What Is Sorghum Used For?

Livestock Feed

• In the United States, 90 percent of sorghum is used for feeding livestock. This annual grass is tolerant to drought, toxic soils, and temperature and altitude extremes, making it useful for farmers in regions with less than ideal farmland and climates. Livestock can eat the seeds, stalk, and leaves of sorghum plants, either harvested or in the field as forage. Its feed value is similar to corn.

Cereal and Flour

• Sorghum has been used for human food for thousands of years in Africa and parts of Asia. This bland, slightly sweet grain is traditionally served as porridge or made into flatbread. Sorghum flour is a popular substitute for wheat flour for those who are unable to tolerate gluten. It can be used for baked goods, snack foods and noodles.

Syrup

• A variety of sorghum known as sweet sorghum is grown in the southeastern and gulf states for the manufacture of syrup. The stalks of the plant are harvested, and the juice is extracted and concentrated to make a sweet syrup. Sorghum syrup is similar to molasses and can be substituted for sugar, honey or corn syrup in cooking or poured over pancakes, biscuits or waffles.

Alcoholic Beverages

• In Africa, sorghum is used to make a traditional beer known as opaque beer. This fermented sour beer is brewed in homes and commercially. In the U.S., Anheuser-Busch produces a type of sorghum beer, called Redbridge, which is marketed to those who suffer from wheat allergy. In China, the popular Mao-tai and Fen liquors are made from sorghum.

Industry

• Sorghum is increasingly used for the production of ethanol, second only to corn. Much of the sorghum that is made into ethanol is grown in Kansas. Sorghum is used to make packaging materials and wallboard. The starch from sorghum is used in the manufacturing of paper and adhesives.