NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
November 4, 1999
With some confection sunflowers being rejected because of high levels of Sclerotinia, producers are looking for other ways to use the disease-damaged crop.
North Dakota State University plant pathologists say it appears there are no toxins associated with Sclerotinia, also known as white mold, in sunflowers. "That means there is an opportunity to utilize livestock to salvage some value from these damaged crops," says Greg Lardy, NDSU Extension beef cattle specialist.
"Follow normal feeding recommendations for sunflowers in cattle diets," Lardy says. "As a general rule, keep added fat in the diet from any oilseed below 2.5 percent to 3 percent. Above these levels, rumen fiber digestion will likely be reduced."
Sunflowers, especially oil type, are high in fat, so the amount you add to the diet should be restricted, Lardy notes. In some cases, oil-type sunflowers contain up to 45 percent fat. The amount that could be added to the diet would be 7 to 10 percent depending on fat levels -- about 1.5 to 2 pounds per head per day for backgrounding calves and 2.1 to 3 pounds per head per day for beef cows. Confection-type sunflower seeds tend to run lower in oil content so higher feeding levels are possible.
"If producers are using these sunflowers in cattle rations, I'd advise them to have a laboratory analysis done on them," Lardy says. "As with any damaged feedstuff, the nutrient value is likely to be extremely variable and a test will help you formulate more accurate rations. In particular, fat level of the seeds should be determined prior to feeding."
Lardy notes that some producers are cleaning sunflowers to remove mold particles and damaged seed. Screenings from that cleaning process should be used with extreme caution.
"That material is going to have an extremely high level of disease in it and the effects of feeding it aren't known. Pregnant cows may be particularly at risk for aborting their calves," he says. These sunflower screenings are likely to be very low in nutritional value.
In addition, Lardy notes that any feeds which are dusty or otherwise unpalatable should not be used as feeds to wean or start calves on feed.
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Source: Greg Lardy (701) 231-7660
Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629