Sudangrass success story
Sudangrass has been the shining star of the U.S. sorghum industry. Growers are finding that sudangrass is an excellent option for double-cropping behind small grains. It also gives them more rotational flexibility than long-term forages such as alfalfa or perennial grasses. Growers have the options of grazing, baling or silage for their crop.
Our Brown Midrib (BMR) 6 sorghum sudangrasses have become the fastest-growing part of our business. The nutritional values of these hybrids has been demonstrated to be far superior to that of standard sorghum sudans and the BMR 12 or BMR 18 hybrids developed by our competitors. Corn and alfalfa have long been the standard forages for dairy and beef producers, but BMR 6 sorghum has been shown to be equal to or better than both forages in feeding trials.
Accessing genetics from our sister companies and developing critical partners, we are focused on these critical traits:
- Identifying 5 and 6 carbon sugars in the plants will give an accurate volatile fatty acid profile (VFA) when forages are digested by ruminate animals.
- Forage quality
- Photo-period sensitivity
- Brachytic dwarf trait
- Disease resistance
- Biomass potential
Our hybrid sudangrass distributors are companies that have strong relationships with dairy and beef producers, especially in the Midwest. The most successful are companies that have nutritionists on staff or have a good understanding of ruminant nutrition.
The SG BMR 6 products have proven that all brown midribbed forages are not the same. Work done at Purdue University, where the trait was first release, as well as extensive research since the release, proves that the BMR 6-gene location has the highest level of digestibility compared to conventional and other BMR forages. Many BMR genes exist, but the gene sequence and location combined with superior germplasm lines gives the SG BMR 6 products a competitive advantage.
Ongoing collaborative research studies with Universities continually test and prove the superior performance of the BMR 6-gene technology for forage quality, yield, input costs and return per acre in milk and meat production.
The BMR 6-gene technology can significantly alter feed management programs for dairy and beef operations. The BMR forage sorghums and sorghum sudangrass can deliver forage quality and animal performance comparable to alfalfa and corn.
In replicated yield trials, the SG BMR forage sorghums produced significantly more vegetation than corn or conventional forage sorghums. Compared to corn, the BMR forages require one-third less water and less fertilizer for similar yields.
Brown Midrib gene presence in sorghums reduces the lignin content in the plant. Lignin is the component of the cell walls that can limit the forage fiber digestion. Significant increases in digestibility, palatability and efficiency are proven benefits of the BMR gene.
For maximum benefits of yield, quality and standability, production practices for BMR sorghums differ from standard forage sorghums. High plant populations and nitrogen levels are not needed for stem quality or tonnage.
Brown Midrib with PhotoPeriod Sensitive gene
The dual benefit of brown midrib trait and the PhotoPeriod Sensitive gene is a breakthrough offering high yield potential, palatability, fiber digestibility and the wide window for harvesting consistent high quality forage over the entire growing season. The day length should dictate the planting date and harvest will vary based on the geography, climatic conditions and day length period.
Brachytic dwarf trait
The lush, leafy plant makes comparable yields to the taller stalk varieties by producing almost double the leaf material per foot of stalk. One of the newest offerings to U.S. forage growers, the brachytic dwarf sorghum satisfies cows and operators alike with its palatability and more efficient grazing or harvesting.
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