 Nevada
County Podcast
October 21, 2008
Forage Sampling (1:51 minutes)
Audio/Video Script:
Melissa Beck
County Extension Agent - Staff Chair
[Title Slide] Forage Sampling, Melissa Beck, Nevada County, University of
Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
[Picture of a producer taking a core sample from a bale] Times are tight for
cattle producers and that means developing a least cost supplementation program
is more important than ever. Hello, I'm Melissa Beck, Nevada County Extension
Agent.
Forage analysis, the first step in creating your least cost supplementation
program. It is essential because forages can be variable in nutrient content.
[Bar chart] This table shows the wide variation in crude protein content of
Bermudagrass hay samples submitted to the UA agricultural diagnostic service
laboratory. Similar variation in quality is not uncommon on individual farms,
which makes yearly forage testing essential.
[Picture of a producer taking a core sample from a round bale of hay] Good
forage analysis begins with good sampling. Test each cutting from a single
field. Core samples allow for more sample accuracy and better sampling of
various plant materials.
[Picture of another producer taking a core sample from a bale of hay] To get
a good core sample utilize the forage sampling probes available at your county
Extension office.
For the best accuracy you should sample twenty to thirty percent of the bales
from a cutting.
[Slide showing meeting information] On November 4th the Nevada County and
Clark County Extension offices will conduct a Winter Feeding Meeting at the
Clark County Fairgrounds in Arkadelphia beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the EHC
Kitchen. The cost of the meeting is $20.00 and this will allow each farm to have
up to five forage samples analyzed, this is a $90.00 value. There will be a
summarized program on supplemental feeding, forage quality management, and
nutrient utilization. One-on-one consultation will be available. For more
information contact Nevada County Cooperative Extension Service at 870-887-2818.
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