- <*334aeca*twFen«lnfc .Be*wrt«)N4kl#bw3Sf IMS By George F.W. Haenlein Extension Dairy Specialist University of Delaware NEWARK, DE - Nitrates occur in many forage crops. Most commonly they are formed in com, sorghum, pigweeds, lambs quarter, wheat, barley, rye and small grains for fall grazing that were fertilized with well over 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Drought, cold or any climatic condition that interrupts normal plant growth and photosynthesis will cause nitrate accumulation in plants. Under stress, inorganic nitrogen from the soil is stored in plant leaves but not converted to plant protein. Three or 4 days of sunshine, or rain after a period of drought stress followed by several sunny days will often correct the problem, making plants safe again for animal feeding. When forages must be harvested regardless of unfavorable con ditions, silage making will usually reduce nitrate levels in the green crop by half. A heavy brown gas - lethal nitrous oxide can be seen escaping from a silo filled with crops that had too much nitrates. When this happened to us once at the Delaware Agricultural Ex periment Station, we turned on the silo blower again (it was still 1 sitting on the silo after filling it) | and let it run several hours to blow air through and help the gas to dissipate. We also kept the cattle away from the area. If you have hay or green chop forages or fall grazing which look suspiciously lush and dark green, don’t feed or graze them before having tested them for nitrates at your nearest forage testing lab. Cattle and sheep can tolerate and utilize nitrates for protein syn thesis in moderate amounts only. Even then, reduced milk production, irregular estrus and repeat breeding due to embryo losses may occur. It may be possible to slowly adapt cattle and sheep to somewhat higher nitrate levels, up to a point. Acute poisoning of livestock from high levels of nitrates shows up in heavy and rapid breathing, frothy mouth, diarrhea, frequent urination, staggering, convulsions We carry the Kent Tile Fire wood heater. Few, if any, other stoves can match its energy efficiency, beauty and decorating ver satility Visit our showroom today and see why 200,000 discriminating stove owners throughout the world have chosen Kent 2533 Old Phila. Pk., Rt 340.Smoketown.PA Tuea., Thun, k Pri. 1M; Wed. k Sat. 1(W; Mon. appt Dairy expert talks about nitrates in forage crops and death in a few hours. Sometimes, acute cases can be saved by quick intravenous in jections of 4 percent methylene blue solutions at 100 milliliters per 1,000 pounds bodyweight. Bor derline cows should be injected with Vitamin A at 60 to 100,000 units per cow per day to restore body supplies destroyed by KENT The Flame of the Future (717T907-7539 FOR INFORMATION CALL PA State Grange 1-800-242-9661 Another service provided by the state's leading farm organization Thursday, Nov. 7,1985 9 AM to SPM S nitrates and to avoid detrimental effects on the reproductive organs. When forage tests show up to 1,000 parts per million or 0.1 percent nitrates on a dry basis, you will usually see no ill effects. Between 1,000 to 5,000 ppm or 0.1 to 0.5 percent nitrates per dry matter are safer to feed to non-pregnant heifers and open cows. For DOCTORS WITHOUT BILLS NO COPAYMENTS...NO DEDUCTIBLES...NO FORMS...LOW RATES Sound too good to be true? The Pennsylvania State Grange introduces the Health America HMO, a new concept in health insurance. Health America not only pays for your care, they provide it, too, including routine check-ups and well baby care... all at low group rates. TO FIND OUR MORE. ATTEND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC MEETINGS: Nov. 18 p.m. Lancaster County. Leaman Fire Hall, 11 mi. E of Lancaster on Rt. 30 Come to the Power Pro Equipment open home and mus B Take the Mustang challenge! Ride the finest skid steer.loader on the market today through our obstacle course. B Beat the clock and WIN! First prize Second prize Third prize Trophy and SIOO.OO cash Trophy and 575.00 cash Trophy and $50.00 cash ■lO% off on all parts purchases. B I I__ Mt on all winter maintenance work I\J m U Oil scheduled during the Open House. B Special savings on equipment, truck load pricing for all new Mustang skid steer loaders. Don't miss the excitement. Come, enjoy our refreshments and take part in the happenings. In edition to all the Power Pro folks, factory personnel will be on hand. Please, join us. Bml power pro equipment milroy, pa 17063 • p.o. box 567 route 322 • (717)667-6504 Next time you buy. think Power Pro. pregnant and lactating cows, dilute such forages by 50 percent with safe forages - especially with heavy feeding of grain rations. Forages with 0.5 percent up to 1.0 percent nitrates in the dry matter can only be fed safely by heavy dilution and slow adaptation to make up less than half of the daily dry matter ration, but be prepared Nov. 4 7:30 p.m. Perry County, Oliver Grange, Newport Nov. 11 7:30 p.m. Cumberland County, Mifflin Grange, 3 mi. N. of Newvilleon Rt. 233 Nov. 12 7:30 p.m. Berks County. Marion Grange, Main St Stouchsburg Nov. 14 8 p.m. Lebanon County, Levitz Park to see abortions and a drop in milk production. Forages with more than 1.0 percent nitrates/dry matter will produce acute symp toms and death if fed or grazed alone. Don't take chances. When I have suspicions about the nitrate con tent of a forage, I test it first before losing cows and heifers. 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