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Copyright ©2006 Arrow Seed Co.
PO
Box 722
Broken
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E-Mail: Info@arrowseed.com
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Summer Annual Forage
Summer annual grasses are used for summer pasture, green chop, hay, silage, and winter pasture. They are often used as sources of emergency forage. In addition, residues of summer annuals make an excellent seedbed mulch for new stands of perennial grass, particularly on sands. The summer annual grasses most often used for forage in Nebraska are sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, forage sorghums, Foxtail millet, hybrid pearl millet, sudangrass, and hybrid sudangrass. Each of these grasses has unique growth characteristics that require proper management for optimum production. Some of the desirable characteristics of summer annuals are rapid growth (especially in mid-season), excellent drought resistance, and good response to fertilizer and water. Alkali soils can reduce yields considerably, but plants will tolerate a moderate amount of salinity. They are well adapted to most areas of the state and grow rapidly following planting in late May or June. They provide good growth from mid-July through August, and then moderate growth until stopped by fall frost. Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids produce about the same amount of feed as sudangrass when used for pasture. when used for green chopped forage, yields of sorghum-sudangrass hybrids usually exceed sudangrass or forage sorghum. Making sorghum-sudangrass into hay can be difficult because drying is slow. Some taller growing forage sorghums with high grain yields are best used for silage. New breeding in summer forages has increased palatability and feed conversion (BMR trait) and added to management flexibility (photo period sensitivity). Because of the wide range of plant types, regrowth characteristics and maturity range it is critical that the producer carefully select the summer annual species that will best fit his needs, expectations, and production resources.
| 1st Choice BMR | | |
| 1st Choice BMR adds an exciting new concept and form to sorghum-sudangrass forage hybrids. This hybrid BMR sorghumsudangrass has slightly larger and wider leaves than most conventional sorghumsudangrass varieties. It has significant brown-midrib expression with improved forage quality, medium stem size, and white tannin-free grain. Qualifies for LDP payment. MANAGEMENT: This multipurpose hybrid offers tremendous flexibility to producers. When used as a direct pasture forage, 1st Choice BMR is exceptionally palatable and livestock tend to utilize more of the entire plant. Begin grazing at 24” – 30”. Harvest for hay at late boot. This hybrid also produces an excellent yielding silage crop with a high grain to stover ratio. |
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| Canex BMR Hybrid Forage Sorghum | | |
This BMR boasts the significant yield advantages of a leafy 7 to 8 foot hybrid with the low fiber of a BMR forage. CANEX BMR plants will show a brownish coloration to leaf midrib, stalk and pith. Superior livestock performance due to enhanced nutrition levels. Good palatability and higher Total Digestible Nutrient (TDN) levels – means more profit in your pocket and greater return on investment dollars. MANAGEMENT: Versatile forage can be used as bundle feed or silage. The BMR trait makes it a very good baled feed. The grain head on top combined with the BMR forage make excellent quality and tonnage silage. This hybrid forage sorghum has preformed well even in droughty seasons like 2000.
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| Beefmaster BMR Silage Sorghum | | |
| This medium maturity silage hybrid has feed value equal to corn. Lower water and fertility requirements per ton yield reduce input costs by one-third to one-half when compared with corn. An excellent choice in areas where silage is needed but irrigation water is limited. MANAGEMENT: Versatile forage can be used as bundle feed or silage. The BMR trait makes it a very good baled feed. The grain head on top combined with the BMR forage make excellent quality and tonnage silage. This hybrid forage sorghum has preformed well even in droughty seasons like 2000. Although the hybrid is designed for a one-time harvest it has good regrowth capacity which can be utilized for direct grazing after the silage crop has been removed. |
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| Sorghum X Sudangrass Hybrids | | |
VARIETIES: 1st Choice BMR, Honey Graze BMR, Nutri Plus + BMR, Grazex BMR, Hay N’ Graze, Honey Graze, Sweet Sunny Sue, Grazex II.
PREFERRED USES: Best use is for pasture or multiple cutting hay. Combines the leafiness of forage sorghums with the re-growth of sudangrass. BMR types are more palatable for grazing with less fiber & less feeding waste. Harvest before heading is critical to feed quality, tonnage, & re-growth. Use Sorghum-Sudan for freeze down grazing only after the plant is completely dead.
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| Hybrid Male Sterile Sweet Sorghum | | |
VARIETIES: Sugar-R-Bale, Sweet-N-Red, Canex. PREFERRED USES: Best use is single cut hay, bundle feed, or winter freeze down grazing. These plants have improved leafiness, better seedling vigor and excellent yield potential. Produce non-viable or sterile seed unless planted with a pollinator. Qualifies for LDP and can be used for silage when planted with a pollinator. Because they do not put energy into seed production, more of the nutrients and sugars are kept in the stalks for sweeter and more palatable forage when compared to Sumac or Rox orange.
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| Silage Sorghum | | |
VARIETIES: Silo-Mor, Canex BMR, Beefmaster BMR. PREFERRED USES: Silo-Mor grows 5 ½ to 6 ft. tall, Canex BMR and Beefmaster BMR will grow to 6 to 8 ft tall, with a strong stalks that provides for very good standability. Heavy grain yields result in a very high grain to stover ratio. This significantly increases digestible dry matter per acre when fed as silage. The high protein content and total digestible nutrients make it perfect for the feed lot or dairy. The numerous wide leaves produce a dark, dense canopy, resulting in superior weed suppression and moisture conservation. Maturity is medium early to medium reaching soft dough stage in approximately 105 days and producing up to 30 tons of silage under good conditions.
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| Forage Sorghum Open Pollinated | | |
VARIETIES: Early Sumac, Rox Orange, Atlas, Hegari, Waconia. PREFERRED USES: Best use is for hay, bundle feed or winter freeze down grazing planted on dryland. These open pollinated plants will produce viable seed or grain. Harvest once for hay in soft dough stage. Good ability to tolerate periods of drought.
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| Hybrid Pearl Millet | | |
| VARIETIES: 102M, Elite II. Sunny States 102 M and Elite II are medium tall growing varieties reaching heights of 6 to 8 1/2 feet under optimum growing conditions. They will reach pre-boot in 60 to 75 days. Both varieties tiller profusely with abundant leaves 1” to 2” wide making them very leafy with a fine stems and excellent quality hay. PREFERRED USES: Hybrid Pearl Millet is the only summer forage recommended for horse pasture because of low prussic acid content. Best use is for pasture or hay, similar to sorghum x sudans. Regrowth is more rapid than sorghum-sudan when adequate moisture is available. |
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| Piper Sudangrass | | |
| VARIETY: Piper. PREFERRED USES: Safest summer pasture. Lower prussic acid risk than Sorghum-Sudan hybrid. Great for creating forage crop in feed pens, calving lots. |
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| Foxtail Millet | | |
VARIETIES: Golden German, German Strain R, White Wonder, Siberian. PREFERRED USES: Fine stemmed leafy hay with lower water requirement and faster dry down. Do not use for pasture. Must be harvested in boot to early heading stage. Creates excellent stubble after harvest for fall grass or alfalfa plantings.
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