Grazing oats and millet into a freeze? Nitrates ?

[Richnm]

Currently I have cows grazing pearl millet , and plan on planting spring oats this week for fall/winter grazing. My question is. Will nitrates accumulate in fall planted spring oats or pearl millet when it freezes ? Has anyone done this ? Thanks

 

[Otha]

I always heard that nitrates are only a problem on heavily fertilized crops that haven't grow much sense the fertilizer application. Like corn or millet in a drought for example. I've never planted millet but I've had and seen oats grazed at all stages of growth.

 

[Richnm]

I always heard that nitrates are only a problem on heavily fertilized crops that haven't grow much sense the fertilizer application. Like corn or millet in a drought for example. I've never planted millet but I've had and seen oats grazed at all stages of growth.

I was told that when oats or Millet die die to a freeze nitrates are released ? I was planning on grazing fall thru winter. Guess we will find out ?

 

[Otha]

That's news to me. What you're describing sounds like what happens when Sudan frost and releases prussic acid. Sudan can have nitrates build up but I don't think it's from frost. Maybe someone else will chime in and give some clarification.

 

[1982vett]

Won't say it can't happen cause I just don't know...we started planting oats 40 years ago. Never had an issue. By the time we get the hard freeze it's grazed short.

 

[Warren Allison]

We do get a few days with temperatures below freezing here. Sometimes 2 days in a row. This year I only had to bust ice in the horses' water trough twice. And had I waited til afternoon I wouldn't even have had to do that. I don't recall a freeze ever killing wheat, oats etc. But the OP lives in New Mexico, and may have a lot more days below freezing out there.

 

[Otha]

We do have some oats get froze out some years. Not every year though. I've seen where the certain temp line stopped going up a hill out of a river bottom one time. Dead below the line and green above it.

 

[Richnm]

That's news to me. What you're describing sounds like what happens when Sudan frost and releases prussic acid. Sudan can have nitrates build up but I don't think it's from frost. Maybe someone else will chime in and give some clarification.

Yes that is how my local forage extension specialist described it till me. Instead of Sudan and Prussic acid. Fall planted oats, Millets and nitrates instead of prussic acid. I don't think he is correct. But I thought I would ask.

 

[rocfarm]

Don't know, but have never observed a problem in central Texas. Never read about oats being toxic at any stage, and have read a bit. Guy we leased our place to for years never had an issue, but he grazed in spring.

 

[SmokinM]

Currently I have cows grazing pearl millet , and plan on planting spring oats this week for fall/winter grazing. My question is. Will nitrates accumulate in fall planted spring oats or pearl millet when it freezes ? Has anyone done this ? Thanks

Millet would be susceptible to prussic acid poisoning from freezing I would think. Nitrate poisoning occurs when a heavily fertilized crop gets stressed or growth is impeded. So I suppose in theory if the cold stopped the growth and crop was heavily fertilized it could be a problem. It isn't anything I have ever heard of or encountered though.

 

[callmefence]

Nitrates are not released they are accumulated. Purssic acid is formed in new growth. Either can occur in any plant. Some plants are more prone to one or both.
The biggest documented loss I'm aware of was on a field of Bermuda grass. So there's that.
Millet is a known to accumulate nitrates. But not purssic acid. A killing frost wouldn't be a problem it would be reqrowth after a light frost and heavy fertilizer use that would be a concern.
Almost always losses occur in both right after turn stock in . Very rarely does either happen to stock that's already on the grass. Fill em up with hay before turning on any crop . If you have had questionable conditions turn in one or two old cows as a canary in the mine.
You probably have more to worry about from lightning strike.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Maybe.
Yes.
what is your grazing goal?