If you’re thinking about switching to Johnson grass hay for your cattle, here are some important things to consider. These nutrients can help you raise your cows while also maintaining a healthy diet. But, you should also check out the following risks before you start grazing. If you have concerns about nitrate toxicity, sorghum cystitis, or Glyphosate, this article can help you make a decision about which type of hay is right for your herd.
Contents
nitrate toxicity
Forage-producing plants like Johnson grass and Sudan grass can cause nitrate toxicity in cows. These forages accumulate nitrates when they receive excessive fertilization from animal manure and poultry litter. In addition, other forages can accumulate nitrates under stress conditions such as abrupt growth. Fortunately, these plants do not cause an immediate death risk. But it is still worth knowing what to look for in forage-producing plants to avoid nitrate toxicity.
When a cow’s diet contains large amounts of nitrates, it can lead to a severe form of respiratory illness. Signs of acute nitrate toxicity include bluish mucous membranes, difficult breathing, tremors, collapse, and dark blood. This condition usually appears within two to three hours after ingesting toxic levels of hay. Because of the speed at which it manifests, treatment can be impractical.
Prussic acid
While a farmer may be tempted to mow a crop whenever it is ready to feed to their cows, this is not a good idea. Prussic acid is a gas that will break down gradually over the course of the drying process. Prussic acid in Johnson grass hay for cows can be reduced by waiting at least seven days after the first frost. This process may not be possible if the crop is harvested too late in the season.
Although it is rare for a cow to die of prussic acid poisoning, the effects of the compound are potentially harmful for ruminant animals. Cows, for example, eat large amounts of forage, which can wreak havoc on their health. Symptoms of prussic acid poisoning can appear within minutes of ingestion, and may include labored breathing, excessive salivation, convulsions, and even death. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent the toxicity of sorghums in cow hay.
sorghum cystitis
Sorghum cystitis is a potentially deadly complication of Johnsongrass forage for cows. Despite its high quality, this weed can cause neurological problems for cows, especially pregnant mares. This disorder can result from chronic exposure to low levels of cyanide and cyanogenic glucosides. It may also result from the conversion of HCN and g-glutamyl-b-cyanoalanine.
Animals may show signs of illness within five minutes of consuming sorghum hay. The resulting acid, HCN, affects muscle cells and prevents oxygen from entering them. In some cases, this acid can cause permanent spinal cord damage and loss of rear leg control. Similarly, it can also cause syphilis. As a result, sorghum hay for cows should not be given to livestock.
Glyphosate
If you are trying to feed your cattle Johnsongrass free hay, you will need to be aware of the use of glyphosate. Glyphosate can damage plants and result in significant injury and yield loss. This herbicide is most effective when applied to newly-emerging seedlings within seven to ten days of cutting. There are several methods for applying glyphosate, which are listed below:
Generally, Johnsongrass is a good forage grass. However, it can form toxic compounds called cyanogenetic glycosides under certain environmental conditions. Glycoside levels in Johnsongrass vary greatly among populations, and are more toxic to ruminants than to other species. The level of glycosides can be extremely dangerous for livestock, and it is important to follow label directions for Johnsongrass hay.
Vasey grass
You may have already started laying Vasey grass hay for cows for the winter months. However, you may be wondering if it will last until the grass greens up again in spring. The answer is yes, but only if you develop a weed control strategy to prevent the spread of this weed. You can start by controlling vaseygrass by ensuring the soil fertility is good. If you find that the vaseygrass infestation is widespread, you can spray the area with a 1% glyphosate solution to prevent the seeds from being dispersed.
In addition to being a weed, vaseygrass is an erect, coarse-tufted perennial that grows up to six feet tall. It has coarse, hairy leaves with rough margins and hairs near the base of the leaf sheaths. Vaseygrass spreads quickly, and its roots are small and have few rhizomes. As a result, vaseygrass can quickly spread through a tenth-acre field.
