On a global scale, according to the USDA (2024), the United States leads the ranking in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production with 8,071 million tons, followed by Nigeria and Sudan.
Originating from Africa, sorghum is recognized for its nutritional properties, standing out for its remarkable adaptability to adverse climatic and soil conditions, greater tolerance to water stress, high energy value, and versatility as an ingredient in the feeding of production animals (Nunes, 2005; Carvalho, 2010).
However, its inclusion requires careful analysis of variations in its composition, especially in relation to the high levels of tannins and antinutritional factors, which can negatively impact digestibility and animal performance (Selle et al., 2018).
In nutritional terms, it is recommended to use 30% sorghum in diets for broiler chickens during the initial phase and laying hens, and 35% sorghum in diets for pigs during the finishing phase.
Morphological Characteristics and Composition of Sorghum Grain
There are various varieties of sorghum, such as forage sorghum, sweet sorghum, broomcorn, biomass sorghum, and grain sorghum, which are used to feed monogastric animals.
Grain sorghum is a type of low-growing sorghum that produces a panicle at the upper end, where the grains are located. Grain sorghum cultivars differ in terms of grain yield, disease tolerance, vegetative cycle, and other agronomic characteristics (Melo et al., 2023)
Sorghum grains come in a wide range of colors, with the most common being white, bronze, and gray. While the grains are generally spherical, their size and shape can vary (Nunes, 2000).
The grain consists of three main parts: the pericarp, the endosperm, and the germ (Figure 1). The relative proportion of these components in the grain varies, but in most cases, it is 6%, 84%, and 10%, respectively (Pereira Filho and Rodrigues, 2015).
Figure 1: Structure of the sorghum grain.
Source: Adapted from Nunes (2000).
The pericarp is composed of three layers: the epicarp, mesocarp, and endocarp, with the tegument located just beneath, where the tannins are found. The germ consists of two tissues, the caulicle and the scutellum, which contain lipids, proteins, enzymes, and minerals. Approximately 88% of the starch granules and 80% of the proteins are located in the endosperm, which is floury and vitreous (Scramin, 2013; Pereira Filho and Rodrigues, 2015). Additionally, starch granules are also deposited in the mesocarp, exp...
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