Annual Forages Prussic Acid Poisoning Nitrate Poisoning

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Annual ForagesPrussic Acid PoisoningNitrate
Poisoning

• Lanette Butler
• McPherson County Extension Educator Livestock

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Annual Forages

• Warm Season
• Sudangrass
• Sorghum
• Sorghum-Sudangrass
• Millet

• Cool Season
• Wheat
• Oats
• Barley
• Triticale

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Small Grain

• Planting Date
• Harvest Method
• Grazing
• Rotational grazing
• Haying
• Silage

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Small Grain

• Cool Season - Earliest crop
• Oats lacks awns
• Winter wheat and triticale - grazing
• Seed availability may be limited

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Small Grain Winter Wheat

• Limited affect on grain yield if properly managed
  short grazing period
• Remove livestock before jointing
• Remove livestock if muddy
• Do not over graze
• Bloat and grass tetany can be problems

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1996 Cool Season Forage Trial
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Small Grain Quality vs Stage of Maturity
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Harvest time

• Maximum yield
• Harvest after heading
• Maximum quality
• Harvest in vegetative state
• Maximize yield and quality
• Harvest in late boot

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Sundangrass

• Fine stems
• Rapid Regrowth
• Type of Harvest
• Hay
• Grazing
• 18 to 20 inches
• Silage
• Concerns
• Prussic Acid

• Planting Information
• Plant when soils are 60o F
• Late May - June
• Planting depth ½ - 1 inch
• Seeding Rate 20-25 Lb/A drilled

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Forage Sorghum

• Tall and late maturing
• Sweet and juicy stems
• Relatively small grain heads
• Type of Harvest
• Hay
• Silage
• Concerns

• Planting Information
• Plant when soils are 60o F
• Late May - June
• Planting depth 1 - 1½ inches
• Seeding Rate 5 8 Lb/A in rows

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Sorghum - Sundangrass

• A hybrid
• Yield is attributed to the stems
• Good regrowth after clipping or grazing
• 24 to 30 inches
• Concerns
• Prussic Acid

• Planting Information
• Plant when soils are
• 60o F
• Late May - June
• Planting depth 1 - 1½ inches
• Seeding Rate 20 Lb/A drilled, 7 10 Lb/A in row

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Millet

• Several types available
• Pearl
• Tolerates grazing
• Foxtail (German)
• Proso
• Typically grown for grain
• Concerns
• Seed Availability

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Millet Planting Information

• Pearl Millet
• Plant when soils are 60o F
• Late May - June
• Planting depth ½ - 1 inch
• Seeding Rate 15 Lb drilled, 5 Lb in rows

• Foxtail Millet
• Plant when soils are 60o F
• Late May-June, as late as July 15th
• Planting depth ½ - 1 inch
• Seeding Rate 15 20 Lb/A

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Production Yields
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Prussic Acid Poisoning

• Concern with Sudans and Sorghums
• Cyanogenic Glycosides produced during growth
  stage not poisonous
• Breakdown creates Hydrocyanic Acid
• Under normal conditions
• Animals remove glycosides before harmful.
• Plant Location
• Leaf Blades vs. stalks
• New leaves vs old leaves

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Prussic Acid Animal Symptoms

• Increased Respiration
• Increased Heart Rate
• Gasping for Air
• Muscle Twitches or Nervousness
• Sudden Death
• 15 to 20 minutes after consuming the forage

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Prussic Acid Stress Conditions

• Climate
• Fertility
• Stage of growth
• Slowed growth
• Rapid growth after slowed growth
• Wilting and frost

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Prussic Acid - Soils

• Higher Risk
• High Nitrogen
• Deficient Phosphorus
• Deficient Potash
• Lower Risk
• Adequate Phosphorus
• Spilt nitrogen fertilization

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Prussic Acid Management

• Test the Forage
• Green Chop
• Wilted Silage
• Hay
• Grazing
• Use with existing pastures
• Grazing heights

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Nitrate Poisoning

• Nitrates not being converted to protein.
• All plants contain nitrates.
• Large amount of nitrates in soil
• Fertilization
• Interference with normal plant growth
• Drought

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Nitrates Which Plants Where?

• Which Plants
• Corn
• Sudangrass
• Sorghum
• Millet
• Oats
• Weeds

• Where
• Nitrates accumulate in the stalk.
• Increased nitrates after rain.
• Do not graze or hay for 3 to 4 days.

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Nitrates Animal Component

• Nitrate to nitrite to ammonia
• Normal situation not a problem
• High levels
• Nitrites accumulate and absorbed into blood
  forming methemoglobin
• Treatment
• 2 methylene blue

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Nitrates - Symptoms

• Respiratory Distress
• Rapid weak heart beat
• Below normal body temperature
• Muscle weakness
• Brownish discoloration of blood
• Death

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Nitrates - Management

• Test the feed.
• Ensile Forages.
• Dilute
• Mix must be adequate
• Frequent intake
• Gradual adaptation

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Other Nitrate Sources

• Water
• Consider the source
• Dugout
• Sloughs
• Ponds
• Lakes
• Wells

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Summary

• Annual Forages can provide alternative feed.
• Not limited to just small grain.
• Yields will vary on moisture and stage of
  maturity.
• Prussic Acid and Nitrate Poisoning are 2
  livestock concerns with alternative forages.

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Questions??