Canola producers are typical of farmers forced by the worsening seasonal conditions to consider using their failed crops for grazing or making hay.

Before using canola as a feed, producers need to find out the nutritive value of the feed and how to minimise the health risks to their sheep and cattle.

“Livestock producers wishing to purchase roughage also need information on the nutritive value of canola as a roughage source to both sheep and cattle,” John Irwin, NSW DPI beef cattle officer at Yanco said.

“Test results have indicated a wide range of values for energy, protein and digestibility.

“To better determine value for money and to enable comparison of different feeds more accurately, a simple feed test is available from the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) feed testing service at the Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute.”

Feed samples sent for basic testing of energy, protein and digestibility take three to five days and cost $53.30.

Feed test kits can be obtained by phoning (1800) 675 623.

Specific enquiries should be directed to (02) 6938 1957.

Mr Irwin said grazing canola or feeding canola hay can sometimes be poisonous to livestock.

“To minimise the risks of health problems occurring when stock are grazed on a canola crop it is important that hungry stock are not put onto the crop,” he said.

“Ensure that stock have at least a partial gut fill when they are turned into the paddock.

“Initially restrict grazing to short periods or allow stock to have access to an adjoining paddock in which some alternative feed is available.

“Where possible, provide supplementary feed such as hay or grain to dilute the intake of canola.”

Mr Irwin said a good option was to introduce a small number of stock and observe them closely for a few days.

“If there are no problems, introduce the rest of the mob but again ensure they have at least partial gut fill,” he said.

“Monitor the mob regularly and immediately remove them if any unusual behaviour is observed, and take special care to inspect the mob more frequently during dull, rainy weather or following heavy frosts.”

The regional veterinary laboratory at Elizabeth MacArthur Agricultural Institute Camden can perform nitrate/nitrite tests on fresh or dried canola samples to determine if the level will be toxic.

The test costs $14.85 and results are available within 24 hours of receiving samples.

A testing sample sufficient to fill an A4 envelope should be sent to:

Regional Veterinary Laboratory
PMB 8 Camden 2570.
The duty vet can be contacted on (02) 4640 6327.

Contact John Irwin, Yanco, (02) 6951 2630