Nitrates and Livestock Water Quality

Apr 14, 2021

By Adele Harty

Nitrate poisoning is something we think about with forages such as millet, oats, corn, sorghum, sudan, kochia and others that have been fertilized or if there is a drought, but water can also be a contributing factor. Nitrate (NO3) is not especially toxic, however in ruminants and herbivores, the bacteria in the digestive tract convert nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2), which is readily absorbed and 10 times more toxic than nitrate.

Nitrate poisoning can be a concern due to runoff making its way into stock dams from nitrogen-fertilized fields. Nitrate is soluble and will be picked up and flow with runoff into a pond or into the recharge area for a spring or well, and can be of great concern if the field was fertilized with nitrogen. Typically we will see more of a problem with nitrates in wet years that have more runoff, but it is important to be aware of the potential issue in any year. Nitrate toxicity in water will be the same as for high nitrate forages. Again, we often think of high-nitrate forages as a drought concern, but in the case of water, it is more of a concern in wet years.

When determining nitrate levels in the diet, it is important to consider the level in the water as well as in any forage. Nitrate levels are commonly provided in lab reports in one of two ways, either as NO3-N or NO3. Determine which way it is reported in a given lab report and compare to the following levels:

Levels of nitrate-N (NO3-N) in water and the risk levels:

0-100 ppm-Safe
100-300 ppm-Use caution, and consider the additive effect with feed
>300 ppm-Potentially toxic

Levels of nitrate (NO3) in water and the risk levels:

0-440 ppm-Safe
440-1300 ppm-Use caution, and consider the additive effect with feed
>1300 ppm-Potentially toxic

Levels of nitrate-N (NO3-N) in forage and the risk levels:

0-0.15%-Safe
0.15-0.45%-Use caution, may need to dilute or limit feed forages.
>0.45%-Potentially toxic

Levels of nitrate (NO3) in forage and the risk levels:

0-0.65%-Safe
0.65-2%-Use caution, may need to dilute or limit feed forages
>2%-Potentially toxic

SDSU Extension Regional Centers have electroconductivity (EC) meters, which measure total salt content in water. This provides a reasonable estimate of whether water quality is a concern. If the EC meter suggests problems, a water sample can be sent to a laboratory to accurately measure actual nitrate levels. Knowledge of these levels gives the rancher the ability to manage potential problems. For more information contact your local Cow/Calf Field Specialist.

Source : sdstate.edu

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.