Both millet and sorghum tend to be more reliable than other annual summer crops like brassicas or chicory when soil water is limited.

The following advantages and disadvantages are outlined:

Advantages

• More likely to attain a minimum amount of feed than most other broad-leaf summer crop options (due to higher tolerance to water stress and low risk of insect attack).
• Higher nitrogen (N) use efficiency (kg DM/kg N) than most broad-leaf summer forage crops.
• Selective sprays can be used as many times as necessary to secure control of problematic broad-leaf weeds.

Disadvantages

• Poor control of grass weeds.
• Poor nutritive value of summer diet for lactating cows.
• Can have moderate ME but rapidly lose quality once past the ideal Grazing Crops height (brassicas or herbs like chicory or plantain are better).
• Often can’t be sown until late spring-early summer (due to higher minimum soil temperatures required for germination) so miss out on growth potential under good growing conditions.
• Stock risk prussic acid poisoning if grazed at certain stages of growth (especially sorghum).
• Cool summer conditions in southern Victoria can restrict crop growth.