hammer mill screen

[Chester5731]

I just bought a hammer mill to grind ear corn. I was wondering what size screen I would need to get to grind it to the size of cracked shelled corn. I don't want to end up with powder. The largest screen I have is about 1/2".

 

[Nathaniel Watts]

3/8 works good for me

 

[Kevin Schmidt]

I am using a 3/4 screen right now grinding ear corn for calves. Still too fine. Found that slowing tractor down to about 1400 RPM is about right (540 pto speed is 2100)

That seems to be about what you are looking for

 

[old]

Is that corn still on the cob or shelled corn off the cob?? If on the cob you want a pretty good size hole but if off you want a hole that the kernel does not just fall right out of but not so small as to get beat up much either

 

[Chester5731]

It will be on the cob. I am planning ahead for next year. The local elevators don't want to deal with us small operators any more so I am going to take care of my feed myself. The only thing I would like to find is a husker shredder. The alterantive is hire a couple Amish boys and pick it by hand but that wouldn't be as much fun as using the horses with the corn binder.

 

[bg/mo]

last time i used mine to grind ear corn, i think the holes are 1 1/4dia, if i remember right and it worked real good for feed.for cattle anyway.

 

[paul]

Inch or 1-1/4 is often best for ear corn. Gets the kernals smashed, the cob small enough to eat, but doesn't make too much flour.

Smaller is going to take more hp and much more time.

--->Paul

 

[Chester5731]

That sounds like what I want. It is going to be for beef calves.

 

[Charlie M]

In my younger days of working in a feed mill some customers wanted feed as course as we could make it - we ground with out any screen. I tried that in my NH hammer mill when I used to own a cow and it was tough on the piping.

 

[Chester5731]

I have heard of people doing that but I have never tried it or seen it done.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dad always had a 3/8 screen in his 1150 IH for oats and ear corn, I have a 3/4 in my 105 IH and it does a decent job on earcorn and doesn't leave big pieces of cob in the bunk that they won't eat

 

[Bob Bancroft]

Kevin's got the answer. In lieu of a larger screen, speed makes a great deal of difference. Then the concerns could include capacity, and if it uses a blower to suck the material off the bottom of the hammermill, the blower might be running too slowly to function properly.

 

[olgentdc]

whats wrong with powder if youare feeding on top of hay or a feedr ???...1/2 is what i use for ear corn ,shelled corn 1/4 .. Dad alays claimed corn uncracked don"t do anything for a cows stomach , just goes rite thru them ...

 

[Allen57]

Dusty and dry, harder to swallow

 

[JMS/.MN]

All depends on how much powder- it can cause impaction in the gut. ie, hard lumps of feed conglomerating together- does not pass, and causes disturbances. Feeding whole shelled corn, either wet corn or dried, yes, some will pass through undigested, although it is a relatively small amount, especially if it is high moisture. Usually looks worse than it is, but a reason why beef/hog farmers used to run the animals together.

 

[Chester5731]

I had some ground fine at the elevator and started having problems with bloating. I had one die so I switched back to cracked corn and have not had any more trouble.

 

[Ralph wd45]

Where are you boys getting your course screens from? My old sears hammermill, only had 3 screens with it, and the largest is 3/8" It makes powder out of ear corn, so I feed it to the chickens instead of the cows. The hogs don't seem to mind it tho. Sure would like to have a 1", or 3/4" screen.