Page 33 - Oct12020

The Midwest Cattleman · October 1, 2020 · P33
Dr
Drought increases risk of forage poisoningought increases risk of forage poisoning

Drought increases the up in the lower part of some soning is death of livestock. rumens adapt to more grain.”
chance of nitrate poisoning forages, which can happen de- High nitrate levels do not Research by MU Exten-
and prussic acid poisoning. spite good fertility and man- reduce in stored hay. Dilute by sion forage specialist Robert
High concentrations in plants agement decisions by produc- blending high-nitrate hay with Kallenbach shows safe levels
and water can harm or even ers, Scheidt says. other feedstuffs. “If dry-baled, to feed. Ration the forage if
kill animals. Drought, too much ma- concentration level of nitrate tests results are in the 2,500-
High nitrate, mostly concen- nure or commercial fertilizer, is preserved,” she says. “In si- 15,000-ppm range. Do not feed
trated in grass stems, causes and cold or cloudy weather lage, nitrate concentration can hay testing more than 15,000
quick death, says University lead to excess nitrates. Corn, dissipate 20%-50% over time.” ppm. Forage under 2,500 is
of Missouri Extension agron- sorghum, sudangrass, sor- Hay ferments slowly. MU safe to feed to all classes of
omist Jill Scheidt. Nitrate in ghum-sudangrass hybrids and Extension beef nutritionist livestock.
the blood blocks oxygen up- johnsongrass are forages to Eric Bailey suggests adding Poisoning symptoms in-
take. Without oxygen, cows die watch, she says. Livestock also starchy grain, which speeds clude heavy breathing, froth-
quickly. will eat some weeds, including up rumen fermentation more ing at the mouth, staggering,
Quick testing is vital to help- pigweed and lambsquarters, than other feeds. frequent urination, diarrhea
ing animals survive, Scheidt which may have toxic levels. “Nitrogen is needed by the and discoloration of the mu-
says. Most MU Extension cen- To avoid nitrate poison- rumen bugs, and nitrate pro- cous membranes. The animal
ters offer diphenylamine-sul- ing, do not cut hay less than vides it,” Bailey adds. “Bugs collapses, convulses and dies.
furic acid spot tests. She sug- 8 inches or force animals to break nitrate down to provide Less obvious symptoms may
gests calling your local center graze more than 8-10 inches nitrogen. When fermentation be poor breeding, abortions
before bringing in a sample. to the ground. Wait five days is slow, not much nitrate is di- and reduced calf gain. Testing
Bring the lower 8 inches of the after a “good” rain to graze, gested.” Unused nitrate, con- fluid from eyes of dead ani-
stem to test. Split, moist stems Scheidt says. verted to nitrite, spills into mals for nitrate confirms the
work best. Producers with If you suspect high nitrate the blood. Adding grain to hay diagnosis.
positive results benefit from a levels, immediately move cat- diets speeds nitrate usage. Pregnant animals, old ani-
quantitative forage analysis. tle to other pastures and call “Start with half a pound of mals or those in poor body con-
All plants take up nitrates, a veterinarian. Death from ni- grain per 100 pounds of body dition do not tolerate nitrates
but not all plants develop toxic trate poisoning usually occurs weight,” Bailey says. “In short well. It is difficult to determine
levels. Poisoning happens within four hours. Too often, order that goes to a pound of “safe” levels of nitrates, as ani-
when excess nitrogen builds she says, the first sign of poi- grain per hundredweight as continued on page 34

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