Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-06-13
Sorghum For Feed /.

Last summer at the beginning OF
dry weather the writer planted about
two acres of sorghum. The seed was
drilled thickly in rows about three feet
apart. Two light borrowings were
given, and these were all the cultiva-
ton the plants received. The dry
weather continued for many weeks af-
ter the young sorghum plants were up,
yet they kept alive when the soil
seemed perfectly void of moisture.
When late summer and early fall rains
finally came the sorghum began to
grow so rapidly that 1t made a very
thick and heavy crop several weeks
before frost. Altho standing very
thickly in the rows, some of the stalks
We're large enough for dressing and
taking to the mill for making sorghum
syrup. However, feed being scarce
stock and dairy cows.
1t would be difficult to estimate the
number of tons of green fodder this
crop Of sorghum made to the acre A
conservative estimate would be from
ten to fifteen tons. We began to feed
it TO the horses and cows about the
time the largest stalks began to head
out. A few days later the largest
hauled up and FED to the hogs. These
animals cheWed the stalks with great
relish rejecting the pommace. and they
fartened and grew on it well. The hogs,
COWS. calves and horses were fed on this
sorghum till the last of October, and
several loads We're cut and stored in
the barn to be fed out after frost in a
green state. About one-half of it was
ma do mr. tn, he
field to cure for early winter feeding.
This fodder was hauled to the barn af-
ter few weeks curing and fed out
during November and December 1t
was placed in thin layers in bundles on
top OF the hay in the NOW and none
Of it spoiled except in one place where
ii was piled deem with no circulating
air to take up the moisture.
A relative from Illinois was at our
place when We were feeding this crop
OF sorghum, and he stated that a
neighbor Of his grew a crop of sor-
ghum each year year especially for hog
feed, finding that hogs fattened on it
well.
The sorghum We planted last sum-
mer was in an old clover field. The
blowing and planting were done after
the crop Of closer were grown and re-
moved. Hence. two good crops We're
grown on the same land during the
season Sorghum is quick maturing
crop. and it may be planted after
wheat, oats or clover harvest in spare
fields that otherwise would lie idle. For
this reason it is an economical field
crop.
AS with other crops. sorghum to
70 CT nd a
soil It is rather hard on the land, and
if 1t and another crop are grown in
field the same year. then that field
should be MANFRED before another crop
is planted.
Sorghum is an excellent soiling crop
for late summer and early fall feeding
when pastures are generally dry and
short. With an acre of two of this crop.
all of the animals may have absolutely
all the green feed they can consume at
season when they appreciate any
thing that is green and tender Cows
eat it with a relish, but will not eat the
entire plant Of large stalks. we placed
the cows managers full and allowed
them to eat OF the blades and as many
of the small stalks as they would.
Every morning and evening their man
gers were cleaned out and the large
stalks stripped of leaves were fed to
the hogs, these animals chewing them
and sucking out the sweet juice with
distinct relish.
Horses like sorghum fodder perhaps
better than any other domestic ami
mails. We fed it to three horses and
young mule. They ate the entire plant,
large and small stalks. One mare was
rather poor when the sorghum feeding
began, and on this feed 1t gained in fat
end flesh faster than on anything she
ever ate. The sweet Juice of sorghum
is fattening for all animala