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Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2018/2019

Contents

  1. Export Cargo Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Grade Factors
  4. Quality Test Results
  5. Moisture
  6. Chemical Composition
  7. Physical Factors
  8. Stress Cracks
  9. 100- Kernel Weight
  10. Kernel Volume
  11. Kernel True Density
  12. Whole Kernels
  13. Horneous (Hard) Endosperm
  14. Mycotoxins
  15. Assessing the Presence of Aflatoxins and Deoxynivalenol (DON)
  16. Background: Mycotoxins General
  17. Background: Aflatoxins
  18. Background: Deoxynivalenol (DON) or Vomitoxin
  19. U.S. Corn Export System
  20. U.S. Corn Export Flow
  21. Impact of The Corn Market Channel on Quality
  22. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  23. Survey & Statistical Analysis Methods
  24. Survey Design & Sampling
  25. Statistical Analysis
  26. Testing Analysis Methods
  27. Grade Factors
  28. Moisture
  29. Chemical Composition
  30. Physical Factors
  31. Mycotoxins
  32. U.S. Corn Grades & Conversions

Chemical Composition

The chemical composition of corn consists primarily of protein, starch and oil. While these attributes are not grade factors, they are of significant interest to end-users. Chemical composition values provide additional information related to nutritional value for livestock and poultry feeding, for wet milling uses and other processing uses of corn. Unlike many physical attributes, chemical composition values are not expected to change significantly during storage or transit.

Summary: Chemical Composition

  • Average U.S. Aggregate protein concentration at export (8.5%) was lower than the 2017/2018 and 2016/2017, but the same as the 5YA and the 2018 harvest average.
  • Average U.S. Aggregate starch concentration (72.3%) was slightly higher than 2017/2018, was lower than the 2016/2017, and the 5YA and the 2018 harvest average.
  • Average U.S. Aggregate oil concentration (4.0%) was lower than 2017/2018, the same as 2016/2017 and higher than the 5YA.
  • The standard deviations for protein, starch and oil concentrations were lower and ranges were narrower for export samples than for harvest samples.
  • Average protein, starch and oil concentrations were the same for contracts loaded as U.S. but No. 2 or better and U.S. No. 3 or better.

Protein

Protein is very important for poultry and livestock feeding because it supplies essential sulfur- containing amino acids and helps to improve feed conversion efficiency. Protein concentration tends to decrease with decreased available soil nitrogen and in years with high yields. On a single sample basis, protein is usually inversely related to starch concentration. Results are reported on a dry basis.

Results

  • Average U.S. Aggregate protein concentra- tion (8.5%) was lower than 2017/2018 and 2016/2017 (both 8.6%) but same as the 5YA and the average U.S. Aggregate protein concen- tration for the 2018 harvest.
  • The 2018/2019 export samples (standard deviation of 0.37%) were more uniform than the 2018 harvest samples (standard deviation of 0.53%). In addition, the range of protein concentrations at export (7.1 to 9.8%) was narrower than at harvest (6.6 to 11.9%). The uniformity is due, in part, to grains becoming more homogenous as they are aggregated from numerous harvest-level sources.
  • The 2018/2019 export samples were distrib- uted with 53.7% of protein concentrations at or above 8.5%, compared with 72.6% of the 2017/2018 samples and 69.8% of the 2016/2017 samples.
  • The Gulf ECA (8.5%) had a lower average protein concentration than the Southern Rail ECA (8.7%) but similar to the Pacific Northwest ECA (8.4%).
  • Average protein concentration for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 or better (8.5%) was the same as that for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3

Starch

Starch is an important factor for corn used by wet millers and dry-grind ethanol manufacturers. High starch concentration is often indicative of good kernel growing/filling conditions and reasonably moderate kernel densities. Starch is usually inversely related to protein concentration on a single sample basis. Results are reported on a dry basis.

Results

  • Average U.S. Aggregate starch concentration (72.3%) was slightly higher than 2017/2018 (72.1%) and lower than 2016/2017 (72.4%), the 5YA (73.2%) and the average U.S. Aggregate concentration for the 2018 harvest (72.5%).
  • The standard deviation for starch concentration of the 2018/2019 export samples (0.43%) was lower than the standard deviation of the 2018 harvest samples (0.62%).
  • Starch concentrations were distributed with 75.2% at or above 72.0%, compared with 68.6% in 2017/2018 and 87.7% in 2016/2017.
  • The Gulf ECA had the highest average starch concentration (72.4%), in comparison to the Pacific Northwest and Southern Rail (both 72.1%) ECAs. Average starch concentrations were also the highest for the Gulf ECA in 2017/2018, 2016/2017 and the 5YA.
  • Average starch concentration for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 or better (72.3%) was the same as that for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 or better.

Oil

Oil is an essential component of poultry and livestock rations. It serves as an energy source, enables fat-soluble vitamins to be utilized and provides certain essential fatty acids. Oil is also an important co-product of corn wet and dry milling. Results are reported on a dry basis.

Results

  • Average U.S. Aggregate oil concentration (4.0%) was lower than 2017/2018 (4.1%), the same as 2016/2017 (4.0%) and higher than the 5YA (3.9%).
  • The average oil concentration for the 2018/2019 export samples was the same as the 2018 harvest samples, while the standard deviation at export (0.14%) was lower than at harvest (0.22%).
  • The 2018/2019 samples showed a lower percentage of samples above 4.0% oil than the previous year. A total of 69.9% of the 2018/2019 samples contained at least 4.0% oil, in contrast to 94.2% in 2017/2018 and 62.4% in 2016/2017.
  • Average oil concentration for the Gulf ECA (4.0%) was slightly lower than the Pacific Northwest ECA (4.1%) but same as the Southern Rail ECA.
  • Average U.S. Aggregate and Gulf ECA oil concentrations for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 or better (4.0%) were the same as for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 or better.