Crop Residues – Lab for Livestock

Rain is a Tricky Thing

We’ve all heard the Luke Bryan song “Rain is a Good Thing”. While it may be a catchy lyric, lack of rain can cause livestock producers to suffer from drought and heat stress issues, while too much rain can leave farmers dealing with flood damage. This year has been especially testing from those aspects. The southwest is on fire. Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico and areas of Texas, Kansas and Missouri are suffering from extreme drought and wildfires with surrounding areas battling through severe and moderate drought conditions.

DroughtMapJuly19 — http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap.aspx

In contrast, there have been 6 major flooding events due to excessive rain which have been declared disaster states this summer. There is no denying drought is difficult to handle, but flooding can be just as destructive with obstacles of its own.

To summarize the timeline above:

May 30 – Tropical Storm Alberto’s heavy rainfall lead to flash flooding in 10 southeastern states.
June 18 – Heavy rainfall in a short period of time lead to flooding mostly affecting the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and parts of northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.
June 20 – Heavy rainfall resulted in river levels rising and floods in northwest Iowa and southeastern South Dakota.
June 21 – Some areas of Texas received more than 10 inches of rain in a 48-hour period resulting in flooding.
July 3 – Torrential rains resulted in flooding in southern Minnesota.
July 17- Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding in Washington D.C. and Massachusetts.

Rain resulting in flooding has several destructive effects on agriculture. First, damage to infrastructure such as roadways and powerlines. Dirt and gravel roads may get washed away during a flood, which will limit a livestock producer from checking and accessing animals. In the event of an evacuation often the animals are unfortunately left to fend for themselves. It is a challenge to put those access points back in place to get any operation up and running after the flooding. There will likely be damage to other assets as well such as outbuildings and machinery.

Second, the flood waters may carry sand and other debris with it. This debris will settle on top of fields and may result in a barrier to the soil, creating a challenge when trying to plant crops or maintain a pasture. Removing the debris and sand can be financially exhaustive and labor intensive.

Third, heavy rainfall producing floods will likely erode the soil and carry away valuable top soil. The erosion itself, will leave gaps and divots in fields making the next planting season more difficult with new obstacles in fields. The loss of top soil means the soil in the field will have less nutrients and likely will have lost aspects related to a healthy soil including structure and beneficial microorganism populations such as mycorrhizal fungi. It will be important for crop producers and pasture managers to consult with soil health experts such as Lance Gunderson or Emily Shafto at Ward Laboratories Inc. to replenish nutrients and rebuild soil health after a flooding event.

Fourth, if there were standing crops or forages in a field during a significant rain and flood event, those crops and forages likely are damaged. Powerful rains and hail can physically damage plants. Therefore, if harvesting for grain or planning to feed these crops or forages mold and mycotoxins should be tested. Additionally, corn, sorghum, oats, and other nitrate accumulating forages should be tested for nitrates due to the additional stress from flooding.

Finally, field operations may be hindered. Planting, and harvesting of crops may be delayed due to wet sloppy fields. If the areas affected produce hay, harvesting, drying and baling all present unique obstacles.

In conclusion, rain is not always a good thing. Too little leaves us with droughts and too much results in devastating floods. Always consider the obstacles of these disastrous events and make a plan before they happen to avoid panic when natural disasters occur.

More Resources:

Flood List

Farming After Flooding

The Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Agriculture in the United States

iGrow Flood Resources

Do I Need to Test For Nitrates?

Last week I attended both the Colorado Cattlemen’s Annual Convention and the Sandhills Ranch Expo at the Ward Laboratories Inc tradeshow booths. At both locations, producers had concerns about nitrates. The climate and weather however were contrasting conditions. Colorado producers wondered how drought stress might affect the nitrate levels in their forages, while Nebraska and South Dakota producers were concerned if too much precipitation might have affect nitrate levels in forages. Here are 5 factors that affect how nitrates accumulate in forages.

