By Kim Ricardo
High nitrate levels in hay and forage can pose serious health risks to livestock, particularly pregnant animals and ruminants such as cattle. Environmental conditions including drought stress, frost, cloudy weather, hail damage, or heavy nitrogen fertilization can increase nitrate accumulation in plants. Because nitrate toxicity can lead to reduced performance, illness, or death in livestock, testing forage before feeding is an important management practice.
Nitrate test strips provide producers with a quick, low-cost screening tool to estimate nitrate concentrations in hay or fresh forage. While test strips do not replace laboratory analysis, they can help identify potentially hazardous forage and determine whether additional testing or feeding precautions are needed. Producers who suspect elevated nitrate levels or who receive high strip-test readings should consult a veterinarian, Extension field specialist, or certified forage testing laboratory for assistance interpreting results and developing safe feeding strategies.
For more information on nitrate testing servies offered by SDSU Extension or questions regarding nitrates in forages, please contact Jaelyn Whaley, Parker Witt, or Kim Ricardo.
Source : sdstate.edu