Alert - Prussic acid danger in Oklahoma sorghum

Jul 08, 2024

Rising prussic acid levels in sorghum plants pose threats to cattle, says OSU Extension.

By Farms.com

Oklahoma State University Extension has recently highlighted a critical concern for cattle ranchers—prussic acid toxicity in sorghum-based forages.

This issue has become increasingly prevalent due to environmental factors that elevate toxin levels in plants like Johnsongrass, particularly during periods of drought and high temperatures.

The concern revolves around the ingestion of these forages by cattle, which can lead to severe health issues such as muscle tremors, staggering, and even death.

Prussic acid toxicity is notably more dangerous in younger plants and those undergoing stress, where the toxin concentration is highest.

Ranchers are strongly advised to follow a set of guidelines to protect their livestock. Key recommendations include conducting forage tests for toxin levels before pasture grazing, ensuring cattle are not hungry when introduced to new pastures, and using rotation and careful observation strategies to manage grazing effectively.

By adopting these practices, ranchers can significantly reduce the risk of prussic acid poisoning, ensuring the health and productivity of their livestock in challenging environmental conditions.

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.