The severe lack of rainfall has made this year challenging for many producers, and because of the drought, many corn stalks can end up being toxic if fed to cattle.
Dr. Larry Marshall, owner of the Bertrand Veterinary Clinic, talked to NTV News about the importance of farmers testing their corn stalks, specifically testing for nitrate levels.
“What happened this year is that at a very crucial time when this plant was needing water, and it was drawing nitrate up to the plant, it ended up with some ear development but as you can see right at the time this ear was trying to develop, it ended up with not enough water,” said Dr. Marshall grabbing a corn stalk with toxic levels of nitrate. “This ear ended up being a small, deformed, and undernourished ear.”
The lack of water doesn’t allow opportunity for photosynthesis or a good nutrient development to happen. This means the nitrate around the bottom part of the corn stalk. Leaves die, and nitrate is not utilized like plan protein anymore. At the same corn field there might be corn stalks that develop just fine...MORE
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