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South Dakota cattlemen cautioned about high nitrates

High nitrate levels have been found in South Dakota forages. South Dakota State University Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist Robin Salverson tells Brownfield Ag News livestock producers should get forages tested for nitrates before feeding. Most at risk, said Salverson, are pregnant cows.

“The first thing we typically think about is abortions,” said Salverson, “but in addition to that, if [nitrate intake is] too high we can actually see death.”

Cattle that have gotten too much nitrate typically show difficulty breathing, she said.

“So we see them in respiratory distress, and if we don’t catch it quick enough, they typically obviously will die,” said Salverson. “We also see muscle weakness, muscular incoordination, you know, staggering; and I guess if you would look, you could actually see a blue coloration in their mucus membranes.”

Salverson says plant samples for testing should be taken from several parts of a field, or from several bales in the case of hay that’s already harvested.

Forages which commonly accumulate nitrates include: oats, wheat, millet, Sudangrass, sorghum, corn, orchardgrass, tall fescue and weeds like kochia, pigweed, lambsquarters and ragweed.

Cover crops should also be tested, according to Salverson, including brassicas, such as turnips, radishes and rapeseed.

Testing can cost as much as $20 per sample, but it can easily be worth it if even one abortion is avoided, said Salverson.

If testing indicates nitrates are present, Salverson said most forages can be incorporated into a feeding program by blending with feedstuffs that are low in nitrates. If, however nitrates get above 2000 parts per million, she said it should not be fed to pregnant animals, regardless of whether it’s blended.

AUDIO: Robin Salverson (10 min. MP3)