that was mainly in the sludge at the bottom of each tank. Something to think about....
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