Forage First Guide      I      Summer Select Guide

Greater Value. Good Move.  Yield and quality matter. But there’s more. Our goal is to provide a higher standard for forage to maximize ROI– while keeping your wallet in mind. We take pride in delivering proven products that increase the bottom line at a good price.

 

GrassLopata

93 Forage Sorghum

93 Forage Sorghum is best suited for one-cut silage systems: 80 – 90 days to soft dough.  93 Forage Sorghum can be cut for hay, as long as proper management is followed, but is not suited for grazing environments.

 

CHARACTERISTICS:

1 = Poor; 5 = Excellent

Recovery After Cutting: 1
Double Crop: 3
Sugarcane Aphid Tolerance: 3
Standability: 4
Leaf Disease Resistance: 4

Uses:

  • Best suited for one-cut silage systems: 80 – 90 days to soft dough
  • Can be cut for hay, as long as proper management is followed; not suited for grazing environments

 

SEEDING:

Planting Time:
May-July
Emergence (days): 10

Seeding Information:
Seeds/lb.: 14-16,000
Soil Temperature: 60 F
Depth (in.): 3/4-1
Days to Harvest (Soft Dough Stage): 80-90
Harvest Height (ft.): 6-7
Dryland Seeding (lbs./acre): 4-8
Irrigation/Hi-Rain Seeding (lbs./acre): 6-10

  • Planting date should be after the day length exceeds 12 hours and 20 minutes
  • Can be no-tilled into stubble of winter and spring crops
  • Do not plant in soil with pH greater than 7.5 as iron chlorosis can be a problem

 

MANAGEMENT:

Fertility:

  • Under favorable conditions, 1 to 1.25 lbs of nitrogen per day of planned growth should be available for ultimate growth, with little risk for nitrate poisoning. For example, for a planned 93 day harvest, 93 to 115 lbs of nitrogen should be available.
  • Exceeding the recommended fertility above may have negative lodging results
  • Potassium levels should be maintained similar to that of corn
  • If soil pH is greater than 7.2, an application of iron may be necessary to prevent iron chlorosis

Harvest & Management Tips:

  • Usually harvested about 90 days after planting
  • Dry hay and/or baleage are applicable where and when paper harvest management is followed. Dry hay is suited for areas with less moisture and humidity; baleage offers more felxibility in all other areas
  • Harvest at proper moisture (yield and quality are maximized between 60% and 72%)
  • Wide windows are required for baleage products to ensure rapid dry down.
  • For silage, keep chop length uniform (around ½”)

Avoiding Nitrate & Prussic Acid Poisoning:

  • Do not harvest drought stricken plants within four days following a heavy rain
  • Do not apply nitrogen prior to expected drought periods
  • If in doubt, cut at higher stubble height as nitrates tend to accumulate in the lower stalk
  • If high prussic acid is found, wait one month prior to feeding. Unlike excessive nitrates, prussic acid will escape from the plant over time
  • When questions about livestock safety remain, get forage tested promptly

Ratings

Scale 1-9, where 9 = best or most pronounced

SC Aphid Tolerance
Disease Resistance
Cutting Recovery
Double Crop
Standability
  • White grain color

  • High grain:stover ratio

  • Early maturing hybrid with excellent standability

  • Anthracnose resistant