Northwest Iowa — As the corn harvest continues here in northwest Iowa, some farmers are raising concerns about mold.
Iowa State Extension and Outreach Beef Specialist Chris Clark says producers are worried about how the mold might impact grain quality.
He says there’s a concern that mycotoxins will get into the corn and make it unfit to feed to animals or for other uses. Clark says corn smutt isn’t an issue.
The smutt is a black-colored glob that looks sort of like a mushroom growing on the corn ear. While Clark says it’s not a worry, it’s not the only thing being found in the fields.
Clark says it is proper to be looking for mycotoxins.
The conditions in the fields have varied, with some being in standing water, others being wet, while others are dry. Clark says it’s hard to pinpoint exactly the conditions that could lead to mycotoxin development.
Clark says his best advice is to check out your corn before harvest to see what is happening.
He says the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) does a good job of identifying molds and other issues with grain. The V-D-L offers a mycotoxin screening of grain and feed samples. Producers can find sampling guidelines, submission forms, prices and other information on the V-D-L website at: vetmed.iastate.edu/vdl/resources/client-services/pathogens/mycotoxins. The site also includes a great deal of information about mycotoxins including species affected and health effects.
