By Scout Nelson
Nebraska Extension is encouraging livestock and forage producers to participate in on-farm research while also raising awareness about updated recommendations for managing prussic acid risks in sorghum crops affected by frost.
The Nebraska On-Farm Research Network allows producers to evaluate agricultural practices under real-world farming conditions. The program connects farmers and ranchers with Extension specialists to address questions related to forage production, pasture management, and profitability.
Producers can compare fertilizer programs, forage varieties, seeding rates, weed-control strategies, irrigation methods, and grazing systems. Nebraska Extension assists with trial design, data collection, and analysis to measure impacts on forage yield, quality, and economic returns.
Extension educators note that determining whether a management practice is unprofitable can be just as valuable as finding one that improves returns. Producers interested in conducting research are encouraged to contact their local Nebraska Extension office or the Nebraska On-Farm Research Network.
Extension specialists are also reminding livestock owners to take precautions when grazing or harvesting sorghum after frost events. Sorghum species, including forage sorghum, grain sorghum, and sorghum-sudangrass, can develop hazardous levels of prussic acid when freezing temperatures damage plant tissue.
Frost injury can trigger the release of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), commonly known as prussic acid, which can be deadly to livestock. Sudangrass generally carries the lowest risk, while forage and grain sorghum present the highest risk. Millet species are not associated with prussic acid toxicity.
Producers are advised to remove livestock from affected pastures when freezing temperatures are expected and delay grazing for at least seven days after a frost. If additional frost events occur before plants are completely killed, the waiting period should begin again. Regrowth after frost damage can contain particularly high levels of prussic acid.
Recent research indicates that drying sorghum for hay does not always eliminate prussic acid risks. While drying may reduce some hydrogen cyanide, compounds capable of releasing cyanide can remain in the forage and pose a risk when consumed by livestock.
Extension experts recommend testing hay made from drought-stressed, immature, or frost-damaged sorghum before feeding. They also advise producers to test for nitrates when crops have experienced drought stress or high nitrogen conditions, as nitrate toxicity can occur independently of prussic acid concerns.
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Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Sorghum, Livestock