Monday, 7 November 2005 - 10:15 AM
30-7

Growing Sorghum or Corn? A Decision Aid.

Jurg Blumenthal, Texas A & M University, Dept. of Soil & Crop Science, College Station, TX 77843-2474

Producers in Texas can choose whether they grow sorghum or corn as a feed grain. In this paper an aid to help them in their decision is presented. The aid was developed based on more than 20 years of experimental work in the 10 most important feed grain counties of Texas (containing one third of the state's feed grain production), agricultural statistics service data, and production cost data. The aid allows the grower to judge based on historical field information whether for his conditions corn or sorghum production are more successful. Only four input numbers are required by the aid: 1) price of corn; 2) price of sorghum; 3) total cost of production for corn; and 4) total cost of production for sorghum. By comparing a threshold yield level for corn with historical yields he can determine which feed grain is more likely to be advantageous. If his historical corn yields exceed the threshold yield then corn production is preferable, if not sorghum production is preferable. Threshold yield levels range from 70 bu / acre to almost 200 bu / acre depending on production and environmental conditions.

Back to Extension Education In Cropping Systems
Back to A04 Extension Education

Back to The ASA-CSSA-SSSA International Annual Meetings (November 6-10, 2005)