Extreme Drought Leads to Increased Nitrate and Water Quality Testing

Published: 2022
By Rose Malisani

Cascade County’s D3 drought is classified as extreme drought with only one more category being more severe. Many producers could not harvest forages due to drought, reduced plant growth, and grasshoppers. Producers with a crop to harvest reached out to MSU Extension for nitrate testing. Cascade County MSU Extension uses forage nitrate strip tests because the test gives an exact number of nitrate concentrations. Feeding forages with high nitrate levels can cause abortions, reduced milk production, weak offspring, or death. Nitrate tests from a lab can cost $20 per test, whereas testing through MSU Extension is free. There were 25 forage nitrate strip tests conducted through Cascade County MSU Extension, which saved producers $500. Livestock can also die due to high sulfates and total dissolved solids in water. One livestock producer reached out to Cascade County MSU Extension when four cattle died in September. The cattle were being fed in a corral with an automatic waterer. Cascade County MSU Extension encouraged the producer to test for sulfates after describing symptoms of cattle foaming at the mouth, stargazing, and blindness. The well water came back with 51,000 mg/L of sulfate concentration; above 4,000 mg/L is classified as having high mortality rates. The producer saved the rest of his cattle, valued at around $25,000. Cascade County MSU Extension worked with MSU Extension Beef Specialists Megan Van Emon and Sam Wyffels, Northern Ag Research Center Superintendent Darrin Boss, MSU Extension Water Quality Specialist Adam Sigler, and North Border Analytics owner Brian Grebliunas in water treatment, testing, and toxicity.