Plant Species

Some plant species accumulate nitrates more than others. These species should be tested for nitrates regularly before feeding to animals. These species are: sorghum (milo), sudan grass, millet, oats, johnson grass, broadleaf weeds, corn and sunflowers. There are other species which also accumulate nitrates but not to the same extent as those listed above: wheat, rye, and triticale fall into these categories. Finally, under extreme stress alfalfa and soybeans can accumulate nitrates, however the stress must be extensive, and this situation is very rare.

Maturity of the Plant

Young plants and regrowth take up nitrogen from the soil faster than it can be converted to protein. Older more mature plants take up nitrogen at a slower rate and have had plenty of time to convert nitrogen to protein. Therefore, younger plants and regrowth tend to accumulate more nitrates than older mature plants.

Plant Part

The lower 1/3 of the stock of the plant is where the most nitrates are stored. Leaves and stems do not store nitrates in the plant. When grazing, leaving the last third of the stock might be a good idea to avoid any nitrate toxicity issues.

Environmental Conditions

Stress due to weather or climate may increase nitrate accumulation. During drought stress, the plant may be able to take up nitrogen but not have enough moisture to convert it to protein. On the other hand, coming out of a drought a dramatic increase in moisture may cause the plant to take up more nitrogen than it can convert to protein in a timely fashion. Frost and freezing temperatures also cause stress to the plant and nitrate accumulation.

Management

Nitrogen fertilization is a common cause of nitrate accumulation in forages. Nitrogen fertilization may increase yield, but it also increases risk of nitrate toxicities.

Nitrates are tricky. I often run into producers who want to tell me their situation and management practices and ask if they need to test. The truth is no one can determine the nitrate levels based on an antidote. Testing is the only way to have full confidence. If there are concerns, send forage samples to Ward Laboratories, Inc for a nitrates test and use the table below as a guide to interpert your report.

Silage for Beef Cattle 2018 Conference

Last week I attended the Silage for Beef Cattle Conference in Mead, NE. For those of you who put up corn silage, or provide advice for those who do I would highly recommend listening to the online uploads from this conference as well as looking over the proceedings. Here are 8 key concepts I took away from the conference:

Processing is crucial.

Processing of the grain is very important to the digestibility and therefore, energy availability of the corn silage. It is recommended that there should not be a single intact corn kernel in the final silage product. To monitor this, separate the forage portion of the silage from the grain and then closely inspect the grain. Adequate and consistent monitoring through the chopping process is key.

Determining when to harvest is difficult and varies by operation.

As the plant matures fiber increases, kernel hardness increases thereby decreasing the digestibility of the forage and starch portions of the plant. However, at a more immature stage less corn kernels are present, and the moisture of the plant is too high for ensiling. Therefore, the recommendation was to harvest a week before or at black layer when the dry matter content of the green chop is between 33 – 38%. However, the best practices may differ from operation to operation.

Ensiling time is important.

As fermentation time increases, starch digestibility also increases. For the fermentation to go to completion, it is recommended to ensile at least 90 days, but 120 days would be optimal.

Packing is key to minimize shrink and prevent spoilage.

Delayed packing increases risk of yeast and mold spoilage. It is also important to pack with enough weight and consistency. Check out this packing density calculator from University of Wisconsin extension.

Proper covering is also key to prevent shrink and spoilage.

O₂ barrier plastics are the best option for covering, however polyethylene coverings are also an option with about a 5% difference in dry matter recovery.

There are lots of ways ensiling can go wrong.

Silage contaminants can come from many different sources including soil, damages plants from hail or insects, manure, wildlife, rodents and birds. These contaminants can include infectious microorganism such as salmonella, listeria, clostridia and toxin producing molds or undesirable fermentation by-products such as toxic amines or ammonia.

Feeding spoiled corn silage at any inclusion rate is detrimental to rumen health.

Both dry matter intake and digestibility of neutral detergent fiber decrease when spoiled corn silage is included in the diet. Additionally, when cannulated cattle were examined, the forage mat in the rumen was completely destroyed, again at any inclusion rate of spoiled corn silage.

