Forage Production

Warm-season annual grasses, specifically forage sorghums, have the potential to produce large amounts of nutritious forage during summer months, and their inherent versatility allows them to fit into many different types of cropping or livestock operations. Sorghums may be particularly useful in regions with high concentrations of beef and dairy cattle. They fit well into dryland and limited irrigation situations because of their tolerance to drought. It may be in these systems that sorghum has the greatest potential. If managed properly, forage sorghums make excellent hay for supplemental feeding during times of inadequate forage production. Perhaps the greatest advantage of forage sorghums is the diversity of management options the grower can choose from in order to match production needs. Depending on which species and varieties are selected, sorghum may be used for grazing pasture, hay production, silage and green chop.