8 Farmers' Bulletin 1126.
It will be seen that in the northern Great Plains Sudan grass is less productive than millet. In the central Great Plains and the timothy and clover belt Sudan grass shows an average hay yield of about one-fourth ton per acre greater than the yield of millet, while in the southern Great Plains its yield is nearly twice that of millet. The yield of sorgo in drilled or broadcasted seedings averages in each region, except the timothy and clover belt, about 1 ton more hay per acre than Sudan grass. This is partly because of the larger amount of moisture in the sorgo hay, due in a measure to the greater difficulty of curing its coarse stems. Any difference in the actual yield of dry matter is offset in some degree by the better quality of the Sudan grass hay.
VALUE IN IRRIGATED REGIONS.
In many of the irrigated parts of the West, where alfalfa is the principal crop and dairying the chief industry of the people, alfalfa has been made the constant and the almost complete diet of the cows. The continuous use of this high-protein hay has caused digestive troubles, but this derangement of the digestive functions seems to dis- appear promptly when the feed is changed. Under irrigation south of Oregon and Wyoming Sudan grass makes an excellent crop to grow for mixing with alfalfa. Yields of cured hay obtained under irrigation in California and Arizona have been equal and in some cases larger than those from alfalfa. At Chico, Calif., Sudan grass when irrigated gave a yield of 9.8 tons of cured hay per acre, as com- pared with a yield of 8.3 tons of alfalfa hay; and at Bard, Calif., in the extreme southern end of the State, Sudan grass on favorable soil gave a yield of 8 tons of hay per acre, as compared with 7.9 tons of alfalfa. The yield of 8 tons at this place was obtained from grass planted almost a month later than it should have been. At Phoenix, Ariz., the yield of Sudan grass was 7.8 tons per acre, as compared with a yield of 9.8 tons of alfalfa, and at Owens, Ariz., Sudan grass made a yield of 4.5 tons per acre with only one irrigation during the season.
These unusual yields of hay from an annual crop, which by its nature can be made to fit into any rotation, will no doubt mean much to the dairying industry of the Southwest.
The percentage of moisture is apt to be somewhat greater in Sudan grass than in alfalfa when the weights are taken directly from the field, but less labor is necessary to handle the Sudan grass because the maximum yield from it is secured ii\ three cuttings, while with the alfalfa five or more cuttings are required to produce the yields mentioned.