Page 41 - Sep302021

Test for nitrate toxicity in forage plants The Midwest Cattleman · September 30, 2021 · P41

By Donald Stotts

Livestock producers need to ment tool. Producers should johnsongrass. None have test- sudan types and some john-
continue to test their pastures never be guessing about po- ed positive to date, said Haley songrass,” McDaniel said.
for nitrate toxicity levels, even tential toxicity levels in what Shawhan, county agricultur- “Producers who did their first
though they may have done they feed their livestock.” al educator. OSU Extension cutting of hay were fine, given
so weeks ago and the results Sorghum, sudangrass, hay- Agricultural Educators Dana all the rain we’ve had this
showed no reason for concern, grazers such as sorghum-su- Bay of Ellis County and Troy summer. However, the risk
said Oklahoma State Univer- dangrass hybrids, johnson- Gosney of Major County re- will certainly increase given
sity Extension experts. grass, pearl millet and fescue port the same, but both said more recent weather condi-
“Oklahoma has experienced are some of the forages that an abundance of caution is tions for producers looking to
a relatively mild summer but have a high potential for accu- warranted. get in a second cutting of their
now we’re seeing hotter, drier mulating nitrates. Producers “Nitrate uptake is accelerat- forage pastures.”
conditions that can lead to ni- also need to be mindful of ni- ed in susceptible forage plants Clinical signs of nitrate tox-
trate issues in forage plants trate-accumulating weeds. that have suffered drought icity in livestock are usually
for areas that receive a sudden OSU Extension county offic- stress,” Bay said. “It takes a seen within a few hours of in-
rainfall event,” said Alex Ro- es can perform on-site nitrate week to 10 days after a good gestion. The higher the dose,
cateli, OSU Extension forage tests of forage samples for a rain for plant metabolism to the faster an affected animal
systems specialist. “Frequent small fee. Samples also can be return to normal and accumu- may exhibit signs. These may
testing is a good risk manage- sent to the university’s Soil, lations begin to decrease.” include:
Water and For- Typically, greater amounts •Abdominal pain
age Analytical of rainfall reduce the chance •Scours
Laboratory for of nitrate toxicity issue west of •Weakness
a more detailed Interstate 35, though border •Muscle tremors
report. areas are still in the danger •Drooling of saliva
Forage sam- zone. The relatively mild sum- •Blue discoloration of the
ples submitted mer to date has resulted in a mouth
to the Harmon third as many samples being •Mouth breathing
County Exten- submitted compared to previ- •The animal collapsing
sion Office as ous years, said Justin McDan- •Coma
of Aug. 25 have iel, McLain County Extension •Death
been mostly agricultural educator. OSU Agriculture
sorghum, hay- “The samples that have
grazers and come in have been mostly

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