Maize Germ

Maize Germ

  • Maize Germ is high in fibre, but well digested by ruminants. 

  • It's a high-energy, mid-protein feed, which is reasonably undegradable in the rumen. 

  • It is low in starch because of its extraction and has the highest energy value of all distillers grains, being higher in oil content than barley distillers grains.

  • Maize Germ are a pelleted, golden to dark brown coloured product, rich in both protein and energy. 

  • They are a result of grain distillation, a process which involves a conversion of the cereal's starch to sugar.

  • The starch content of maize distillers, then, is massively lower than in maize cereal. 

  • A slight degree of mealiness to the product is not uncommon, given the handling and transportation from the United States.

Maize Germ analysis on a dry matter basis (%):

Maize feed flours : native or pelletized

Protein 

 Oil

Fibre 

 Ash

Metabolisable energy (ME) (Mega joules/kg dry matter)

Dry Matter (%)

 25

 3

 10

 3

14

88


Limits to Usage

  • The total level of distillers product in the diet should be considered for ruminants as they are low in starch and already pre-fermented. 

  • In common with all distillers by-products the residual cereal oil is unsaturated. 

  • This needs to be accounted for in ruminant formulations if other ingredients containing saturated oils are present.

Storage / Processing

  • Usually produced as a pellet although distillers is often a meal, either because it was not pelleted or has broken down during transit.

  • Material to have been stored and transported in compliance with UFAS code of practice.