Producers can determine if they have aerobic deterioration of silage on farm.

At Ward Laboratories, Inc, I often suggest producers who are unsure of their silage to test both mold count and pH. On farm producers can take the temperature of the center of the pile and other outer locations. Moldy spots will be 20-30°F hotter, with up to 8 times the coliform forming units of mold than the core of the pile.

Again, this is a snapshot of the important information shared at the corn silage conference. Check out the online uploads and consider sending your silage samples to Ward Laboratories Inc. to test for nutrient contents, pH, moisture and mold count.

Test Forage Make More Money!

Soon we will be entering forage grazing and harvesting season. Although many producers test their hay or silages when buying and selling, there is still a group who either only test for nitrate when they believe they may be having an issue or do not bother to test at all. There are many benefits to testing feed, such as improving animal health and production, but a major benefit from a business perspective is the potential to improve profitability. Testing forages can help producers improve their bottom line.

I have attended several conferences where Dr. Aaron Berger from University of Nebraska Lincoln has spoken about profitability and costs to ranches. The first point Dr. Berger always drives home is the unit cost of production. It is important to keep track of all input costs to each enterprise on an operation to know what is profitable and what is losing money. It is also a helpful tool to see where improvements can be made. In his presentations, Dr. Berger also points out that the number one cost to produce beef cattle is feed. Therefore, improvement in feed cost would increase profitability. This can be done through selecting for cattle that consume less feed and gain the same, sourcing cheaper feed, and precise ration and diet formulations.

Precise ration and diet formulations improve profitability by reducing the occurrence of over or under supplementation to reach animal production goals. To produce a precise and accurate ration or diet, forage testing must be done, otherwise producers are just guessing about the nutrient content of the forage. Forages are variable plant material. As the feed and NIR reviewer at Ward Laboratories Inc., I have seen alfalfa hays and grasses vary from a crude protein level of about 15% to 25% and 4% to 18% on a dry basis respectively. The fiber content of various forages is also variable. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) is used to calculate the total digestible nutrients (TDN) of the feed, so variation in ADF affects energy supplementation. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) affects how much of a forage or hay the animal will consume. Minerals are also variable in forages and obtaining an idea of the mineral content may also affect mineral supplementation strategies, such as which mineral to feed or possibly creating a custom mineral mix. If you would like to learn more about forage variability read Quarrels About Quality: 14 Sources of Variation in Forage and Hay Testing.

Testing hay and forage to formulate rations and diets can reduce underfeeding and overfeeding of animals. When a producer overestimates the nutritional value of his forage, it can negatively affect the animal’s health. Thereby impacting performance, reducing reproduction rates, decreasing lactation, or growth. While the feed cost of an overestimated diet is lower, not meeting the nutritional requirements of that animal results in reduced performance and impacts the producer’s profitability. An oversetimated nutitional value mresults in less protift. When a producer underestimates the nutritional value of a feed, overfeeding the animals results in increased feed costs and decreased profitability. Additionally, if overfeeding is extreme, cows can become obese, which also can negatively impact reproductive performance. In the case of underestimating a forage’s nutritional value, the cost of a NIR forage test ($15) at Ward Laboratories, Inc. is quickly made up in feed costs in just a few days of feeding.

So, to improve profitability, at a minimum forage testing is a necessity. If cattle are grazing a pasture, crop residue, or cover crops, there is variation and a simple NIR test can provide information to make an informed supplementation strategy. If cattle are consuming a total mixed ration, I would advocate to test all ingredients for the most profitable feeding ration possible with those ingredients. Using feed testing to make decisions can increase an operations profitability through meeting animal nutrient requirements and therefore performance goals, as well as not wasting feed and money overfeeding animals.

