5
Cattle density in the United States
= Servi-Tech Laboratories
Hastings, Nebraska
Dodge City, Kansas
Amarillo, Texas
molds. These molds grow on agricultural commodities
in field or during storage. Toxicity problems from
growth of these molds are more common with warmer,
wetter conditions.
“Servi-Tech is able to provide testing for fumonisin,
which was a major concern within our footprint this
past fall,” said Royle.
Fumonisin is associated with various adverse health
effects in livestock and is considered a cancer-causing
agent in people. It can affect horses drastically after
ingestion and can cause a myriad of symptoms, even
death, of the horse.
Servi-Tech Labs in Amarillo recently became certified
as an approved location in the “One Sample Strategy”
for aflatoxin and fumonisin.
Sampling requirements call for a minimum of a
5-pound sample pulled by a certified grain sampler.
Feed testing is an important service provided to
livestock producers, but there are other lab services
important to the livestock operation. Analysis and
monitoring of the livestock drinking water supply has
become important as water sources may change over
time.
Many livestock operations are required to implement
a land application plan as part of their facility operating
permit. This usually requires nutrient analysis of the
manure, compost, or wastewater to be applied and soil
samples from the land scheduled to receive the collected
livestock wastes.
Other services
Other services that can complement feed testing
include livestock drinking water analysis and analysis
of manure and lagoon water.
THE COVER CROP