Corn, or maize, is one of the world’s most significant agricultural commodities, serving as a staple food source for both humans and animals globally. Its widespread cultivation and high yield potential make it an attractive and readily available source of sustenance. The grain is a concentrated package of energy, making it highly sought-after in the biological world. This energy-rich profile draws a vast array of species, from domesticated livestock to opportunistic wildlife, to corn fields and storage facilities. The appeal is rooted in the plant’s chemistry, which offers a reliable fuel source for organisms seeking to maximize caloric intake efficiently.
Nutritional Components That Attract Animals
The primary reason corn is universally appealing is its exceptional caloric density, fulfilling the biological need for immediate and stored energy. A mature corn kernel is predominantly composed of starch, accounting for 70 to 75% of its dry matter content. This complex carbohydrate is easily broken down into glucose, providing a rapid and substantial energy release for metabolic processes, growth, and movement.
This high concentration of starch translates to a gross energy value of approximately 4,146 kilocalories per kilogram, establishing corn as a premium energy feedstuff. Field corn, the most common variety, is also moderately high in fat, averaging around 4.6% of the dry matter.
Fats contribute more than twice the energy per gram compared to carbohydrates, further boosting the grain’s overall energy density. This combination of high starch and moderate fat makes corn an efficient fuel for weight gain and reproduction. For varieties like sweet corn, the presence of simple sugars also adds palpable sweetness, enhancing palatability and initial attraction for many species.
Categorizing the Primary Animal Consumers
The animals that consume corn are broadly organized into three groups based on their relationship with the crop. The largest consumers are domesticated animals, forming the core of the livestock industry. Cattle, pigs (swine), and poultry are routinely fed corn due to its cost-effectiveness and high energy content, making it the industry standard for feed formulation.
For monogastric animals like pigs and chickens, corn constitutes 50 to 70% of their diet, providing the bulk of the energy needed for rapid growth. Ruminants, such as beef and dairy cattle, are fed corn grain or silage to increase the energy density of their rations. This supports high levels of milk production or weight gain in feedlots, optimizing agricultural output.
A second group consists of urban and agricultural pests that cause significant damage to standing crops and stored grain. Raccoons are notorious for being the most destructive species in corn fields. They typically invade fields during the soft milk stage, breaking stalks to pull down ears, which they then peel and partially consume, leaving shredded husks.
Smaller mammals like squirrels and mice target the crop at both the beginning and end of the season. Squirrels dig up and consume newly planted seeds before they emerge. Later, they, along with rats and mice, feast on stored grains. This opportunistic feeding focuses on easily accessible, concentrated energy sources.
The third category includes wild herbivores and omnivores that opportunistically forage on the crop. White-tailed deer are significant consumers, browsing on young leaves early in the season. Later, they bite the tender silks or scrape kernels from the ears using their lower incisors.
Bears, particularly black bears, are also attracted to corn, especially when natural food sources are scarce. They usually concentrate their feeding deeper inside the field during the milk stage, often flattening large sections of stalks as they move. Birds, such as crows, blackbirds, and turkeys, contribute to crop loss by digging up planted seeds or pecking kernels from developing ears.
Managing Wildlife Consumption and Crop Damage
The widespread consumption of corn by wildlife results in substantial economic losses for agricultural producers. Crop damage to corn grain alone is estimated to average around 10% in some regions. Damage includes the direct loss of grain, trampling of stalks, and potential contamination of the harvest. Farmers must employ various strategies to mitigate this pressure.
Physical barriers are highly effective. Electric fencing is a common method used to deter raccoons, as a low-voltage shock is sufficient. For larger animals like deer, taller barriers, such as eight-foot woven wire fences, are necessary to prevent jumping. These solutions offer long-term protection despite the significant investment.
Farmers also utilize scare tactics and chemical repellents. Propane cannons, mylar ribbons, and eye-spot balloons are examples of visual and auditory deterrents, though their effectiveness often diminishes as animals habituate. Specialized seed treatments containing anthraquinone can repel birds like crows and blackbirds from digging up newly planted seeds.