CLICK HERE for a PDF showing the full agronomic characteristics of available CHS Seed Resources forage sorghum, sorghum x sudangrass, and pearl millet products.
Hybrid Pearl Millet
Often considered to have the highest forage quality among the conventional millets, hybrid pearl millet is used for grazing, green-chop, hay, haylage and silage. Along with being a popular cattle forage, hybrid pearl millet also has a following in the horse market. New BMR hybrid pearl millet provides exceptional forage quality and is the only millet with the BMR trait. Most varieties mature in in approximately 75 days, but it can be grazed in as little as 30 days. Hybrid pearl millet does not contain prussic acid toxicity.
Forage Quality: Medium-Excellent (BMR varieties are higher quality)
Seeding Rate: 15-20 lbs/acre drilled, 25 lbs/acre broadcast. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.
Brown Top Millet
Adapted more to the Southeast U.S., brown top millet is usually used for grazing or hay or wildlife (seed production). It is adapted to the low pH and low fertility of the Southeast soils. Forage quality is decent when plants are harvested young. It matures in approximately 60-70 days.
Forage Quality: Medium
Seeding Rate: 20 lbs/acre drilled, 30 lbs/acre broadcast. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.
German Foxtail Millet
Leafy, finer-stemmed millet type. German millet is one of the most widely planted forage millet because of quality and affordability. When harvested prior to heading, it can be very attractive to livestock. It is also used for bird feed (seed production). Full maturity takes place in 75-90 days.
Forage Quality: Medium
Seeding Rate: 20 lbs/acre drilled, 30 lbs/acre broadcast. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.
Japanese Millet
Japanese millet is poor forage quality and is primarily used for wildlife feed, especially birds. The produced seed attracts ducks, doves and other birds. It can be flooded as it matures. Allow for at least 45 days of growing weather after germination.
Forage Quality: Low
Seeding Rate: 10-20 lbs/acre
Red Proso Millet
Used primarily for bird food (seed production), red proso millet is an early-maturing type. It can produce seed heads in less than 40 days.
Forage Quality: Low
Seeding Rate: 20-25 lbs/acre. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.
Siberian Foxtail Millet
Most often used for hay in the northern Plains, Siberian millet is shorter growing and is not a high-yielding millet type. It generally requires at least 60 days of growth prior to harvesting.
Forage Quality: Medium
Seeding Rate: 20 lbs/acre. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.
White Proso Millet
Rarely used for livestock forage, white proso millet is popular for bird feed (seed production). It matures in 65-90 days.
Forage Quality: Low
Seeding Rate: 20 lbs/acre. Reduce seeding rate up to 50% for arid dryland.