If you're in a warm part of the country, forage sorghum and sudan grass hybrids are a great summer feed option that can be grazed, harvested and stored as either silage or hay for when you need it most.
Forage sorghum and sudan gives you fast feed and can be planted in November or December. Crops can be cut or grazed once they reach 80-100cm in height which, given ideal conditions, could be as little as 35 to 45 days after planting.
Forage sorghum and sudan grass hybrids have an extensive secondary root system and a waxy leaf surface giving them a significantly higher water use efficiency than most pasture species. This makes them the ideal crop for warm, dry weather.
Pioneer® brand Bettagraze is a forage sorghum x sudan grass hybrid which offers rapid early growth and quick recovery from grazing or cutting. A larger seed means Bettagraze can be planted into the moisture zone allowing good establishment even in dry seedbeds.
Pioneer® brand Super Sweet Sudan (SSS) is a sudan x sudan-grass hybrid with superfine stems and a prolific tillering habit. Highly palatable, with fine leaves and stems, SSS is an excellent choice for silage as well as hay.
Achieving high forage sorghum/sudan yields can be achieved by planting in warm growing environments only. Bettagraze and SSS are most suited to areas north of Hamilton although they can be successfully grown in warm micro-climates in other parts of the country.
Choose paddocks with good water holding capacity and medium to high fertility status. Soil test to determine crop fertiliser requirements.
Spray out the paddock and cultivate to achieve a fine, even weed-free seedbed and for fast establishment, plant when the soil temperature is at least 18ºC and rising at 5cm depth.
Drill and roll Bettagraze or SSS seed into a fine, moist seedbed. Plant Bettagraze at 3-5cm and SSS at 2.5-3.5cm depth. Plant Bettagraze at 25-45kg/ha and SSS at 15-25kg/ha. Crops planted at higher rates will have thinner stems and a higher yield potential.
Graze behind a wire or cut the crop when it reaches around one metre in height. For maximum regrowth leave a residual of 15cm. Recut or graze after 4-5 weeks when the crop is at least 80cm and no more than 120cm in height.
Ensure to monitor nitrate and prussic acid levels especially in crops that have been drought stressed or frosted. For more information on growing and feeding Bettagraze or SSS, contact your local Farm Source store or TSR.
Seed information
SSS
- Planting depth: 2.5-3.5cm
- Higher feed quality than Bettagraze
- Fine with leafy stems
- Excellent seedbed management
- Slightly less cool tolerant than Bettagraze. Always plant when the soil temperature is at 18ºC and rising
Bettagraze
- Planting depth: 3-5cm
- Lower feed quality than SSS
- Wider leaves with thicker stems
- Good seedbed management
- Slightly more cool tolerant than SSS. Always plant when the soil temperature is at 18ºC and rising
Article supplied by Pioneer Brand Products.