# Foxtail Millet.



## TJ Hendren (May 12, 2017)

I was looking through the seed catalog the other night and German Foxtail millet caught my eye. I'm considering planting 10-15 acres this year to see what happens. Anyone fed this to their own cattle? How did they like it? Preform well on it? I understand this is a one time cut, however I do like to play around with out of the norm stuff realizing sometimes you win sometimes you loose. I am going to plow this patch after the burn down does it's thing to get ready for fall ryegrass and just thought I would put a short rotation crop in,


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

I used to grow it some years. Would plant it after baling small grain in the spring and planting small grain back in early fall. So the one cut crop worked well. It usually yielded 5-6 4x5 bales/acre for me. Cattle loved the hay as long as you got it cut right after the seed heads emerge and before they get doughy or worse yet make seed. One year due to weather I was several weeks past prime getting it cut. The cattle ate it but not very well. When made right they licked it up. I had success with it both as dry hay and baleage. I found it was fairly easy to make as dry hay with a good 3-4 day window.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

It can be prone to lodge about the time you get ready to cut it. Seems like a thunderstorm often lodged mine here.

Regards, Mike


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Personally I cringe at the thought of planting foxtail as hard as I have worked to eradicate it. I know the German foxtail is an improved type but still yet it is foxtail just like the yellow, green, and giant foxtails that are weeds. Guessing it is like the wild types in that it is okay feed before it heads out and makes seeds. Stuff is nasty after it gets the bristly, itchy seed heads which make it unpalatable to stock and can cause mouth irritations from the awns.

If your wanting to try something new maybe look into browntop millet? I don't know much about it but am doing a little investigating on it currently.

Hayden


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Foxtail Millet is nothing like foxtail grass as far as being a nuisance. Browntop millet does not lodge nearly as bad as foxtail millet. I have fed both very successfully.

Regards, Mike


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## TJ Hendren (May 12, 2017)

Thanks, All good things to know and think about.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Vol said:


> Foxtail Millet is nothing like foxtail grass as far as being a nuisance. Browntop millet does not lodge nearly as bad as foxtail millet. I have fed both very successfully.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 Good to know. I just assumed it would be very similar to the wild foxtails since they share the same Latin name and the picture of the seedhead I saw of the German foxtail millet looked strikingly similar to giant foxtail. So if the foxtail millet heads out before making the hay do the awns on the seed heads not cause mouth irritations like the wild foxtails?

Hayden


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Foxtail millet is a cattle feed. Some seed millets act as a laxative on horses if that is all the forage a horse can get.

Regards, Mike


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Vol said:


> Foxtail millet is a cattle feed. Some seed millets act as a laxative on horses if that is all the forage a horse can get.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 Was just reading about that last night.....wasn't aware of that before. Apparently that issue is white both the foxtail and proso millets. Not sure about browntop? Found this article and it gives a good rundown of some of the forage millets and other summer annuals. https://agdev.anr.udel.edu/weeklycropupdate/?p=3183

Hayden


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## TJ Hendren (May 12, 2017)

Vol said:


> Foxtail millet is a cattle feed. Some seed millets act as a laxative on horses if that is all the forage a horse can get.
> 
> Regards, Mike


This answers the statement "Not recommended for horses". Vol did you wait till soft dough stage to cut?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

TJ, I usually cut just at the start of heading to keep it from lodging as bad. Seems like a thunderstorm would get me every time if I waited a little too long.

Regards, Mike


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