Grain Sorghum
Grain sorghum, or milo, is grown on a limited basis in Pennsylvania, but it is widely grown and used in many of the Great Plains states. In Pennsylvania, sorghum is cultivated for use in birdseed, as a component of poultry rations, and as a grain or silage crop for swine or cattle feed.
Sorghum’s main advantages are that it has more drought tolerance, suffers less damage from deer, and costs substantially less to establish than corn. Disadvantages include a lack of established markets, slightly lower yield and feed quality compared to corn, and fewer herbicides available for weed control. Sorghum yields of 80 to 100 bushels per acre are common—under good conditions, yields of 150 bushels per acre are possible.