Here are some other resources if you are still doubting the merit in hay testing for profit:

Test, Don’t Guess

The Importance of Forage Testing

Profit Tip: Understanding a Forage Analysis

There’s Money in Testing Your Stalks and Hay

A $50 Hay Test Can Save Producers Money

Carbohydrates and Forage Quality

The function of carbohydrates in any animal’s diet is to provide energy. Some carbohydrates are more easily digestible and provide energy to the animal, or in the case of the beef cattle, to the rumen microbes more rapidly. These carbohydrates are Non-Fiber Carbohydrates (NFC). Examples of NFC are starch and sugars, such as glucose and fructose, which are measured at Ward Laboratories Inc. as Total Sugars Invert (TSI). Starch is also analyzed at Ward Laboratories Inc. by breaking down the polysaccharide into simple sugars. An example of a high starch forage is good quality corn silage. An example of a high sugar forage is high quality alfalfa hay or haylage.

Samples dissolving into buffer on the hot plate with stir bars for starch analysis

Fibrous carbohydrates such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin are slowly digested. In ruminant nutrition the two fiber types we typically use in formulation of feed rations and in evaluation of forage quality are Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF). The indigestible and slowly digestible portion of feed is represented by NDF which contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The least digestible portion of feed is represented by ADF and contains cellulose and lignin but not hemicellulose. Therefore, ADF is always less than NDF when represented as a percentage of the feed or forage being analyzed.

ADF and NDF are measured using Ankom bag technology.

The Neutral Detergent Fiber of a feed makes up the floating mat of feed in the rumen. This floating mat physically stimulates the animal’s digestive processes, specifically rumination. A high NDF feed typically forms a mat that exists for a longer period of time in the rumen resulting in the animal feeling full longer due to the physical gut fill and consequently consuming less feed. In summary, high NDF feeds, typically low-quality forages, are predictive of low dry matter intake, while low NDF feeds are predictive of a higher dry matter intake.

Acid Detergent Fiber is used in predictive equations to calculate the energy content of the feed. Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), Net Energy of Gain (NEg) and Net Energy of Maintenance (NEm) can all be calculated using the ADF value. Feeds with a higher percentage of ADF have a lower percentage of the high energy sugars and starches. Therefore, high ADF feeds and forages have lower energy values and low ADF feeds and forages have high energy values.

At Ward Laboratories Inc. I receive phone calls inquiring about why certain forage reports have higher Relative Feed Values (RFV) or Relative Forage Qualities (RFQ) than others or why those two index values do not match for the same feed.

Relative Feed Value was created to quickly compare the quality of legume hays such as alfalfa or clover. We often apply this index to other forages, or feeds forgetting the original purpose and loosing the understanding that it was not originally meant to be applied to grass hays, corn stalks and especially not corn grains and other non-forage feeds. Therefore, non-legume forages typically have lower than expected RFVs and animals consuming this hay perform better than the index value would predict.

Relative Forage Quality was created to be inclusive of most forages and is a quick way to fairly compare one forage to another weather it is a grass hay or legume. The values for RFV and RFQ on the same feed often are separated by as much as 20 points because RFV uses ADF and NDF to predict digestible dry matter and dry matter intake while RFQ uses crude protein, fat, NDF, NDF digestibility among other factors to predict dry matter intake and total digestible nutrients. South Dakota State University Extension has put together a great resource for better understanding of RFV and RFQ. Below are the simplified equations for each index:

RFV = Digestible Dry Matter × Dry Matter Intake / 1.29

RFQ=Dry Matter Intake × Total Digestible Nutrients /1.23

In conclusion, carbohydrates provide energy to the beef cow and support the growth and role rumen microbes play in ruminant digestion. The higher percentage of the forage or hay is made up of fibrous fractions, such as ADF and NDF, the less NFC are available to rapidly provide energy. Therefore, as ADF and NDF increase the forage quality decreases due to lower energy values and declining feed intake. So, when feeding low quality forages such as old cane hay or corn stalks it is important to provide energy supplements in the form of beet pulp, distillers grains, corn grains or molasses based liquid supplements for example. However, on low ADF and NDF, high quality forages little to no supplementation is needed to support animal maintence and production performance.

