Exploring the Influence of Environmental and Crop Management Factors on Sorghum Nutrient Composition and Amino Acid Digestibility in Broilers

Santiago Sasia, William Bridges, Richard E. Boyles and Mireille Arguelles-Ramos ()
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Santiago Sasia: Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
William Bridges: Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Richard E. Boyles: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Mireille Arguelles-Ramos: Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: This exploratory study expected crop management and climatic factors to significantly influence the nutrient composition and amino acid digestibility of tannin-free sorghum grain determined in broilers of 3 wks of age. Using data from six tannin-free sorghum samples harvested across the southeast USA, Pearson correlations were analyzed (r ≥ |0.8|; p < 0.05). Standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAD) was determined in a previous study using eight replicate cages with 13 birds per sorghum sample. SIAD values were correlated with nitrogen fertilization, yield, seeding rate, and climatic data obtained by surveying the crop growers and from weather stations. Nitrogen fertilization positively correlated with dry matter and starch. Yield was positively associated with SIAD, while seeding rate was negatively correlated with dry matter and Lys. Fiber, particular neutral detergent fiber, showed an inverse relationship with SIAD. No significant correlations with climatic factors were found, which was likely due to the close proximity of growing locations (r ≤ |0.8|; p > 0.05). Despite the limitations of a small sample size (n = 6) and genetic variability within and between each sorghum sample, these findings provide preliminary insights into managing sorghum cultivation to enhance its nutritional value for poultry. Future research should explore larger datasets, from further locations apart, and standardized data collection measurements to be able develop predictive models for grain quality improvement.

Keywords: nutrition; sorghum; broilers; digestibility; environment; crop management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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