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2015/2016 Sorghum Harvest and Export Quality Report

Contents

  1. Harvest Quality Highlights
  2. Export Quality Highlights
  3. Introduction
  4. Harvest Quality Test Results
  5. Moisture
  6. Physical Factors
  7. Mycotoxins
  8. Export Quality Test Results
  9. Moisture
  10. Chemical Composition
  11. Physical Factors
  12. Mycotoxins
  13. Crop and Weather Conditions
  14. Planting and Early Growth Conditions
  15. Late Vegetative and Mid-Pollination Conditions
  16. Maturity and Harvest Conditions
  17. Comparison of 2015 to 2010-2014
  18. U.S. Sorghum Export System
  19. U.S. Sorghum Export Flow
  20. Impact of the Sorghum Market Channel on Quality
  21. U.S. Government Inspection and Grading
  22. U.S. Sorghum Production, Usage and Outlook
  23. U.S. Sorghum Use and Ending Stocks
  24. Outlook
  25. Harvest Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  26. Survey Design and Sampling
  27. Statistical Analysis
  28. Export Survey and Statistical Analysis Methods
  29. Survey Design and Sampling
  30. Statistical Analysis
  31. Testing Analysis Methods
  32. Sorghum Grading Factors
  33. Moisture
  34. Chemical Composition
  35. Physical Factors
  36. Mycotoxin Testing
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II. EXPORT QUALITY HIGHLIGHTS

The United States is the top exporter of grain sorghum, accounting for almost 75% of the global trade. The 2015/2016 early export samples from the top sorghum exporter were, on average, very good, with 98% grading U.S. No. 2 or better. Average moisture was at a level considered safe for transport, and no tannins were detected. Like the harvest samples, the export samples’ averages for chemical and most physical traits were in the typical range of values in literature for U.S. sorghum. Notable U.S. Export Cargo Aggregate quality attributes of the 2015/2016 sorghum early export samples include:

GRADE FACTORS AND MOISTURE

  • Average test weight of 59.0 lb/bu (76.0 kg/hl), with 100% above the minimum limit for U.S. No. 2 grade sorghum.
  • Low levels of broken kernels and foreign material (BNFM) (average of 1.9%), with 96.2% at or below the maximum limit for U.S. No. 1 grade.
  • Average foreign material of 0.9%, with 98.3% at or below the maximum limit for U.S. No. 1 grade.
  • Low levels of total damage (average of 0.5%), with 99.5% at or below the maximum limit for U.S. No. 1 grade.
  • No observed heat damage, which was the same as for the harvest samples.
  • Average moisture of 13.8%.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

  • Average protein concentration of 10.8% (dry basis), which is in the normal range of typical protein concentration values in literature for U.S. sorghum hybrids.
  • Average starch concentration of 73.0% (dry basis), a typical level for any sorghum samples.
  • Average oil concentration of 4.5% (dry basis), which is in the normal range of typical oil concentration values in literature for U.S. sorghum hybrids.
  • No detected levels of tannins.

PHYSICAL FACTORS

  • Average kernel diameter of 2.60 mm and average 1000-k weight (TKW) of 27.57 g, typical values for any sorghum samples.
  • Average kernel volume of 20.28 mm3, a value on the lower end of typical values in literature.
  • Average kernel true density of 1.360 g/cm3, which is within the range of feed sorghum.
  • Average kernel hardness index of 71.3, a typical value for any sorghum samples.

MYCOTOXIN

  • 100% of the 2015/2016 sorghum export samples tested below the FDA action level of 20 ppb.
  • 100% of the 2015/2016 sorghum export samples tested below the FDA advisory levels for DON (5 ppm for hogs and other animals; 10 ppm for chicken and cattle).