Fall has arrived in Greenwood County, and with it a welcomed rain after a prolonged stretch of drought conditions. As the weather turns cooler, area producers begin considering nutrient supplementation options for their cowherds.
The extension office has resources to help you make these decisions. You can check out a hay probe at the office free of charge if you need to test the nutrient value of your hay. Are you grazing standing forage that poses a risk of high nitrates or prussic acid? I can help you take a sample of these forages and send them to a certified lab for testing.
I have fielded several questions in the last couple weeks regarding prussic acid and nitrate risks in certain forages like Johnson grass, and sorghum sudan. If you are concerned about something posing a nitrate or Prussic Acid risk, contact me, we can develop a gameplan specific for your operation,
• Test first, don’t gamble. Keep in mind that different labs use different tests that have different scales for nitrates.
• Feed animals with a known safe feedstuff(s) before introduction to potentially problematic feeds. Don’t turn in hungry livestock on potentially unsafe forages.
• If testing before grazing, samples should reflect what the animals are expected to consume, generally leaves and upper portion of the plant. Sample a minimum of 15 sites across a given area.
I am also fortunate to have a ration building software, BRANDS, that I enjoy using to help our livestock producers build rations for their livestock. Whether you are a rookie or a seasoned veteran at building rations, I am happy to help you as a reference check.
I am looking forward to working with you as we turn the page to another fall and winter season with our livestock. My office number is 620-583-7455, and my Email is [email protected]
