Warm-season annual forage crops (2001)

Abstract

Annual warm-season grasses can be used as part of a year-round grazing system throughout Missouri. With adequate moisture and fertility, they rapidly produce high-quality forage during late spring and summer when cool-season forages are dormant. In addition, warm-season annual grasses work well in rotation with row crops or as emergency pastures. Although many annual crops are used for summer grazing, pearlmillet (Pennisetum americanum), sorghum-sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor) hybrids, and crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) are the most common. This publication provides further information about warm-season annual forage drops.