With increased economic constraints, producers need ways to increase revenue by improving production efficiency with minimal additional inputs. After sorghum grain harvest, the stover that remains potentially could be used as livestock feed either immediately after grain harvest or left until frost to acquire additional photosynthate because of the perennial characteristics of sorghum. The experimental design was a 4 x 3 factorial arrangement of a randomized complete block with four replications. Fertilizer N rates were 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg/ha. Fertilizer application timings were 1) 100% applied preplant, 2) two-thirds of the amount applied preplant and one-third applied as a sidedress at the eight-leaf stage, and 3) one-third of the amount applied preplant and two-thirds applied sidedress. A no-N control treatment also was included in each replication. Sorghum grain yield was affected by N rate, but not by the timing of N fertilizer application. In 2003, yield response to N was maximized at 135 kg/a and was 1.4 Mg/ha greater than yield with no nitrogen. In 2004, however, yield did not seem to be maximized at 180 kg N/ha, and was more than 3 Mg/ha greater at 180 kg N/ha than yield with no nitrogen. Averaged across years, stover harvested for forage after grain harvest was maximized at 135 kg N/ha, and was nearly 2 Mg/ha more forage than obtained with no nitrogen. Stover yield was less when two-thirds of the N was applied as a sidedress, compared with applying all N preplant or only one-third applied as a sidedress. The response to N rate was similar for stover left until a killing frost, with maximum forage obtained with 135 kg N/ha. But, in both years, the sorghum did not maintain dry matter, losing about half of the potential forage between harvest and frost.