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Nitrate

3

3 M L & C

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Nov 8, 2010
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Kansas
Have some forage sorghum that was in the higher end of marginal on the chart from the place the tested it a while back. How much rain/growth does it take for it to come down into the safe range? Going to test again just wandering how long to wait. Had .80 total last week ending Saturday nothing for a long time before that was burning up pretty bad but it has perked up pretty good since rain.
 
I just tested some re-growth milo. Cool, wet weather will give you higher nitrate levels. Hot, dry weather will bring it down. Also, how you cut the sample makes a difference. If it's cut at ground level, you'll have a higher test than if you cut it 3-4 inches above the ground. My first test was cut at ground level on the back side of cool, wet weather and it was moderately hot. I waited until we were back to hot weather and cut it at the level the swather would cut. The test came back "safe for all classes of livestock". What lab do you use? I sent to SDK in Hutch.

Guess I'd wait for this weather to move out and a return to hotter temps before testing again. My 2cents.
 
I agree with DejayVu. Cutting when it is hot results in lower nitrates.
Cutting after 10 am seems to help and don't cut it when the sky is cloudy or overcast.

And if it still has high nitrates you can feed it, just feed something else first
each day and feed it last and don't feed it close to calving. Takes some management, but it can fed fairly safely.

Good luck!
 
Well that's all we have had was hot and dry and the feed was burning up therefore the high nitrate levels. That's when I tested it the first time. Cut at height of the swather. Hoping a little rain and the growth will take it down some. [/b]
 
Feed was burning up here too. Had 2.5 inches Thursday-Saturday night. Thought you might have had rain too. Suppose if nitrates were high, and your conditions haven't changed, they'll stay that way. Nitrates can change from morning to evening, from one day to the next. My first test cutting was done with the crop standing, the second test sample was after cutting. Guess you can tubgrind and mix with something else.
 
try SDK in Hutch... Ward Labs have been wrong so many times that it is hard to find a guy who trusts them... or try Servi tech in Hastings.
 

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