Corn in Animal Feed:
One of the main components in animal feed ration is corn seed. The amount of nutrients in corn kernels varies according to its breed. Corn is the main source of carbohydrates and carotene in animal feed, which has a relatively low value in terms of protein content and quality, so it is better to use protein supplements in the diets of animals where corn makes up the bulk of their diet. To be Livestock, corn is divided into two categories: fodder corn (livestock feed) and grain corn (poultry feed).
Corn grain is one of the types of cereals, which has a relatively high nutritional value due to the abundance of starch in it, and therefore, it is used in large quantities as an energy-generating substance in the feed of livestock, poultry, and aquatic animals. In addition to starch, corn also contains other nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.
Corn seeds are yellow and red, and the yellow seed has more consumption and is rich in carotenoids and xanthophylls, which are the precursors of vitamin A and create a favorable yellow color in poultry skin and egg yolk.
Since at the present time, the price of buying and selling livestock corn has increased a lot, usually some livestock breeders use corn waste as livestock feed. The purchase of livestock corn is done at a very reasonable price. This product has a lot of calories and fiber. Which increases the quality of animal milk and the excellent quality of livestock.
Corn kernel ingredients:
* Starch: 72% – 67%
* Protein: 8%-12%
* Fat: 0.2-8%
* Fiber: 0.2-3%
* Other nutrients: about: 1.5%
Export of livestock Corn:
Atra Atlas Company can accompany you in all stages of exporting this Brazilian product to Iran.
Also, its other physical characteristics are classified based on the following table:
| Properties | Acceptable limits |
Volumetric weight | Minimum 60 kg per hectoliter |
Broken seeds | Maximum 8 grams per 100 grams |
Damaged seeds | Maximum 10 grams per 100 grams |
Foreign material | Maximum 3 grams per 100 grams |
Seeds of other cereals | Maximum 2 grams per 100 grams |
Total defects | Maximum 15 grams per 100 grams |
Its chemical properties are classified based on the following table:
Properties | Acceptable limits |
Humidity | Maximum 14 |
Total ash | Maximum 1.5 |
Ash insoluble in acid | Maximum 0.1 |
Protein | Minimum 7.5 |
Fat | Maximum 3.8 |
Crude fiber | Maximum 2.7 |
Acceptable limits of heavy metals in corn in mg/kg:
Properties | Acceptable limits |
lead | Maximum 10 |
Cadmium | Maximum 1 |
Arsenic | Maximum 2 |
Mercury | Minimum 0.1 |
Methods of Detecting Animal Corn and Human Corn:
By knowing these tips, you can easily recognize the type of corn (fodder or human).
1- The first and easiest way to distinguish the difference between livestock and edible corn is to pay attention to the shape of its grains. Forage corn kernels are hard and coarse (tooth-shaped) unlike sweet corn kernels. But human corn kernels have a rounded texture and are easily crushed under the teeth
2- The color of fodder corn varies from bright yellow to orange. But sweet corn is pale yellow and has green skin.
3- Fodder and sweet corn are also different in terms of weight. So, one of the ways to distinguish animal corn from food is to weigh it.
4- Another difference between livestock and edible corn is the higher moisture content of the edible type of this grain. Due to this feature, its skin can be easily removed by hand. But corn for poultry and livestock lacks moisture and its skin is hard to peel. In such a way that in livestock farms, the grinding machine and the grinding process are used to extract the seeds of this type of corn.
5- Sweet corn, as its name suggests, has a pleasant taste. But the corn for poultry and livestock does not have a very pleasant taste, and only when combined with various spices and additives, it has a tolerable taste for humans. So, another way to distinguish animal corn and human corn is to test its taste. But when fodder corn is sold in the market in the form of snacks or puffs, it cannot be recognized in any way because it is flavored with industrial food additives!
6- Forage plants are taller than sweet corn and have more seeds. Because farmers harvest edible corn plants earlier than fodder corn so that it remains soft and juicy. But in order to harvest the industrial type, you have to wait until it dries and hardens.
7- Maize suitable for feeding livestock grows only in tropical and subtropical regions such as Khuzestan. But sweet corn can be cultivated in most areas. With these few examples of the difference between livestock and edible corn, they can be distinguished from each other.
Harmful Corn for Human Body
Consuming fodder corn in your body causes irreparable side effects that you should know about. Therefore, we will address some of the most important side effects of using the industrial type of this substance.
* Disorders in the digestive system
Corn is rich in fiber. For this reason, this food is used for animal fattening. In addition, animals are able to easily digest a high amount of fiber due to their rumination ability. However, if humans consume fiber above the permissible limit, they suffer from digestive problems such as: diarrhea, vomiting, and intestinal disorders.
High amounts of starch can be seen as a sign of the difference between livestock and edible corn. Therefore, its consumption causes the accumulation of gas and bloating in the human body. Since the industrial type of this seed contains a high amount of cellulose, it is not suitable for human consumption. Because our digestive system is not able to digest this substance and expels excess cellulose through the intestine.
* Allergic reactions
Fodder corn is highly allergenic. So that some people get severe asthma, allergy and anaphylaxis after eating it.
* Tooth decay
The difference between feed corn and edible corn is the high sugar of the industrial type. So, if you are concerned about the health of your mouth and teeth, do not go to buy pet corn.
* Osteoporosis
Fodder corn has less calcium and more calories than sweet corn. For this reason, its consumption has consequences such as weight gain and osteoporosis.