How to Grow and Cut Sorghum for Hay
Sorghum, a plant native to Africa, has been grown in the United States since the 1600s. Early growers harvested the plant for processing into syrup and sugar. Since about 1950 the crop is primarily used for forage, according to Purdue University. The crop is drought resistant and grown in areas where corn is not an option due to insufficient moisture. Forage sorghum is harvested as hay or chopped for silage. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plant the sorghum late in the spring when the soil temperatures are 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plant about 25 pounds of seed per acre using a grain drill or broadcast seeder. Sorghum grows to heights ranging from 2 to 10 feet, depending on soil, climate and seed variety.
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Cut the sorghum when the plants reach about 30 inches in height. Taller sorghum becomes difficult to dry to the point it can be safely stored for winter feed.
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Crimp the sorghum, using a piece of equipment that crimps or breaks the grass stems, to speed drying. Stack or bale the sorghum when the moisture content is 25 percent or less.
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Monitor the sorghum crop for growth. If moisture is adequate, you can have a second or third cutting of sorghum each year.
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Tips & Warnings
Sorghum is more commonly cut for silage than harvested as forage hay. The size of the plants, if allowed to grow beyond 30 inches, makes drying the crop for hay storage difficult. Silage is cut wet and stored in a wet form in silos or other specialized storage facilities. It can also be used as pasture forage with up to three head of cattle grazing on each acre of sorghum.
