In this episode, Adele Harty, former SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist, talks with various cow/calf producers about the subject of nitrate testing feeds, and how that process is used in their day to day operations.
Drought creates several challenges for ranchers, from reduced forage availability to declining pasture quality. It can also create concerns about forage toxicity issues resulting from excess nitrate and prussic acid accumulation.
Anytime wet weather causes harvest delays, the risk of grain sprouting pre-harvest increases. In most cases, we can feed sprouted grain to cattle or sheep with nearly the same results that we would expect with normal grain.
As corn harvest wraps up, remember that the value of the crop doesn’t have to end when the grain leaves the field. With intentional grazing management, the post-harvest residue can become part of another production cycle that connects crops, cattle, economics, and soil.