Forage Creativity: Soy-Corn Silage

Here at Ward Laboratories Inc., we often encourage producers to be creative and try newapproaches to agricultural production. A couple of weeks ago at the American Society of Animal Science Midwest meeting in Omaha, I listened to a talk about getting more creative with corn silage: “Production of High-Quality Forage through Unique Forage Blends” presented by Dr. Ishwary Acharya. Ward Laboratories Inc. tested 1,451 corn silage samples and 2,197 total silage samples of all types in 2016. So, I have seen the range and variation in the nutrient quality of silages used in the area. Dr. Acharya’s research focused on making the best possible silage for a dairy operation, as he stated in his talk, “the ultimate measure of forage quality is milk production”. Being in central Nebraska, I think his research could not only increase the nutritional content of the silages produced, but also the value of grazing the cornstalks by a beef enterprise after harvest.

The idea behind Dr. Acharya’s presentation was to double crop corn and vining soybeans to produce high protein low fiber silage without sacrificing yield. First, to produce the best possible corn silage, the crop was chopped higher than producers typically chop corn silage. This resulted in less stock and more leaves, husks, and cob in the silage. Therefore, yield was compromised for higher protein and lower fiber concentrations. The second part of the presentation explained that to overcome the sacrifice of yield, vining soybeans could be intercropped with the corn. Therefore, when chopping for silage at a higher level, the soybean plant material made up for the loss of stocks in the yield. In this study, the resulting silage had increase yield, forage quality, and protein compared with typical corn silage. Dr. Acharya interseeded the vining soybean at various rates and determined that the optimal rate was somewhere between 67% corn 33% soybeans and a 50:50 mix. The study also looked at the optimal time for fermentation based on pH and presence of volatile compounds that have affect on rumen function and animal performance. At 60 days of fermentation Dr. Acharya determined that fermentation had not gone to completion and the silage should be ensiled for at least a 90-day period. This finding agrees with other literature I have read on the topic.

Dr. Acharya’s idea of double cropping to create a high-quality forage source for dairy cattle could also be of benefit to beef cow calf pairs grazing the remaining corn stalks. If soybeans were intercropped, I would predict that there would be some beans and vining materials left in the field which would be higher in protein and lower in fiber than the corn stalks alone. Of course, I would advocate that producers test both their silage and try to get a representative idea of what has been left on their field to provide necessary supplementation. For the silage, I would recommend testing crude protein, acid detergent fiber to predict energy values and neutral detergent fiber to predict dry matter intakes at a minimum noting that the sample would need to be ran as a wet chemistry feed test and that the addition of soybean to the silage would not allow for a reliable and accurate NIR scan. For the grazing stocks and soybeans, I would run the same test to get an idea if protein or energy supplementation are necessary. I would also caution that soybeans do contain urease and we typically do not graze cattle on soybeans fields as they risk urease toxicity if they have recently consumed non-protein nitrogen (NPN), therefore when considering supplementation strategies for cattle grazing a field of cornstalks intercropped with vining soybeans, lick tubs or mineral mixes with urea could not be utilized.

As, with any novel feed, always monitor animal body condition, production and health to ensure it is providing the nutrients required. Don’t be afraid to try something new. It might be of benefit to your operation weather it is vining soybean corn silage or grazing cover crops or feeding from the waste stream, feed testing and good ration and diet formulation can lead to success of a livestock operation.

