Sorghum Sudan looking bad

[CJohnson]

I no tilled Sorghum Sudan into sod 50 acres 3 weeks ago, got 1.25 inch rain, then 3/10. Fertilized before the 3/10 rain. It is only 6 inches and grass is taking over. Looks like I will lose it. I am not sure what to do now. I need it to finish grassfed yearlings. Considering disking it under and re-planting. If I did this would I have to re-fertilize? Any suggestions?

 

[agmantoo]

You can see what you have at this point. What you may or may not get by reseeding could be better or worse depending on the weather and time of season at your place. From my past experience as a grain farmer I would go with what I have rather than what I cannot project. Putting your location in with your post would help with reaching a conclusion as to what may be best.

 

[CJohnson]

I am in East Texas.

 

[bird dog]

to late to do anything else for this year in my opinion. Is it thick or thin? I am thinking the seed may have been planted to deep.

 

[Kingfisher]

You can see what you have at this point. What you may or may not get by reseeding could be better or worse depending on the weather and time of season at your place. From my past experience as a grain farmer I would go with what I have rather than what I cannot project. Putting your location in with your post would help with reaching a conclusion as to what may be best.

Can he just turn some cows loose on it and graze it down?

 

[agmantoo]

I would attempt to salvage the fertilizer and find a later season forage to plant. For my location and my cattle production I would consider switching to Pearl Millet. Not knowing the animal load on the area to grazed and having not seen the stand of sorghum and the competing grasses I am at a disadvantage. My initial thoughts would be to rotationally graze what it growing currently into oblivion and stagger the planting of the no- till pearl millet behind the cattle. Once the first millet planted is ready to be grazed I would repeat the rotational grazing on the staggered planted millet. Millet's characteristics seemingly would match the upcoming season and the needs for forage during hotter and possibly dryer weather. Here is a brief summary of Pearl Millet's merits. http://www.farmsciencegenetics.com/prod ... rl_millet/

 

[redcowsrule33]

You can see what you have at this point. What you may or may not get by reseeding could be better or worse depending on the weather and time of season at your place. From my past experience as a grain farmer I would go with what I have rather than what I cannot project. Putting your location in with your post would help with reaching a conclusion as to what may be best.

Can he just turn some cows loose on it and graze it down?

Only if he really doesn't like his cows. At this height he needs to worry about prussic acid poisoning and if it is droughted nitrate poisoning is also a concern, especially since it was fertilized.

 

[CJohnson]

to late to do anything else for this year in my opinion. Is it thick or thin? I am thinking the seed may have been planted to deep.

It is thin. Don't think planted too deep because is looks worse where ground was hard and drill did not go as deep. It looks best where hogs had rooted the pasture before planting and broke up the sod.

 

[agmantoo]

Prussic acid toxicity is NOT present in pearl millet and it has a high protein content. Here is NC it can be planted much later than sorghum. The cost of Pearl Millet seed is rather cheap also. IMO you would get some return on the effort and expense.

I doubt that the sorghum has reached a prussic acid risk at its current stage. I would monitor the consumption by a few head of cattle first before putting an entire herd at risk however.

 

[kenny thomas]

Prussic acid toxicity is NOT present in pearl millet and it has a high protein content. Here is NC it can be planted much later than sorghum. The cost of Pearl Millet seed is rather cheap also. IMO you would get some return on the effort and expense.

I doubt that the sorghum has reached a prussic acid risk at its current stage. I would monitor the consumption by a few head of cattle first before putting an entire herd at risk however.

Have you tried drilling the Pearl Millet into the fescue sod after the first cutting of hay? I have planted it but never into sod. Might try some.

