If you are planning on feeding corn or hay silage this year, you may want to test your crops for nitrate levels. Drought-like weather conditions have not only reduced the yields in many parts of the Midwest, they have also led to some mighty high (and unsafe) nitrate levels.
According to Christine Henderson of the Stearns County DHIA Central Lab, "the highest nitrate concentration that we've seen in corn silage has been in the central part of the state." They have seen silage samples with nitrate levels as high as 2,800 parts per million. The safe feeding level cutoff is 1,500 parts per million.
With the silage harvest well
underway, now is the time to test silage for moisture and nitrates. The Stearns
DHIA Central Lab analyzes feeds and forages in-house. It typically takes less
than 24 hours from time of receipt to complete an analysis. Through 9/5/01 the
Lab had seen the following nitrate patterns in corn and hay silage samples.
GREEN CHOP CORN
SILAGE: MIXED HAY AND GRASS HAY:
500- 1000- 1500- 3000- <500 1000 1500 3000 4500 >4500 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Central MN 10 5 4 1 West Cent MN 2 2 Southern MN 1 1 Wisconsin 1 500- 1000- 1500- 3000- <500 1000 1500 3000 4500 >4500 ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Central MN 4 1 West Cent MN 2 2 1 2 Southern MN 2 1 Montana 4 1 1
NITRATE-NITROGEN, ppm
NITRATE-NITROGEN, ppm
| NITRATE-NITROGEN, PPM IN DAY MATTER | FEEDSTUFF RECOMMENDATIONS | |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | |
| 0-1500 | Safe level under all conditions. | |
| 1500-3000 | Feeds will generally be safe when introduced gradually. | |
| At the 2500-3000 limit feed to 50% of total ration DM. | ||
| 3000-4500 | Restrict to 25% of total ration DM. | |
| Over 4500 | Potentially toxic - DO NOT FEED. | |
The Minnesota Dairy Initiative (MDI), a federation of seven dairy development and profitability enhancement teams, Minnesota Milk Producers Association (MMPA), Private Industry, the University of Minnesota Extension Service, MnSCU - Farm Business Management and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, are ready to assist producers with any production or management issue. Many dairy producers are familiar with the old "Dairy Diagnostic Program". This program is dairy diagnostics with added benefits.
The Advisory Teams will work with producers virtually the same way they have in the past. One of the major improvements has been the addition of an Initial Assessment tool, which will provide the advisory teams with a consistent farm assessment tool to use on all farms across the state.
Producers may choose to participate in any one or all of MDI's three major program areas of Financial Management, Production Systems, and Business Planning, which includes Grazing Systems and Organic Production Management. "The farmer may have one particular issue they want to have addressed, or they may want a team to provide comprehensive advice on their entire operation. We leave it up to the farmer to decide what they want an advisory team to focus on," said Allen Gulbransen, chairman of the Minnesota Dairy Initiative Steering Committee.
MDI Teams combine the skills and experience of Farm Business Management specialists, Soil and Water Conservation District personnel, Industry Professionals, Extension Educators, Dairy Producers, and others to locally manage, coordinate and deliver the on-farm advisory services.
Interested dairy producers can
call Minnesota Milk Producers Association at 1-877-577-0741 for more
information. MMPA will have a Team Coordinator contact the producer to establish
a team of professionals to work with the producer.
Cows For Sale is a service of Minnesota
DHIA. Members can advertise for just $2.50 per animal with a maximum of $50 per
herd (good for 60 days). For more information, talk to your Field Rep on sample
day or call us at 800-827-3442.
Did you know Minnesota DHIA offers mastitis culturing services? All of the field reps listed below have received training in the proper sampling techniques and are available to all interested products. To learn more about culturing or to schedule a bulk tank or individual cow culturing, please call our office at 800-827-3442 or contact the field rep nearest you.
| Dave Abramson, Meadowlands | John Kelzer, Randall | Jim Sheehan, Plainview |
| Andrew Alsleben, Glencoe | Kevin Knoblach, Sauk Centre | Ed Sprout, Lake City |
| Harley Bork, Jasper | Wayne Kozitka, Howard Lake | Cyndi Stifter, Howard Lake |
| Gary Bruns, Trosky | Kevin Krist, Milaca | Eugene Stoeckel, Princeton |
| Ray Buettner, Wadena | Alan Lanners, Royalton | David Susag, Lake City |
| Bruce David, Rice | Tom Matson, Hinckley | Jason Wesenberg, Sauk Rapids |
| Ellis Holl, Kensington | Jo Pedersen, Murdock | Armond Yotter, Lake City |
| Daryl Hook, Tyler | Violet Pramann, South Haven | |
| Angie Hopp, Atwater | Jim Rahman, Thielman |
| Kerry Baumgartner, Battle Lake | Ron Klindworth, Northfield | Tom Quist, Center City |
| Jim Boser, Pierz | Greg Larson, Erhard | Judy Rickbeil, Browerville |
| Perry Tensen, Sedan |
Dennis Haubenschild, dairy producer accepted the award yesterday at a ceremony in St. Paul, MN. Dennis and his family earned the award for their efforts in the prevention of waste and pollution. Dennis has the only on-farm, methane digester in Minnesota. The Haubenschilds digester collects the methane, which is used as a fuel source to produce electricity. The system produces enough electricity to run the dairy operation and over 75 homes. Most importantly, the Haubenschilds are producing electricity with a renewable resource, which helps to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
To our knowledge, the Haubenschilds are the first dairy producer to have ever received the Governor's Environmental Award.
CONGRATULATIONS HAUBENSCHILDS!
Mark your calendars for November 27th or
28th and join us for the 2001 Dairy Extravaganza held at the Minneapolis
Convention Center. Leave the driving to us and catch the out-state buses from
one of the five routes and be brought right to the front doors of the Convention
Center. *** For registration information please see the enclosed blue
sheet.
A few interesting statistics based on herds currently testing with Minnesota DHIA:
*
The number of cows on test with Minnesota DHIA totalled 295,058. Average Herd
size is now 87 cows.
* The average milk price September 2001 was $16.49 -
last year September 2000 average milk price $12.19.
* Approximately 29% of all herds have data accessed by a consultant.