Value of Pearl Millet Pasture for Dairy Cattle


 The pastures were kept in a vegetative and palatable condi-
 tion by rotational grazing, mowing stubble following each graz-
 ing to stimulate production of new shoots, and by topdressing
 with nitrogen fertilizer. Forage samples taken during the
 first, third and fourth rotations of 1952 contained 12.3, 15.4 and
 15.8 percent of dry matter and 2.88, 3.69 and 3.40 percent of
 crude protein, respectively, indicating that excellent pasture
 quality was maintained throughout the grazing season.
 Lactating cows grazing millet pasture produced an average
of 30.3 pounds of 4 percent fat-corrected milk daily. Per-
sistency was good, even at higher production levels, and changes
in body weight during the experiments were relatively small.
 An annual average of 2,112.7 pounds of total digestible nu-
trients per acre was obtained from millet by the cows. They
derived 60.5 percent of their total digestible nutrient intake
from pasture while on millet pasture. This was adequate to
support the requirement for body maintenance plus a daily
production of ten pounds of 4 percent fat-corrected milk.
 Heifers above ten months of age and in thrifty condition
usually gained at rates above normal for their ages while graz-
ing millet pasture. Animals seven to 10 months of age that
were well-developed and in good condition made satisfactory
gains on pasture alone, but small or thin heifers in this age
range grew at subnormal rates.
 The millet pasture grazed by heifers provided an annual
average of 1,660.1 pounds of total digestible nutrients per acre.
This lower yield appeared to be due principally to the poorly-
drained soil becoming too wet during the rainy season and
thereby causing a reduction in growth of the millet.
 The profitableness of utilizing millet pastures with dairy
cattle is dependent principally upon production and efficient
utilization of high yields of quality forage. Calculated produc-
tion costs were rather constant at $37.43 to $46.80 per acre,
while average annual feed replacement values of the pasture
ranged from $77.28 to $147.28 per acre.
 Dairymen needing summer grazing who have land adapted
for growing pearl millet can profit by the production and utiliza-
tion of this feed crop. Land used for growing millet during
the summer may be planted to oats in the fall to produce fall,
winter and spring grazing.