Nitrate Poisoning Possibility ??????

[Nowland Farms]

Nitrate Poisoning

Guys need your help here on helping me determine if I may have a nitrate problems one of my hay fields / pasture. Here are the facts:

-Hay field / Pasture is approximately 6 acres of Costal Bermuda / Bahia grass.
-May 11, 2006, last heavy spring rain.
-May 24, 2006, moved cows off field
-May 25, 2006, fertilized field with 3600 lbs of 19/19/19 giving 114 lbs of Nitrogen per acre under threats of 60% chance of rain.
-Expected heavy rains to continue for a few weeks, as normal, but they stopped.
-June 24, 2006 rec'd 1½" of rain.
-June 25, 2006 rec'd ½" of rain.
-July 15, 2006 rec'd 2" of rain.
-July 19, 2006 rec'd ½" of rain

Since it is dry here I would like to put the cows back on the field since I will not get another cutting, but I am afraid of the nitrate poisoning possibility.

Based on the above facts, am I at risk of harming my cows?
How does one go about testing the grass for excess nitrates?

Thanks to all who will respond.

 

[dj]

A list of forage testers is here
http://www.foragetesting.org/index.php? ... ified_labs

Call one and check but I think you clip enought to fill a sandwich bag and send it in.
You might also want to read this
http://www.aces.edu/drought/NewsRel/Drh ... tTxPrb.htm

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

When in real doubt, test -- there are bound to be a number of ag services, university or jr. college labs, etc. relatively close by that can test it for you for around $10. But FWIW, with that type of forage and all that rain I'd be very surprised if you had a problem. Folks in most parts of Texas can only dream or fantasize about having over 4 inches of rain in the last month on their bermuda and/or bahia.

 

[TheBullLady]

I wouldn't think it would be a problem. Generally you have trouble when in a drought, then a heavy period of rain, and then you turn cows out. It's that fast "growth spurt" that is bad.

 

[Herefordcross]

have it tested.

 

[MikeC]

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/agrn//soiltest.htm

There is no substitute for peace of mind. :lol:

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Any of yall ever see an animal with nitrate poisoning? I've watched some very peculiar behaviour from a few animals lately. Fertilized muck fields with stargrass and hermarthria. Cattle are rotated daily from one small cell to the next. Lately I've seen once a cow and today a calf who staggered and slobbered and falling down like they were stone cold drunk. In the case of the cow she was fine the next day. Thought there might be some noxious weeds but haven't found any. Did find some nightshade but was told that would only make them light sensitive such as lantana. Been in foot rot doctoring mode lately with all the rain on the muck. Roped the calf and gave him a dose of LA200 out of ignorance. Any ideas?

 

[Beefy]

Any of yall ever see an animal with nitrate poisoning? I've watched some very peculiar behaviour from a few animals lately. Fertilized muck fields with stargrass and hermarthria. Cattle are rotated daily from one small cell to the next. Lately I've seen once a cow and today a calf who staggered and slobbered and falling down like they were stone cold drunk. In the case of the cow she was fine the next day. Thought there might be some noxious weeds but haven't found any. Did find some nightshade but was told that would only make them light sensitive such as lantana. Been in foot rot doctoring mode lately with all the rain on the muck. Roped the calf and gave him a dose of LA200 out of ignorance. Any ideas?

i have a calf, fairly young, had the scours early on. he just started staying off to himself in the shade during hte day. will move around at night and nurse. at times its like his legs just go out. one day right before dark i saw his front legs go out. last night he just fell over and rolled down a hill. got right up though. its weird. found a downed cherry tree last week. hoping thats it. beginning to wonder WHY a cow couldnt get west nile?

 

[3MR]

Any of yall ever see an animal with nitrate poisoning? I've watched some very peculiar behaviour from a few animals lately. Fertilized muck fields with stargrass and hermarthria. Cattle are rotated daily from one small cell to the next. Lately I've seen once a cow and today a calf who staggered and slobbered and falling down like they were stone cold drunk. In the case of the cow she was fine the next day. Thought there might be some noxious weeds but haven't found any. Did find some nightshade but was told that would only make them light sensitive such as lantana. Been in foot rot doctoring mode lately with all the rain on the muck. Roped the calf and gave him a dose of LA200 out of ignorance. Any ideas?

