Dome Shelter: An Ideal Fertilizer and Stock Feed Storage Facility

Aside from farming equipment, fertilizers, stock feed, and pesticides are amongst the basic purchases that every farm owner in Australia must make as an investment for healthy livestock and abundant crops. Many, however, (especially the new ones) end up losing money due to improper storage of their supplies.

It is important to remember that fertilizers and pesticides are just as dangerous as they are beneficial; when incorrectly handled these chemicals turn into dangerous poisons that can only succeed in killing your plants and livestock. It is therefore extremely important to exercise caution when handling these products. Here are some important reminders to keep in mind:

STORAGE

When storing these chemicals, it is important to keep them away from each other. Fertilizers must never be stored with stock feeds or pesticides in order to avoid contamination in case of a leak. They must also be stored in a dry container away from any bodies of water or deep wells, and must not be directly exposed to sunlight.

They are also ideally kept in their original packaging, and then placed in second container before being stored in a secured facility. An ideal storage facility is a quality dome shelter like those provided by Container Domes Australia because they are built to withstand the natural elements such as sun, rain, hail, dust, and heat.  They must also not come into direct contact with the ground to prevent contamination of the top soil.

WATER & MOISTURE

Possibly the worst enemy of fertilizers is moisture, because it promotes the growth of fungi, and attracts insects. These two combined will greatly deteriorate the quality of your feeds making them unsafe for livestock consumption. Pesticides and fertilizers, however, must be kept away from water, in order to avoid contamination.

HEAT

Pesticides are highly flammable so keep them away from direct heat like sunny windows, steam pipes, and furnaces. Dome shelters should have artificial lighting and proper ventilation or air-conditioning, so be sure to avail a solar panel as well. Just to be safe, though, you should also purchase a fire alarm and a fire extinguisher.

INGREDIENTS

The best way to prepare yourself is by knowing the ingredients of your purchases. Stock feeds with high lipid ingredients may break down into fatty free acids, while carbohydrate-rich feeds may ferment into alcohol and volatile fatty acids. By knowing the most probable problem that can occur, you can start planning on ways to prevent them.

Sources:

HOW SHOULD I STORE MY FEEDS, fao.org