Cattle, Hay Producers May See More Problems Due to Drought
Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-467-6575,paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Larry Redmon, 979-845-4826,l-redmon@tamu.edu
Jerry Warren, 210-467-6575,jw-warren@tamu.edu
Ag News from Texas A&M
SAN ANTONIO – As if cattle and hay producers haven’t had enough to worry about lately, the drought may spur additional problems, said a Texas Cooperative Extension soil and crop expert.
“Besides reduced production, lack of moisture can also potentially lead to toxic levels of nitrates in warm-season grasses, as well as the possibility of prussic acid poisoning,” said Larry Redmon, Extension state forage specialist.
During dry weather, warm-season annual grasses – including forage sorghums, sorghum-sudan hybrids and various millets – can accumulate nitrates to a level toxic for cattle, he said. Forages belonging to the genus Sorghum also can produce prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide) in quantities toxic to cattle.
“Accumulation of nitrate usually occurs when there is excessive fertilization followed by a period of drought,” Redmon said. “But toxic levels have been seen in warm-season annual grasses with as little as 50 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer usage per acre.”
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