News — sudangrass

Nitrate Poisoning: What Livestock Producers Need to Know Submitted by: Gilbert Barrett   As we move through the growing season, livestock producers acrossNortheast Georgia and the Southeast should remain aware of the risk of nitratepoisoning in both grazed and harvested forages. While nitrate accumulation is oftenassociated with drought-stressed crops, several common forage species can developdangerous nitrate levels under a variety of growing conditions. Forages Most Commonly Associated with Nitrate AccumulationSeveral warm-season annual grasses are particularly prone to accumulating nitrates,including:SorghumSudangrassSorghum-Sudangrass HybridsJohnsongrassPearl MilletCrabgrassHowever, producers should not overlook perennial forages. Under certain conditions,nitrate levels can also become elevated in:Tall FescueBermudagrassAnnual RyegrassSmall Grains such as...

Summer Forages Bermudagrass is a great warm season perennial used for grazing and hay.  If you have bermuda, make sure you are providing it with adequate levels of nitrogen and potash this summer to get optimal performance.  Bermuda is a heavy feeder.   There are also several warm season annual options producers can plant for grazing and baleage.  Summer annual grasses are high-yielding and have rapid growth during the hot, humid Georgia summers.  Once established, most are extremely drought tolerant.  Annuals are generally higher quality than their perennial counterparts.  Summer annuals work best in a rotational grazing situation.  Some of the...