Pearl millet as "ruminant rocket fuel"?

On the topic of pearl millet for animal forage here is a video conversation from last year on hybrid pearl millet for forage that gets deep into s pecifics. * "Hybrid Pearl Millet... What are you missing? Chris Leach and Jeff Jackson," 29 Mar 2024 (short version, 23:42) https://youtu.be/x8H-WTDrTQI * "Pearl Millet Full Version...making #COWCHOW" (long version, 1:21:42) https://youtu.be/tZeghVwD0Bw The phrase "ruminant rocket fuel" came up in the discussion, reflecting the nutritional profile of pearl millet as livestock forage. The parameters mentioned are high crude protein and NDSB levels (the latter apparently has to do with digestibility), in addition to the crop being able to succeed in diverse climates (when soil and air temperatures are high enough). One of the two participants in this video, Chris Leach (whose bio or affiliation I've not been able to find) suggests, beginning at the 02:44 mark in the shorter video (9:50, long version), that decline of levels in the Oglala aquifer may lead to more use of pearl millet in dairy operations in the western US. He further suggests a pearl millet system could be a "game changer" in the next 5 years. The other participant and evidently the host, Jay Jackson (affiliated with Croplan, a seed company owned by Land-O-Lakes, Inc.), has a high profile on YouTube, including this earlier short video on pearl millet for forage. Some readers may prefer to start with this short description before getting into either of the longer versions. "Ruminant rocket fuel: Pearl Millets might be the next answer?" 27 March 2020 (04:52) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRojP1mgWGQ Is pearl millet poised to become more important as a forage crop in North America? Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance

Wow, fantastic insight Don On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 8:36 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
On the topic of pearl millet for animal forage here is a video conversation from last year on hybrid pearl millet for forage that gets deep into specifics. * "Hybrid Pearl Millet... What are you missing? Chris Leach and Jeff Jackson," 29 Mar 2024 (short version, 23:42) https://youtu.be/x8H-WTDrTQI * "Pearl Millet Full Version...making #COWCHOW" (long version, 1:21:42) https://youtu.be/tZeghVwD0Bw The phrase "ruminant rocket fuel" came up in the discussion, reflecting the nutritional profile of pearl millet as livestock forage. The parameters mentioned are high crude protein and NDSB levels (the latter apparently has to do with digestibility), in addition to the crop being able to succeed in diverse climates (when soil and air temperatures are high enough).
One of the two participants in this video, Chris Leach (whose bio or affiliation I've not been able to find) suggests, beginning at the 02:44 mark in the shorter video (9:50, long version), that decline of levels in the Oglala aquifer may lead to more use of pearl millet in dairy operations in the western US. He further suggests a pearl millet system could be a "game changer" in the next 5 years.
The other participant and evidently the host, Jay Jackson (affiliated with Croplan, a seed company owned by Land-O-Lakes, Inc.), has a high profile on YouTube, including this earlier short video on pearl millet for forage. Some readers may prefer to start with this short description before getting into either of the longer versions. "Ruminant rocket fuel: Pearl Millets might be the next answer?" 27 March 2020 (04:52) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRojP1mgWGQ
Is pearl millet poised to become more important as a forage crop in North America?
Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance
-- Collab mailing list Collab@lists.millets2023.space https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab

Thanks, Joni. What strikes me about what we see with regard to pearl millet in North America, as related in our 4/17 Millets Webinar, the recent research on pearl millet in breads, and this piece about this crop as forage, is that we might be looking at some significant increase inattention to this crop overall. Lots happening with millets generally, but thinking about this one today. Don DO, EL, MI, US NAMA On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM Joni Kindwall-Moore < joni@snacktivistfoods.com> wrote:
Wow, fantastic insight Don
On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 8:36 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
On the topic of pearl millet for animal forage here is a video conversation from last year on hybrid pearl millet for forage that gets deep into specifics. * "Hybrid Pearl Millet... What are you missing? Chris Leach and Jeff Jackson," 29 Mar 2024 (short version, 23:42) https://youtu.be/x8H-WTDrTQI * "Pearl Millet Full Version...making #COWCHOW" (long version, 1:21:42) https://youtu.be/tZeghVwD0Bw The phrase "ruminant rocket fuel" came up in the discussion, reflecting the nutritional profile of pearl millet as livestock forage. The parameters mentioned are high crude protein and NDSB levels (the latter apparently has to do with digestibility), in addition to the crop being able to succeed in diverse climates (when soil and air temperatures are high enough).
One of the two participants in this video, Chris Leach (whose bio or affiliation I've not been able to find) suggests, beginning at the 02:44 mark in the shorter video (9:50, long version), that decline of levels in the Oglala aquifer may lead to more use of pearl millet in dairy operations in the western US. He further suggests a pearl millet system could be a "game changer" in the next 5 years.
The other participant and evidently the host, Jay Jackson (affiliated with Croplan, a seed company owned by Land-O-Lakes, Inc.), has a high profile on YouTube, including this earlier short video on pearl millet for forage. Some readers may prefer to start with this short description before getting into either of the longer versions. "Ruminant rocket fuel: Pearl Millets might be the next answer?" 27 March 2020 (04:52) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRojP1mgWGQ
Is pearl millet poised to become more important as a forage crop in North America?
Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance
-- Collab mailing list Collab@lists.millets2023.space https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab

