Nitrates In Drought-Damaged Silage Can Harm Cows A T O ....... 0 u The ideal moisture content for NEWARK, DE. DairyTfar* - -created by pieces ot sun stauui me cows’blood. This may lead to sec- If a producer must feed high making silage is 65 percent to 70 icrs can make the most out of this corn isn’t green enough. In such on dary problems, particularly nitrate silage, the specialist says it percent. Normally this occurs ear’s drought-stricken com crop cases, farmers may need to (1) add interfering with normal reproduc- must be diluted with other, safer about the time the lower half of the y harvesting it as silage if they a preservative to prevent develop- tj vc processes, resulting in poor feeds, such as hay and grain. leaves arc browning and the lips of ike certain precautions. Filling mcntofmold in the presence ol air, ovulation and even abortion. He suggests dairy farmers fol- the kernels in the center of the ear ilos with drought-stressed com or (2) add weight in the lorm ot Hacnlcin says at low levels low these guidelines when using have a black layer, an be a dangerous and difficult ** water during filling and place a nitrates can be tolerated or drought-stressed com in order to if drought-stressed com has no racticc for two reasons, says Uni- water-filled plastic bag at the lop adjusted, but at medium and high avoid nitrate problems in silage: e ars, more than half of the leaves ersity of Delaware Extension of the silo afterwards to compress levels they become increasingly *lf there is a rain, wail three to 0 n the plant may be “fired.” As lairy specialist Dr. George Hacn- the silage. But Haenlem says the dangerous. In extreme cases of five days before chopping long as the upper leaves are still :in: fiept, because of the potential- ' weight of the bag isn t likely to nitrate poisoning, cattle may die. drought-stressed corn silage green, Haenlein says the plant will y high nitrate content of the silage; affect air pockets in the lower part For these reasons, he cautions because nitrate levels are high in probably respond to rainfall by nd second, because of the diffi- of the silo, so the danger ol mo farmers using drought-stressed the plant directly after rain. recovering a normal moisture con :uliy of packing stalks that arc too remains. ....... com for silage to be alert for the * Consider raising the cutterbar tcntof7opercentto7spercent.He Iry. The potentially high nitrate con- p resencc Q f brown nitrous oxide on the chopper 12 inches up the suggests farmers apply the follow- Packing dry stalks is no problem tent of drought-damaged com is gas see pi ng ou t of the silo and stalk. Nitrates are more concen- i ng squeeze test to gel a general vith a trench silo. However, in an another problem for dairy produc- flowing down-the gas is heavier trated in the lower part of the plant, idca of s ji age mo i s ture in the field, ip-right silo, it may be difficult or ers. Nitrates interfere with the lhan air so by doing this you can leave squeeze a handful of freshly npossiblc to remove air pockets oxygen-absorbing capacity ot the more | n the field. chopped forage into a ball for 20 to * Don’t feed freshly chopped 30 seconds. Quickly release your 1,1 1 com silage to cattle. grip and watch what happens to the ■ \ * Wait at least 30 days before baU of forage If ba ll holds its / feeding silage from the silo. The sh and frce j uice j s present, /• fermentation process will help dis- mois ture content is probably more r ( . sipate the nitrates originally in the lhan7s percent, if the ball holds its ' ‘ silage. shape but very little free juice is * Before feeding, have a sample present, estimate moisture content of the silage analyzed QUANTI- al ?0 percent to 75 percent. If the TATIVELY for nitrate content. faUs apart slowly an d there is Remember, testing is better than no free juice, moisture is between guessing. 50 percent and7o percent. RTUMLA. DAIRYMEN !! Here's your chance to win two ways !! #l. When you worm with RUMA-BAN CRUMBLES, the ONE-DAY WORMER you won't lose any MILK !! #2. Your chance to win a COLLECTORS MODEL OF THE KEY-AID WINROSS TRUCK With every bag of RUMA-BAN WORMER CRUMBLES you buy @ $46.75 or 5 bags or more @544.65 your name will be entered for the drawing. 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