 

[agmantoo]

kenny thomas

I do not bale hay. I am solely a rotational grazer unless we are experiencing a severe drought. I have experimented with the pearl millet into heavily grazed fescue and clover but the results were marginal because of the rapid regrowth of the clover. The clover, with its established root system, tends to shade the millet excessively prior to the millet getting established. For Summer grazing I have managed to get crabgrass established in my wetter areas and after hard grazing the fescue/clover there the crabgrass seems to respond to give some hot weather grazing in late July/August. I would like to have a better crabgrass stand but it takes time to get it established. For hay production during hot weather have you considered Teff? It will grow during adverse conditions but when grazed the cattle pull up the entire plant as it is very shallow rooted.

 

[1982vett]

I no tilled Sorghum Sudan into sod 50 acres 3 weeks ago, got 1.25 inch rain, then 3/10. Fertilized before the 3/10 rain. It is only 6 inches and grass is taking over. Looks like I will lose it. I am not sure what to do now. I need it to finish grassfed yearlings. Considering disking it under and re-planting. If I did this would I have to re-fertilize? Any suggestions?

Been avoiding this thread....Just nothing much to go on from my point of view... But since it is a slow day again.....

Did find out your in east texas...(sombody had to ask) really doesn't say much except we know most of East Texas is way short of moisture (unless your next to bigbull).

1. soil type, what is it? sandy, loam, clay, fertile soil..... road sub base?
2. fertilized before 3/10ths rain....what and how much? Has it ever been soil tested?
3. sorgum sudan....notilled into sod....what is "sod"? Considering disking suggests it was tillable soil but noone knows but you.
4. grass is taking over....what kind of grass? Might be better to forget the sudan if the grass will grow.
5. rain...I've gotten 2 inches over the last 3 weeks....not enough to grow anything. 6 inch sudan is about right for being 3 weeks planted. Dam good seeing it took 3 months to get enough moisture for oats to come up last fall.
6. first rodeo? Is this the first time you have tried to grow it?
7. having to refertilize if you disk and replant....only if you didn't have enough out to begin with....remember soil test? No way to answer without know any of the above information.
8. Pictures are worth a thousand words....they really are! ;-)

 

[CJohnson]

I no tilled Sorghum Sudan into sod 50 acres 3 weeks ago, got 1.25 inch rain, then 3/10. Fertilized before the 3/10 rain. It is only 6 inches and grass is taking over. Looks like I will lose it. I am not sure what to do now. I need it to finish grassfed yearlings. Considering disking it under and re-planting. If I did this would I have to re-fertilize? Any suggestions?

Been avoiding this thread....Just nothing much to go on from my point of view... But since it is a slow day again.....

Did find out your in east texas...(sombody had to ask) really doesn't say much except we know most of East Texas is way short of moisture (unless your next to bigbull).

1. soil type, what is it? sandy, loam, clay, fertile soil..... road sub base?
Soil type is black clay in bottom
2. fertilized before 3/10ths rain....what and how much? Has it ever been soil tested?
Did soil test, called for 60lb N, 40 lb P and 20 lb K. This is what was put out. Don't remember exact blend but we put out close as could come to what soil test called for
3. sorgum sudan....notilled into sod....what is "sod"? Considering disking suggests it was tillable soil but noone knows but you.
Some Dallis grass, mostly common bermuda, is tillable but hard now that is dry
4. grass is taking over....what kind of grass? Might be better to forget the sudan if the grass will grow.
5. rain...I've gotten 2 inches over the last 3 weeks....not enough to grow anything. 6 inch sudan is about right for being 3 weeks planted. Dam good seeing it took 3 months to get enough moisture for oats to come up last fall.
6. first rodeo? Is this the first time you have tried to grow it?Planted same field last year and it did fair but not great, had an overflow within a week of seeding and some of seed was washed away.
7. having to refertilize if you disk and replant....only if you didn't have enough out to begin with....remember soil test? No way to answer without know any of the above information.
8. Pictures are worth a thousand words....they really are! ;-)I am not good at posting pictures

 

[Kingfisher]

You got to just keep trying is what I think..........;) It's been tough. It is hard to post pictures here. I wish I could help you with that.