About Us
County Impact Statements - Johnson County
Forage Testing Helps in Managing High Quality Hay
Although there is a lab fee for forage analysis, Johnson county
producers are learning that forage testing pays. Producers have long recognized
that when they properly manage the inputs of fertility, weed control, and timely
hay cuttings they can improve the quality of their hay. It is hard to determine
just how good your hay quality will be from one cutting to the next. Without a
test you are just guessing.
Two factors that have increased the number of forage samples
submitted are increased hay sales and supplemental feed costs.
Several Johnson County producers are selling high quality hay to
ranchers with horses or small cattle operations. Although most buyers utilize
the visual test to determine the quality of hay, forage testing results in a
management tool that attaches value to the hay and assists with nutrition
decisions.
The single biggest annual expense to livestock producers is
winter feeding costs. Whether it is the production costs in producing hay, or
purchasing supplemental feeds, livestock producers recognize that the ability to
produce high quality hay can drastically reduce or eliminate the need for
purchasing feed.
Interest in these management practices is the result of
presentations, newsletters, field days and demonstrations that have been
conducted in Johnson County over the past several years.
Forage testing takes the guesswork out of hay quality. |
Impacts
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Twenty-three producers participated in a forage
field day.
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Eleven pasture weed control demonstrations were
conducted in 2003.
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Four producers utilized forage testing for the
first time in 2003.
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Horse enthusiasts are purchasing high quality
bermudagrass hay in traditional square bales.
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