Tanks that are used to haul nitrogen-based fertilizer should not be used to transport any type of drinking water supply for animals. Steve Ensley, of Iowa State University's Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine Department at Ames, warns that once a tank has been used to haul fertilizer, it's very difficult, if not impossible, to remove all of the nitrogen sources from that tank.
"Any nitrogen sources remaining in the tank can potentially cause nitrate toxicosis in ruminant animals," Ensley says. "During a drought many forages become elevated in nitrate concentration so you don't want to compound any issues with feed and water nitrate concentrations because they are additive. We strongly recommend that you haul drinking water only in tanks that are dedicated to that purpose."
Be careful which tank you use if you're hauling water for livestock. Once a tank has been used to haul fertilizer, it's difficult if not impossible to remove all the nitrogen sources from the tank.
The ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory offers water quality testing. For more information on that and all the tests offered, click here.
Manure control for small beef feedlots is a tour set for Northwest Iowa
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Beef Center at ISU will host a three-site tour for beef producers in Lyon County early next month. Extension ag engineer Kris Kohl said the half-day tour on Aug. 7 will take place in northwest Iowa and it will provide an opportunity for feedlot operators to look at different manure control structures and management options for small open feedlots. Attendees on this tour will also have the opportunity to hear from Extension staff on costs associated and related to each system.
"Two of the locations feature effluent pumping and are part of a demonstration project funded by the Iowa Beef Center," Kohl says. "The third shows an alternative technology of a settling basin with grass infiltration strip and is funded with EQIP dollars."
* The tour starts at 1 p.m. at the Brian Mogler farm located two miles south of the town of Lester at 1695 Dove Avenue (which is county road K30). This location demonstrates how producers can collect manure effluent below settling basins and pump the effluent to nearby cropland, redirecting the nutrients away from water sources.