Aflatoxins are harmful to cattle and can cause feed efficiency and reproduction problems, as well as suppression of the immune system.Aspergillus produces aflatoxin, which is known to grow and multiply well in the hot, dry weather associated with drought conditions.Include the nitrate intake from water as part of the dietary intake.Īdapted from “Drought-Related Issues in Dairy Cattle Nutrition,” V.A. Nitrate Levels in Forages for Dairy Cattleĭilute to 0.40% NO 3 or 900 ppm NO 3-N in the total ration dry matter.įeed in a balanced ration with a concentrate included.ĪIf one forage contains more than 0.44% NO 3 or 1,000 ppm NO 3-N, test all forages, water and, possibly, concentrates. Evaluate the test results and utilize these forages based on the analysis you receive (see the guidelines in Table 3 below).Īdapted from “Using Drought-Stressed Corn for Forage,” D.R. Forages suspected of being high in nitrates should be tested.Practicing high chopping to leave more of the high-nitrate portion of the plant in the field will lower the overall nitrate levels but will also reduce the overall yield. Nitrates accumulate heavily in the lower third of the plant (see Table 2 below).Ensiling high-nitrate forages prior to feeding can reduce the nitrate levels by converting more than half of the nitrates to ammonia, which can be utilized by the rumen.As such, waiting to harvest 10 to 14 days after a significant rainfall will greatly reduce the chance of high nitrate levels in silages. Drought-stressed forages that have recently been exposed to rain are more likely to have high nitrate levels.The following considerations could minimize the risk of nitrate toxicity in your livestock: Fields that were heavily fertilized with nitrogen or experienced a heavy application of manure prior to planting are most likely to produce forages with high levels of nitrates in drought situations.
Nitrates are converted to nitrites in the rumen, and these nitrites bind with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, which cannot carry oxygen, thereby depriving the body of oxygen. Nitrates: Any forage harvested under drought conditions has the potential to contain elevated or toxic levels of nitrates. Some risks to be aware of in drought-stressed corn silages include: Drought Monitor Report in Table 1 below), and the severity of that stress can increase dramatically during hot, dry weather in a short period of time. The definition of drought is “experiencing a prolonged period of time without rainfall.” Crops can be drought-stressed to varying degrees (as is illustrated in the U.S. In this article, we will look at what challenges to expect with drought-stressed corn silage and what to watch out for. As of late July, crops being grown for livestock feed have been experiencing moderate to severe drought stress in several geographical areas. The 2021 growing season has been quite variable in many parts of the country.
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