PEARL MILLET
Pearl millet offers more
production potential than do
the hay millets. Pearl millet has
the ability to re-grow, making it
a better option for grazing or for
multiple cuttings at any growth
stage. Pearl millet has coarser
stems than hay millet, making
curing for baled hay more
challenging. Unlike sudangrass,
sorghum-sudangrass and forage
sorghum, pearl millet doesn’t
accumulate prussic acid, which
means that cattle wouldn’t have
to be temporarily removed
because of an early frost.
SUDANGRASS AND SORGHUM-
SUDANGRASS HYBRIDS
Because of the thicker stems
for these crops, they are much
better suited to be harvested as
silage compared to hay. These
also work well as supplemental
summer grazing. Prussic acid
can be a concern when grazed.
The greatest risk for prussic
acid poisoning occurs under
drought conditions, when
plants are damaged by frost,
or when livestock graze short
regrowth. To minimize risk, defer
grazing until sudangrass is 18
to 20 inches tall and sorghum-
sudangrass hybrids reach 24 to
30 inches. Remove livestock for
5 to 6 days if these plants are
damaged by a killing frost so
that the plants can dry out and
the prussic acid can dissipate.
FORAGE SORGHUM
This crop is the latest maturing
and has the most production
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