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Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2014/2015

Contents

  1. Export Cargo Quality Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. Quality Test Results
  4. Moisture
  5. Chemical Composition
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. U.S. Corn Export System
  9. U.S. Corn Export Flow
  10. Impact of the Corn Market Channel on Quality
  11. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  12. Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  13. Survey Design and Sampling
  14. Statistical Analysis
  15. Testing Analysis Methods
  16. Corn Grading Factors
  17. Moisture
  18. Chemical Composition
  19. Physical Factors
  20. Mycotoxin Testing
  21. U.S. Corn Grades and Conversions
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C. Chemical Composition

The chemical composition of corn consists primarily of protein, starch, and oil. These attributes are not grade factors but are of significant interest to end users. They provide 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 protein concentration for the 2014/2015 U.S. Aggregate export samples (8.6%) was the same as 2013/2014, lower than 3YA (8.8%), but higher than 2014 harvest samples (8.5%).
  • U.S. Aggregate starch concentration was 73.7%, same as 2013/2014 (73.7%), below 3YA (73.8%) and higher than 2014 harvest samples (73.5%).
  • U.S. Aggregate oil concentration was 3.9%, higher than 2013/2014 and 3YA (both 3.7%), and 2014 harvest samples (3.8%).
  • Between ECAs, average oil concentrations for 2014/2015 export and 2014 harvest samples were lower for the Pacific Northwest ECA than the other two ECAs.
  • Protein, starch, and oil all had narrower ranges and lower standard deviations at export than at harvest. This finding is, in part, due to grains becoming more homogenous after aggregation from numerous harvest level sources.

1. Protein

Protein is very important for poultry and livestock feeding. It supplies essential sulfur-containing amino acids and helps to improve feed conversion efficiency. Protein is usually inversely related to starch concentration. Results are reported on a dry basis.

RESULTS

  • Average U.S. Aggregate protein concentration (8.6%) was the same as 2013/2014 (8.6%), lower than 2012/2013 (9.2%), and lower than 3YA (8.8%).
  • Average protein concentration at export was higher than at harvest (8.5%), and the export samples (standard deviation of 0.28%) were more uniform than the harvest samples (standard deviation of 0.55%).
  • Protein concentrations were distributed with 13.1% at or above 9%, compared to 18% of the 2013/2014 export samples at or above 9%.
  • The Pacific Northwest ECA had higher average protein concentration (8.9%) than the Gulf (8.6%) and Southern Rail (8.6%) ECAs. Average protein concentrations have consistently been higher for the Pacific Northwest than the other two ECAs for each of the last two years and 3YA.
  • Protein concentration averages were higher for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (8.7%) than for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (8.6%). However, all three ECAs had contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b, whereas only the Gulf and Pacific Northwest ECAs had contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b.

2. 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 maturation/filling conditions and reasonably high kernel densities. Starch is usually inversely related to protein concentration. Results are reported on a dry basis.

RESULTS

  • Average U.S. Aggregate starch concentration was 73.7%, same as 2013/2014 (73.7%) and lower than 3YA (73.8%).
  • Average starch concentration at export (73.7%) was higher than at harvest (73.5%).
  • Due to commingling, the 2014/2015 export samples (standard deviation of 0.55%) were more uniform than the 2014 harvest samples (standard deviation of 0.63%).
  • Starch concentrations were distributed with 26.5% at or above 74.0% compared with 2013/2014 (34%) and 2012/2013 (20%).
  • The Gulf ECA (73.7%) was higher in starch than the Pacific Northwest (73.5%) and Southern Rail (73.5%) ECAs.
  • Average starch concentration for the contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (73.6%) was lower than for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (73.8%). It should be noted that contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b had higher protein than contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b, which again shows an inverse relationship between starch and protein.

3. 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

  • U.S. Aggregate oil concentration was 3.9%, higher than 2013/2014 (3.7%) and higher than 3YA (3.7%).
  • The average oil concentration at export was higher than the 2014 harvest samples (3.8%), while the oil concentration standard deviation at export (0.20%) was lower than found at harvest (0.31%).
  • Average oil concentration for the Gulf, Pacific Northwest, and Southern Rail ECA export samples were 3.9%, 3.6%, and 4.0%, respectively. The Pacific Northwest ECA had the lowest average oil concentration of the three ECAs for the 2014/2015 and 2013/2014 export samples and the 2014 harvest samples.
  • Approximately 69% of the samples contained at least 3.75% oil, in contrast to 52% in 2013/2014 and 38.5% in 2012/2013.
  • Average U.S. Aggregate and Gulf ECA oil concentrations for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (3.9%) were higher than for the contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (3.8%).