Along with soluble proteins, amino acids, peptides and nitrate nitrogen, ammonia is part of the soluble protein (or ‘A’ fraction) of routine protein analysis and is generated by the deamination (removal of nitrogen-containing amino groups) of proteins, which reduces the overall quality of the protein.

Cattle consuming plants experiencing drought stress or plants harvested during drought conditions can be at higher health risks. So what risks are there with feedstuffs during a drought?

Drought is not often associated with catastrophic damage such as water; however, it can have catastrophic impacts – especially for animal feeding operations.

Hay testing is always valuable, but it is especially helpful when using crop residues and developing diets to stretch limited hay supplies. Before sending a sample in for analysis, it is always good to visit with a nutritionist to see what labs they recommend and what tests would be most appropriate for the sample being analyzed.