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For
the past few years a hay contest has been conducted in association with
the Sunbelt Agriculture Exposition in Moultrie, Georgia. This year the
Expo will be held on October 16-18. It began as a tri-state
(Alabama/Florida/Georgia) event and has now expanded into a regional
competition. The analysis results alone are worth the entry fee. The
identity of persons submitting samples are anonymous except for winners.
Details are provided below.
Southeast
Hay Contest
Hay
Evaluation
Hay
and baleage samples will be evaluated in the following categories:
·
Warm Season Perennial Grass Hay
(i.e. bermudagrass, bahiagrass, johnsongrass)
·
Perennial Peanut and Alfalfa Hay
·
Cool Season Perennial Grass Hay
(tall fescue, orchardgrass)
·
Mixed and Annual Grass Hay
(clover/fescue, clover/ryegrass, bahiagrass/perennial peanut, millet,
ryegrass etc)
·
Grass Baleage
(high moisture bermudagrass, ryegrass etc. ensiled in wrapped bales)
·
Legume Baleage
(high moisture perennial peanut or alfalfa ensiled in wrapped bales)
Awards
will be dependent upon sponsorship of the program.
Hay
entries will be judged using NIR testing procedures by the University of
Georgia Feed and Environmental Water Lab. The entries will be ranked
using the Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) evaluation system, which
accounts for protein, energy and fiber digestibility.
If
necessary, ties in RFQ scores will be broken based on visual evaluation
by the Forage Specialists from Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina.
Entry
Requirements
This
contest is open to any hay or baleage producer from the southeastern
United States, but hay samples must be submitted by the farm where
the hay was grown.
Hay/baleage
samples, entry forms and analysis fees must be received by the UGA Feed
and Environmental Water Laboratory by Friday, September 21. The
fee for participation in the contest is the same as for standard NIRS
testing + nitrates (F2 test): $10 per sample. The standard lab form
for hay/silage analysis must be submitted with the sample. Forms are
available at: http://aesl.ces.uga.edu/forms/index.html.
A
completed contest entry form must also be submitted.
This form requires the signature of your local or regional County
Extension Agent. Agents must assign an entry number by state and county
on the entry form. This code will be used as the sample ID for analysis
and for display at the hay show to protect the identity of the producer
submitting the sample. (example: FL – Jackson Co- 12)
Lab
analysis samples must be taken from a single lot of hay and from a
minimum of 5-10 randomly sampled square or round bales.
Submit core samples for testing in a pint or quart sized zip-close bag
labeled with Sample ID as described above. A lot is defined as forage
taken from the same farm, field, and cut under uniform conditions within
a 48-hour time period. Analysis results should be available to the
producer and county agent within 7-10 days after submission.
A
grab sample of hay should be collected and submitted for display
purposes in a 1 or 2-gallon zip-close bag labeled with the Sample ID as
described above. No
baleage display sample is required due to storage issues. Display
samples will not be returned, so separate display samples should be
collected for entry into local or regional shows. Display samples may be
stored in county offices until September 2007. Contest winners will be
notified in early October.
Hay
samples must be taken from fields with a minimum maturity or re-growth
of at least 25 days to ensure fair competition. Hay from fields with
less than 25 days of growth will be disqualified.
Hay
samples for testing must be collected using a hay probe.
Hay
samples with nitrate levels over 5000 parts per million (ppm) on a dry
matter basis will be disqualified.
Dry
hay samples with over 18% moisture will be disqualified.
There are no moisture requirements for baleage categories.
Cored
entries for quality analysis should be submitted to:
Southeastern
Hay Contest, Feed and Environmental Water Lab (FEW), 2300 College
Station Road,
Athens, Georgia 30602-4356.
Include
the following contest entry form, a UGA lab analysis form, and make $10
checks payable to UGA FEW Lab.
For
Questions Concerning Show Entry Contact:
·
Dennis Hancock, University of Georgia Forage Specialist, 706-542-1529
·
John Andrae, Clemson University Forage Specialist, 864-656-3504
·
Don Ball, Auburn University Forage Specialist, 334-844-5491
·
Ann Blount,
University of Florida Forage Specialist, 850-875-7129
Don
Ball is an Extension Forage Crop Agronomist with Auburn University. |
