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Drought Secret Weapon

Improve low-quality forages with ammonia treatment.

Above: MU Extension agronomist Rusty Lee adjusts the amount of anhydrous ammonia released from a tank during a demonstration on ammoniating hay.

Livestock producers can stretch short supplies of hay this year by using a simple ammonia treatment on bales, says University of Missouri (MU) Extension agronomist Rusty Lee. Ammoniation boosts the nutritive value of poor-quality hay and makes it more digestible for cows and horses.


Before the haystack is covered and sealed, a tube is run from the ammonia tank to a bucket in the stack.

Craig Roberts, MU Extension state forage specialist, calls ammoniation a “secret weapon” in drought-stressed areas. With proper ammoniation, the nutritional value of hay, cornstalks and straw can improve significantly, even double, at a reasonable cost.


Lee says it is important to ammoniate only poor-quality hay. Higher-quality grass hay can become toxic with nitrates after ammonia treatment and cause “crazy cow” syndrome when fed. A maximum rate of 50 pounds (lb.) of anhydrous ammonia per ton of straw should be observed to avoid nitrate issues.


Producers should not worry if their tall fescue is endophyte-infested before ammonia treatment, Roberts says. MU research shows that ammoniated tall fescue is about five times less toxic than pasture, as the toxins break down during ammoniation.


The process takes one week to a month, depending on temperature, says Lee. If the temperature is 85° F or higher, one week is recommended. Treat two to three weeks in milder temperatures and up to four weeks when temperatures fall. Lee says three weeks is a good average.


Presenters and attendees at a demonstration on ammoniating hay unravel the tarp that will cover the hay during the ammoniation process. The tarp needs to be sealed so gas does not escape the haystack.

Follow these steps:


MU Extension agricultural business specialist Ken Bolte compacts dirt to seal a stack of hay bales that will receive an ammonia treatment to improve the quality of the hay.

Cost to ammoniate is $20-$30 per ton, depending on costs of plastic sheeting and ammonia in your area, Lee says.


For more information, contact Lee at 573-564-3733 or leerw@missouri.edu. You may also contact the agronomist at your county Extension center.

 

 


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Editor’s Note: Linda Geist is a writer for University of Missouri Extension.



 

 

 

 

 

 





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