I have never seen one but I was talking to someone, cant remembr who (County agent, vet, etc.) and a hay producer who had sold hay with high nitrate and wound up killing some cows.

The jist of the symptoms as I remember was lack of coordination, muscle trembles, breathing problems frequent urination and diahrria. There were more, but I cant remember them all.

 

[Roadapple]

Signs of nightshade poisoning are, difficult breathing with a characteristic expiratory grunt, salivation, nasal discharge, jaundice, weakness, a trembling of muscles in the hind legs, an increased heart rate, and occasionally bloat. The temp. is near normal or slightly elevated. Animals showing signs should be placed in the shade to rest. If they survive the first 24 hrs. they usually survive.....Nitrate poisoning. During a dry period, or due to to the influence of some accidental herbicide drift, certain plants may contain high levels of nitrate. The nitrate is not a problem in itself, but it becomes toxic when it is converted to nitrite by bacteria in the rumen. There have also been cases where nitrate fertilizer has contaminated water supplies with subsequent conversion to nitrite at levels high enough to cause a problem. Signs: There is abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscular weakness, and incoordination. There may be convulsions, an abnormally rapid respiration and heart beat, and a bluish color to the membranes around the mouth due to oxygen starvation. The classic sign is chocolate colored blood. These signs may be followed by a coma, and in severe cases, death. Treat with Methylene blue as rapidly as possible. Two milligrams per pound of body weight in a 4% solution given IV. Methylene blue is commercially available; folow the directions on label. ... If they get bad they will be very alert and will attack you over any quick movement or sound.

 

[3MR]

Found this.

Brownish discoloration of the blood, due to the presence of methemoglobin, is evidence of nitrate poisoning. Besides the chocolate-colored blood, other physical signs of nitrate poisoning include difficult and rapid breathing, muscle tremors, low tolerance to exercise, incoordination, diarrhea, frequent urination, collapse and death. Nitrates in blood also cause blood vessels to dilate and are responsible for peripheral circulatory failure. Lack of oxygen to the fetus probably causes abortions that sometimes occur following nitrate poisoning. Abortion due to nitrate is accompanied or preceded by some evidence of nitrate problems in the adult animal, including chocolate-colored blood and bluish discoloration of unpigmented areas of the skin or mucous membranes.

Nitrate poisoning can be rapidly fatal. When nitrate is suspected, remove the contaminated feed and provide a high energy feed such as corn. A veterinarian should be called immediately to confirm the tentative diagnosis. Because death is a result of oxygen shortage, handle cattle as little and as quietly as possible to minimize their oxygen needs.

Administer a four percent (4%) methylene blue solution intravenously at a dosage rate of 4.55 mg per lb of body weight to treat cattle with nitrate poisoning. Treatment may have to be repeated every six to eight hours because the rumen may be full of forage or feed that contains nitrate, and nitrites will continue to move from the rumen into the blood stream. Mineral oil may be given orally to protect the irritated mucous membranes.

Cattle can adapt to high nitrate feeds over a 7 to 10 day period. Cattle that are effected are hungry cattle that are exposed to a feed that is high in nitrates. Another way to adapt cattle to high nitrate feeds is ot dilute them with a low nitrate feed.


Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science
Animal Science, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
July 20th, 2005

 

[denoginnizer]

Yawl have got me nervous about fertilizing my fescue now.

 

[dun]

Yawl have got me nervous about fertilizing my fescue now.

I'ne never heard of the toxicity problems with fescue, other then the endophyte that is.

dun

 

[MikeC]

Yawl have got me nervous about fertilizing my fescue now.

I'ne never heard of the toxicity problems with fescue, other then the endophyte that is.

dun

I think most any grass can be nitrate toxic if enough nitrogen is put out and a drought occurs.

I've seen cows get nitrate poisoning in Bermuda grass, johnson grass, sudan, millet, corn, crabgrass, and dallis grass.

I have also heard that the old "Nitrate of Soda" was more susceptible in causing it than "Ammonium Nitrate".

 

[Nowland Farms]

We got another 7/8" of rain in the last 24 hours so things are looking better rain wise. I hope that the 5" of rain in the
last month have resolved most of the possibility of nitrate posioning.

I left the cows in on the field this afternoon for about 4 hours fter they were already full. Took them off around 7pm. I'll rotate them in and out of the field for the next week or so. Everything should be fine.

 

[Herefordcross]

Did you or are you getting it tested?