Normally, pearl millet can be grazed four to six weeks after planting. Plant 15 to 20 pounds of seed per acres if solid seeding or broadcasting pearl millet. Seed 7 to 10 pounds per acre if planting in 30 to 42 inch rows. Heavier seeding rates should produce finer stems. Fertilization Pearl millet will respond to fertilization much like annual grain crops.
Adequate fertilizer is necessary to produce optimum yields of high quality forage.
The fertilizer requirements for pearl millet are similar to other annual grasses such as oats, foxtail millet and sudangrass for forage production. Suggested levels would be 40 to 60 pounds of available nitrogen per acre, with the heavier applications in areas of good soil moisture. Apply 15 to 20 pounds of P 2 O 5 per acre on soils that test low phosphorus, generally less than than 5 pounds per acre. Forage Harvesting Pearl millet provides a wide range of alternative uses when utilized as an annual forage. It may be cut for hay, haylage, silage, green-chop or pasture.