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How can you ensure healthier feed?
Why grain cleaning matters for feed quality and mycotoxin management
The quality of the grain used for feed has a direct influence on the quality of the finished feed. One of the challenges that grain producers and feed manufacturers need to manage is contamination with mycotoxins.
Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxic compounds produced by certain fungi. They can occur in cereals and other crops before harvest and can also become a problem during storage when conditions favour fungal growth. EFSA identifies several mycotoxins of concern in food and feed, including aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and Fusarium toxins such as deoxynivalenol. EFSA – Mycotoxins
For livestock producers and feed manufacturers, managing mycotoxins is therefore an important part of maintaining feed quality and protecting animal health.
One part of the strategy is good crop management and storage. Another is effective cleaning of the grain before it enters the feed production process.
This is where the SKIOLD Sigma can make a difference.
Mycotoxins are a challenge for grain and feed
Mycotoxins can enter the feed chain through contaminated crops. The fungi that produce them include species from genera such as Fusarium and Aspergillus, while the risk of fungal growth is influenced by factors including moisture, temperature and storage conditions.
Importantly, grain can appear clean while still containing mycotoxins. Visible mould is therefore not a reliable way of determining whether grain is suitable for feed. FAO also points out that the presence or absence of visible fungi does not necessarily confirm whether mycotoxins are present. FAO – Mycotoxins in Grain
This makes systematic grain quality management important.
Depending on the crop, contamination and production conditions, appropriate measures can include:
- Good crop management
- Rapid and effective drying after harvest
- Proper storage conditions
- Monitoring of grain quality
- Removal of impurities and damaged material
- Testing for mycotoxins where appropriate
Grain cleaning cannot replace good storage and quality control. It is one part of a broader strategy for managing grain quality and feed safety.
Can grain cleaning reduce mycotoxins?
Yes – when mycotoxins and fungal contamination are associated with the outer parts of the grain, mechanical cleaning can help reduce the contamination entering the feed production process.
This is the principle behind the SKIOLD Sigma.
The Sigma uses a centrifugal cleaning principle in which the grain is forced against rotating screens. The grain is subjected to a controlled scrubbing and polishing action that removes surface material, including dust, fungal residues and other impurities.
SKIOLD has documented reductions of up to 90% of mycotoxins associated with the grain surface using the Sigma cleaning principle. The result depends on the grain, contamination and operating conditions.
This distinction is important: the Sigma is designed to remove surface-associated contamination. It is not a universal solution for mycotoxins that may be distributed within the grain.
How does the SKIOLD Sigma work?
The Sigma combines cleaning and grading in a compact, centrifugal system.
The cleaning process works by:
- Feeding the grain into the rotating cleaning system
- Forcing the grain against the rotating screens
- Polishing and scrubbing the surface of individual grains
- Separating dust, fungal residues and other light or surface-bound material
- Removing the separated material from the grain stream
This mechanical action helps reduce the amount of unwanted material entering the subsequent feed production process.
The Sigma is designed to handle different types of cereals and seeds and is particularly suitable for crops where conventional cleaning can be challenging.
According to SKIOLD, the machine is suitable for humid and oleaginous seeds such as cereals, maize and rapeseed. Its vibration-free construction also means that it requires relatively little foundation and can be integrated into existing processing lines. SKIOLD Sigma – Efficient mycotoxin removal
Why remove surface contamination before feed production?
Cleaning grain before grinding and feed production can provide several benefits.
Removing dust, fungal residues, lightweight material, weed seeds, sand and other impurities can improve the physical quality of the raw material entering the feed mill.
It can also reduce the amount of unwanted material that would otherwise be carried into the grinding and mixing process.
For feed producers using their own grain, this provides an additional level of control over the quality of the raw materials entering the feed mill.
The objective is not simply to make the grain look cleaner.
It is to remove unwanted material that can affect grain quality, feed hygiene and the consistency of the feed production process.
