Update - Grain Drill Setting

[Kelly in tx]

I appreciate the replies. My 82 year old neighbor told me 50 lbs/A is the usual seeding rate and he said he plants 60.
Texas A & M info says 25 to 30 pounds per acre is the "generally recommended" planting rate, BUT says 40 to 50 lb/A when "broadcast" and some varieties are planted at 70 to 80 lb/A.
This is NOT milo, it is grown for the stalks and leaves and is for grazing and or rolled up into round bales for winter cattle feed here (south central Texas).
I think the John Deere grain drill setting should be for "kafir corn". Looking this up on the internet it says it is spelled "kaffir" and "is an old-fashioned and offensive term for a Southern African sorghum variety grown for its grain and as animal feed."
Thanks again for the replies, the advice and the help in suggesting grain drill settings. kelly

 

[trackrat]

i have always tried to plant 50 #s of hybrid sudan per acre used to rase 3to400 acres of the stuff south of dallas

 

[farmersamm]

Used to plant a lot of Jerry Oats, and Haygrazer.

Take a look at the label on the bag of seed. It should show the tested germination rate.

Then determine how many plants you want per row foot.

I used to plant Haygrazer expecting 12 plants per row foot. This meant that if I was dropping approximately 15 seeds per foot X .80 (rounded germination rate), I'd get my 12 plants per foot.

I would run on hard ground, mostly the road going out across the pasture, and just lower the drill gang enough to make the gearing rotate the star wheel in the seed box. This would put out the number of seeds you'd expect while drilling. Got down on my knees, and counted the number of seeds per foot.

This is an article that breaks seeding down to row foot numbers.

https://www.eagleseed.com/wp-content/uploads/corn_planting_guide2-1.pdf

I prefer row foot over seeds per acre. It's easier to calibrate on row feet IMHO.

 

[farmersamm]

I would think that if you plan on rolling this stuff up, you'd have a pretty high seed rate. You're not after ears..........you're after stalks and leaves. This, I"d imagine, would make for a high number of plants per foot. Ask your neighbor how many plants per foot he had when doing this.

If this stuff is related to Sorghum.............you're probably looking at the same seed rate as Haygrazer.

Put up a link to the article from the university. OR a picture of a field that either shows the stubble, or standing crop, with enough detail to see how close the plants are.

 

[miner09]

I plant 60 pounds acre for hay with drill. It’s ready to bale but it hasn’t stopped raining. Lamar county Texas