Hundred percent agree!! On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 11:45 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
Thanks, Joni. What strikes me about what we see with regard to pearl millet in North America, as related in our 4/17 Millets Webinar, the recent research on pearl millet in breads, and this piece about this crop as forage, is that we might be looking at some significant increase inattention to this crop overall.
Lots happening with millets generally, but thinking about this one today.
Don
DO, EL, MI, US NAMA
On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM Joni Kindwall-Moore < joni@snacktivistfoods.com> wrote:
Wow, fantastic insight Don
On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 8:36 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
On the topic of pearl millet for animal forage here is a video conversation from last year on hybrid pearl millet for forage that gets deep into specifics. * "Hybrid Pearl Millet... What are you missing? Chris Leach and Jeff Jackson," 29 Mar 2024 (short version, 23:42) https://youtu.be/x8H-WTDrTQI * "Pearl Millet Full Version...making #COWCHOW" (long version, 1:21:42) https://youtu.be/tZeghVwD0Bw The phrase "ruminant rocket fuel" came up in the discussion, reflecting the nutritional profile of pearl millet as livestock forage. The parameters mentioned are high crude protein and NDSB levels (the latter apparently has to do with digestibility), in addition to the crop being able to succeed in diverse climates (when soil and air temperatures are high enough).
One of the two participants in this video, Chris Leach (whose bio or affiliation I've not been able to find) suggests, beginning at the 02:44 mark in the shorter video (9:50, long version), that decline of levels in the Oglala aquifer may lead to more use of pearl millet in dairy operations in the western US. He further suggests a pearl millet system could be a "game changer" in the next 5 years.
The other participant and evidently the host, Jay Jackson (affiliated with Croplan, a seed company owned by Land-O-Lakes, Inc.), has a high profile on YouTube, including this earlier short video on pearl millet for forage. Some readers may prefer to start with this short description before getting into either of the longer versions. "Ruminant rocket fuel: Pearl Millets might be the next answer?" 27 March 2020 (04:52) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRojP1mgWGQ
Is pearl millet poised to become more important as a forage crop in North America?
Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance
-- Collab mailing list Collab@lists.millets2023.space https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab

Thank you all. It is really changing the food and feed habit in Human and animal,respectively. Regards *Om P.Dangi, Ph.D., P.Ag.President & CEOAgriculture Environmental Renewal Canada (AERC) Inc.821 Corkstown Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, K2K 2Y1Tel: 613 596 5927; Cell: 613-229-1886Website: www.aerc.ca <http://www.aerc.ca>* On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 2:46 PM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
Thanks, Joni. What strikes me about what we see with regard to pearl millet in North America, as related in our 4/17 Millets Webinar, the recent research on pearl millet in breads, and this piece about this crop as forage, is that we might be looking at some significant increase inattention to this crop overall.
Lots happening with millets generally, but thinking about this one today.
Don
DO, EL, MI, US NAMA
On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 12:32 PM Joni Kindwall-Moore < joni@snacktivistfoods.com> wrote:
Wow, fantastic insight Don
On Thu, Apr 24, 2025 at 8:36 AM Don Osborn <don@milletsalliance.org> wrote:
On the topic of pearl millet for animal forage here is a video conversation from last year on hybrid pearl millet for forage that gets deep into specifics. * "Hybrid Pearl Millet... What are you missing? Chris Leach and Jeff Jackson," 29 Mar 2024 (short version, 23:42) https://youtu.be/x8H-WTDrTQI * "Pearl Millet Full Version...making #COWCHOW" (long version, 1:21:42) https://youtu.be/tZeghVwD0Bw The phrase "ruminant rocket fuel" came up in the discussion, reflecting the nutritional profile of pearl millet as livestock forage. The parameters mentioned are high crude protein and NDSB levels (the latter apparently has to do with digestibility), in addition to the crop being able to succeed in diverse climates (when soil and air temperatures are high enough).
One of the two participants in this video, Chris Leach (whose bio or affiliation I've not been able to find) suggests, beginning at the 02:44 mark in the shorter video (9:50, long version), that decline of levels in the Oglala aquifer may lead to more use of pearl millet in dairy operations in the western US. He further suggests a pearl millet system could be a "game changer" in the next 5 years.
The other participant and evidently the host, Jay Jackson (affiliated with Croplan, a seed company owned by Land-O-Lakes, Inc.), has a high profile on YouTube, including this earlier short video on pearl millet for forage. Some readers may prefer to start with this short description before getting into either of the longer versions. "Ruminant rocket fuel: Pearl Millets might be the next answer?" 27 March 2020 (04:52) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRojP1mgWGQ
Is pearl millet poised to become more important as a forage crop in North America?
Don Osborn, PhD (East Lansing, MI, US - +1 202-621-3911) North American Millets Alliance
-- Collab mailing list Collab@lists.millets2023.space https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab
-- Collab mailing list Collab@lists.millets2023.space https://lists.millets2023.space/mailman/listinfo/collab
participants (3)
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Don Osborn
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Joni Kindwall-Moore
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Om Dangi