Grain cleaning is part of a wider mycotoxin strategy
No single process should be regarded as a complete solution to mycotoxin management.
The most effective approach begins before the grain reaches the cleaner.
Good agricultural practices, harvesting, drying and storage all play an important role in limiting fungal growth and mycotoxin formation.
FAO highlights moisture and temperature as important factors influencing fungal growth and mycotoxin production in stored grain. Rapid drying and maintaining suitable storage conditions are therefore important preventive measures. FAO – Mycotoxins in Grain
Cleaning then provides an additional opportunity to remove contaminated surface material and other impurities before the grain is processed into feed.
This combination of prevention, storage management, monitoring and effective cleaning is a more robust approach than relying on a single intervention.
What are the benefits of the SKIOLD Sigma?
The Sigma is designed to combine effective cleaning with a compact and flexible machine design.
Key benefits include:
- Up to 90% reduction of surface-associated mycotoxins
Documented results show significant reductions in mycotoxin contamination associated with the grain surface. - Effective surface cleaning
The centrifugal cleaning principle scrubs and polishes individual grains to remove dust, fungal residues and other unwanted material. - Improved raw material quality
Removing impurities provides a cleaner and more uniform raw material for subsequent feed processing. - Suitable for challenging crops
The Sigma is designed to handle cereals as well as humid and oleaginous crops such as maize and rapeseed. - Compact design
The machine can be integrated into existing grain and feed-processing plants where available space is limited. - Vibration-free operation
The Sigma requires relatively little foundation compared with conventional vibrating cleaning equipment. - Automatic cleaning of the screens
The integrated brush system helps maintain cleaning performance during operation.
SKIOLD Sigma in real life
The benefits of effective grain cleaning can also be seen in practical livestock production.
A Danish pig producer, Mads Rauff, installed a SKIOLD Sigma as part of an effort to improve grain quality and reduce the level of unwanted contaminants entering the feed production process.
One of the notable observations was the amount of material removed from grain that had appeared relatively clean before processing.
The producer and farm management found that thorough cleaning contributed to more consistent grain quality and lower toxin levels. The experience is described in the full SKIOLD reference story.
👉 Read the full story: Three ways to optimize grain cleaning – SKIOLD
From cleaner grain to better feed control
For farms producing their own feed, grain cleaning can be an important part of controlling the quality of the raw materials entering the feed mill.
The cleaner the starting material, the greater the control over the subsequent processes.
This is particularly relevant where farmers use home-grown grain and want to reduce dependence on external raw material suppliers.
A grain cleaning system can therefore form part of an integrated feed-production strategy covering:
Grain reception → cleaning → storage → grinding → dosing → mixing → finished feed
Each step contributes to the quality and consistency of the final feed.
A practical approach to healthier feed
There is no single machine or process that can eliminate all feed-quality risks.
A good feed-quality strategy starts with suitable raw materials and continues through harvesting, drying, storage, cleaning, processing and quality control.
The SKIOLD Sigma addresses one specific but important part of this chain: mechanical removal of surface contamination and impurities from grain.
By combining effective grain cleaning with good storage practices and appropriate quality monitoring, producers can gain greater control over the raw materials entering their feed production.
And that is ultimately the goal:
Cleaner raw materials. Better control. More consistent feed quality.
Contact us!
Want to learn more about integrating the SKIOLD Sigma into your grain cleaning setup?
📞 Contact us today – our specialists are ready to help
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Sources and further reading
EFSA – Mycotoxins
https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/mycotoxins
FAO – Mycotoxins in Grain
https://www.fao.org/4/x5008e/X5008e01.htm
SKIOLD – Sigma: Efficient mycotoxin removal
https://skiold.com/seed/equipment/cleaning/cleaning-of-seed/sigma-efficient-mycotoxin-removal
SKIOLD – Three ways to optimize grain cleaning
https://skiold.com/installations/mads-rauff
SKIOLD – Reduce mycotoxin level by up to 90%
https://skiold.com/news/combat-mycotoxins
