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Corn Export Cargo Quality Report 2015/2016

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. Although they are not grade factors, these attributes are of significant interest to end users. They provide information related to nutritional value for livestock and poultry feeding, for wet milling uses, and for 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 (7.8%) was lower than 2014/2015 (8.6%), 4YA (8.8%), and the 2015 harvest average (8.2%).
  • Average U.S. Aggregate starch concentration (73.9%) was higher than 2014/2015 (73.7%), 4YA (73.8%), and the 2015 harvest average (73.6%).
  • Average U.S. Aggregate oil concentration (3.9%) was same as 2014/2015, but higher than 4YA (3.7%), and the 2015 harvest average (3.8%).
  • Among ECAs, average protein concentrations for 2015/2016 export were higher for the Pacific Northwest ECA (8.4%) than the Gulf (7.7%) and Southern Rail (7.7%) ECAs. Average protein concentrations have been consistently higher for the Pacific Northwest ECA than for the other two ECAs for each of the last two years and 4YA.

1. Protein

Protein is very important for poultry and livestock feeding, as 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 (7.8%) was lower than 2014/2015 and 2013/2014 (both 8.6%), and 4YA (8.8%). The 2015 harvest average (8.2%) was also the lowest in 5 years, believed to be due, in part, to relatively high yields in 2015.
  • The 2015/2016 export samples (standard deviation of 0.33%) were more uniform than the 2015 harvest samples (standard deviation of 0.53%). In addition, the range of protein concentration at export (6.8 to 9.4%) was narrower than at harvest (5.6 to 11.3%). The uniformity is due, in part, to grains becoming more homogenous as they are aggregated from numerous harvest level sources.
  • Protein concentrations in the 2015/2016 export samples were distributed with 90.5% below 8.5%, compared to 22% of the 2014/2015 samples and 33% of the 2013/2014 samples below 8.5%.
  • The Pacific Northwest ECA had higher average protein concentration (8.4%) than the Gulf (7.7%) and Southern Rail (7.7%) ECAs. Average protein concentrations have consistently been higher for the Pacific Northwest ECA than for the other two ECAs for each of the last two years and 4YA.
  • Protein concentration averages were slightly higher for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (7.9%) than for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (7.8%).

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 (73.9%) was higher than 2014/2013 (73.7%) and 4YA (73.8%).
  • Average starch concentration at export was higher than at harvest (73.6%). The higher starch reflects the typical inverse relationship between starch and protein.
  • The standard deviation for starch concentration of the 2015/2016 export samples (0.56%) was lower than the standard deviation of the 2015 harvest samples (0.61%).
  • Starch concentrations were distributed with 45.8% at or above 74.0%, compared to 26% of the 2014/2015 and 34% of the 2013/2014 samples at or above 74.0%. This indicates more 2015/2016 samples had at least 74% starch than in the previous two years.
  • The Pacific Northwest ECA, with highest average protein, also had the lowest average starch concentration (73.6%), in comparison to the Gulf (74.0%) and Southern Rail (73.9%) ECAs.
  • Average starch concentration for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (73.8%) was lower than that for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (73.9%). 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 (3.9%) was same as 2014/2015 but higher than 4YA (3.7%).
  • The average oil concentration for the 2015/2016 export samples was higher than for the 2015 harvest samples (3.8%), while the standard deviation at export (0.23%) was lower than at harvest (0.30%).
  • Average oil concentration for the Pacific Northwest ECA (3.8%) was lower than for the Gulf and Southern Rail ECAs (both 4.0%). The Pacific Northwest ECA also had the lowest oil concentration in 2014/2015, 2013/2014 and 4YA, and for the 2015 harvest of the three ECAs.
  • Approximately 80% of the 2015/2016 samples contained at least 3.75% oil, in contrast to 68% in 2014/2015 and 52% in 2013/2014. This indicates that a higher percentage of samples had above 3.75% oil than in the previous two years.
  • Average U.S. Aggregate and Gulf ECA oil concentrations for contracts loaded as U.S. No. 2 o/b (3.9%) were slightly lower than contracts loaded as U.S. No. 3 o/b (4.0%).