grain humidity meters

The moisture content of a cereal grain is the residual moisture inside it.

Ideally, with dry weather at harvest time, the moisture content of the new grain is 12 to 14% in New Zealand.

Australian wheat is harvested at 10%. Above 15%, the grain becomes soft, that means it will be flattened when crushed and the bran flakes are tough. But under 12% it will desintegrated when crushed and so does the bran.

A low moisture content of the grain means:

• when stone milling, most of the bran and germ become powder;
• less energy needed by the motor and the mill has a greater output;
• the grain will not be attacked by pest or fungi;
• the grain can be kept airtight;
• when flattened, the grain will become a mixture of broken flakes and coarse flour.

A high moisture content means:

• the bran and germ are tough flakes in the flour. Commercial roller millers use this property to sift the bran and the germ out;
• When stone milling, the motor needs more energy and the output is lower. Do not overfeed the mill;
• The grain attracts pest and fungi can develop;
• The grain has to be kept in a breathing container (wood, sacking, pottery);
• When flattened the grain will become a whole flake.