Drought Planning: 4 Ways to Stockpile Forages

The state of Nebraska is in the center of the High Plains Region of the United States. The states that make up this region are Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. I checked the current drought monitor and found that southern Nebraska and southern Wyoming are abnormally dry, and Kansas, Colorado and the Dakotas are experiencing various levels of drought. The current outlook through April is promising for the Dakotas, but dry for the rest of the region. Precipitation from the Canadian border is predicted to remove the drought from North and South Dakota. The Dakotas are projected to experience a normal spring season. As for the rest of the region, southern Nebraska, southern Wyoming, Colorado and Kansas, drought is likely to persist through April 1^st. Soil moisture levels on April 1^st will have a great impact on the availability of forages throughout the region during the summer months. When planning for drought conditions, which are likely to result in decreased forage production, especially on dry pastures and rangeland, most producers’ strategy is to decrease animal numbers and stockpile forages. Here are four ways to stockpile forages for livestock during drought conditions:

Buy Hay

Buying hay is the first thing that usually comes to mind when people think of stockpiling forages. During a drought, it is likely that local hay may be of lower quality, therefore it is important to test the protein and energy values (I reccomend a minimum of an NIR scan or the F-3 test at Ward Laboratories, Inc.) before feeding to ensure the forage will meet the animals’ nutritional needs. Hay nutrient values may change during transportation, so if hay is being shipped from another region be sure to test after receiving the lot and before balancing a ration to feed livestock. Having extra stockpiles of hay for drought or emergency feeding is never a bad thing, however buying hay during a drought can be expensive due to less availability, higher demand, and transport costs. Therefore, it would be beneficial to maintain supplies of hay during periods of plentiful forage conditions. In other words, it is most economical to buy hay in excess when it is low in demand and forages are in good supply and save some back as emergency or drought feed. If you are located in Nebraska and are looking to buy hay check out the Nebraska State Hay Hotline.

Graze Crop Residues

If your operation is located near farmland, consider working with your neighbors to allow your livestock to graze their crop residues. Cattle can graze preferentially to take advantage of high protein, low fiber portions of the plants left standing in the field. If you reside in southern Nebraska or Kansas, corn or wheat residues are good alternative forages especially when fed with energy supplements. When grazing crop residues, be cautious and remember to test for nitrates before letting animals out onto the filed. This option for stockpiling forages is cost effective, however labor intensive and may require cooperation with neighbors. If you live in Nebraska check out the crop residue exchange to find farmers willing to let you take advantage of this great forage source.

Graze Cover Crops

Adding cover crops to your own cropping rotation can be another great way to stockpile forages. Cover crops allow you to extend the grazing season into the fall. Preferential grazing increases the animals nutritional plane and therefore performance may also increase. If you are lucky enough to get some moisture after grazing, cover crops may produce regrowth and animals may be able to graze those areas again. There are also many benefits to adding cover crops into a cropping rotation for the soil. For more information on that read guest author, Emily Shafto’s Cattle and Crops: Completing the Nutrient Cycle. Planting a diverse cover crop mixture can ensure that if one species in the mix fails others will thrive, diversity can prevent disaster. Cover crops are cost effective as a source of forage, especially in a drought. They are however, more labor intensive and if they are high in nitrates, prussic acid or sulfur, they may detrimentally affect animal health and mortality.

Rent Additional Grazing Lands

If you are not located in an area where cropping agriculture is prevalent, and you rely on rangelands to provide forage for the summer grazing months. Renting additional grazing lands may not be very cost effective immediately, but in the long run it will take some of the pressure off the lands typically grazed and allow them to rest and rejuvenate to provide forage for the next grazing season. Renting additional grazing lands may be a hit to the pocketbook during that drought season, but it will prevent over-grazing, which is a necessity when practicing good land stewardship.

Stockpiling forages, using one or more of the strategies above, can help prevent a disastrous drought situation. Always monitor the precipitation and temperature conditions so that you can do your best planning for the future. Always look for creative ways to fill gaps in feed availability. A feed or NIR test from WARD Laboratories, INC can aid in decision making when it comes to feeding alternate forages. When buying hay, test nutritional values after shipment and before feeding for accurate results. When grazing corn stalks, oat stubble or wheat stubble check for nitrates before letting animals out in the field. And revisit my blog 6 Cautions When Grazing Cover Crops to ensure you are feeding a safe forage when grazing cover crops. For more information on drought planning visit the National Drought Mitigation Center.

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