Central Texas | proud2Bafarmer - 7/22/2012 13:03
We chopped a field of corn that normally would have had the crop residue wintered anyway. It was chopped 10-12" high out of concern for nitrates. This is an area that I need to have cattle on for the extra room when I bring them in, which looks like might be sooner than later. As long as they are getting hay and silage, do I need to worry about them eating these stalks and getting nitrate poisoning? I have considered discing down the stalks, but don't want to if it isn't necessary. I'm guessing rotary mowing wouldn't gain much, as they could still just eat it off the ground if they were going to anyway. Thoughts? Thanks.
Luke
If I understand you correctly, you will just be using the area in question as a feeding/holding area. If this is the case, as long as they are getting plenty of other feed it shouldn't be a problem even if they do munch on a few of the stumps as any nitrates will be diluted by the feed. It's not like prussic acid where even the smallest amount can kill them. With nitrates it's only toxic above a certain level in the total diet. As long as they're not too hungry when you turn them in and plenty of low nitrate feed is kept out, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Even if they are hungry it is doubtful they would eat enough of the stumps to be a problem.
Just another 2 cents worth. |
Will cattle eat high chopped stalks if they have alternate feed sources?
