170 FEEDS AND FEEDING 



\. Grain sorghums. The non-saccharine sorghums, or grain sor- 

 ghums, include kafir, milo, feterita, kaoliang, and the less important 

 durra and shallu. Kafir and milo are the most widely grown in the 

 United States. Most of the grain sorghum produced in the United 

 States is grown in the southern part of the Great Plains region, east of 

 the Rocky Mountains, extending from southwestern Nebraska to north- 

 western Texas. A limited amount is also grown in sections of Arizona, 

 Utah, and California. By selection and crossing, varieties of sorghum 

 have been developed which are suited to the various districts, especially 

 dwarf strains which have erect heads that are easily harvested with the 

 grain header, and which are early maturing, thus escaping late summer 

 droughts. Thru the development of early types the sorghums are also 

 being carried farther north. 



Thruout most of the western portion of the grain-sorghum belt, these 

 crops are more sure than corn, due to their drought resistant qualities, 

 and even on good soil usually give larger yields. Even in central and 

 eastern Kansas and Oklahoma, the sorghums are superior to corn on 

 poor, thin uplands. Churchill and Wright 8 of the Oklahoma Station 

 report that on soil underlaid by hardpan, where the average yield of 

 corn during a 5-year period was only 1 bushel per acre, kafir averaged 

 34.9 bushels. Even on the better land in the eastern part of the grain 

 sorghum belt, it is advisable to replace some of the corn acreage with 

 grain sorghum as an insurance against severe drought. 



The average yield of the grain sorghums in the United States has 

 ranged from 27 bushels per acre in good seasons to 11 or 12 bushels in 

 times of drought. Yields as high as 75 to 80 bushels per acre are secured 

 under very favorable conditions. The customary basis for selling the 

 seed of the grain sorghums is by the 56-lb. bushel, but, according to 

 Churchill and Wright, the usual weight is about 54 pounds. Kafir heads 

 contain about 77 per ct. of grain .and those of milo about 84 per ct. ; 

 accordingly 73 Ibs. of head kafir and 66 Ibs. of head milo are required 

 for a bushel (56 Ibs.) of grain. Ball 9 states that altho the percentage of 

 grain in the entire crop varies widely with the season and thickness of 

 stand, under ordinary conditions from 35 to 40 per ct. of the air-dry 

 weight of a crop of milo and kaoliang and 25 per ct. of kafir will be grain. 



When cut for grain the crop should not be harvested until the seeds 

 are well matured. Because the hard-coated seeds when apparently dry 

 may contain much water, the grain sorghums are especially apt to heat 

 in the bin unless precautions are taken. 



236. Grain sorghums as feeds. The different sorghums are similar in 

 composition, carrying about as much nitrogen-free extract as corn, 

 slightly more crude protein, and 1.5 to 2.0 per ct. less fat. Supplemented 

 with protein-rich feeds, they are excellent for all classes of animals. 

 The grain sorghums are well liked by stock, tho they are somewhat less 

 palatable than corn. Their feeding value averages, about 90 per ct. that 



"Okla. Bui. 102. 9 U. S. D. A. Farmers' Bui. 448. 



