Robyn Stewart
Lincoln County is home to a large number of cattle and livestock, which means we also produce quite a bit of hay and forage. Each year at the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo there is a new winner crowned for the Southeastern Hay Contest. In 2019 Mr. Loring Heard of the Chennault Plantation here in Lincolnton won 2nd place in the cool season grass hay category. While the 2020 Sunbelt Agricultural Expo has been cancelled due to Covid-19, the Southeastern Hay Contest is still on.
The Southeastern Hay Contest (SEHC) was started in 2004 as a collaborative effort between Auburn University, Clemson University, The University of Florida, and The University of Georgia. The contest has been a key tool for promoting the importance of high-quality hay and forage production in seven states- Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, South Carolina, Arkansas, and Texas. There are a variety of categories one can compete in: warm season perennial grass hay (bermudagrass, bahiagrass), alfalfa hay, perennial peanut hay, perennial cool season grass (tall fescue, orchardgrass, etc.) hay, mixed and annual grass hay, grass baleage, and legume baleage.
Each forage sample submitted to the SEHC is tested for a Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) which is then used to compare it to the other submissions. Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) uses the Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN) and the Dry Matter Intake (DMI) of a forage to determine quality—it tells us how much nutrition the forage contains and how much of that forage we can expect an animal to actually eat. RFQ can then be used to match forage quality with a class of animal. For example, an RFQ of 100 may be appropriate to maintain beef steers, while an RFQ of 140-160 is appropriate for dairy cows in their first 3 months of lactation. The RFQ’s submitted to the 2019 SEHC across all categories ranged from 133 to 241.
A key part of entering the SEHC is to take a representative hay sample for analysis. You must take 5-10 random core samples from a single lot of hay (taken from the same farm, field, and cut under uniform conditions within a 48-hour time period). From your core samples, fill a 1 or 2-gallon Ziplock bag for submission to the UGA Feed Lab and fill a quart size bag to be held at your local Extension office until the end of the contest. Fields must have a minimum re-growth or maturity of 25 days to be eligible, and samples must be taken with a core hay probe. Forages with over 5000 ppm nitrate levels or over 18% moisture will be disqualified. The Lincoln County Extension Office has drill-powered hay corers available for you to use and can assist with taking and submitting your hay samples if needed.
In order to enter the SEHC, producers must submit their sample, entry form, analysis and entry fees ($22) to the UGA FEW Lab by Tuesday, September 1st, 2020. Samples submitted after this date will be automatically considered for the 2021 contest. The entry form must be signed by your local county Extension Agent (that’s me!) prior to submission and must be submitted with the forage sample you are entering. Forage that has already been tested cannot be submitted into the contest- you would need to send a new sample with the correct entry form and fees. If you are a winner of the contest, you will need a representative to be present at the awards ceremony to accept your prize. Cash prizes are given to each place in each category: $150 for 1st place, $100 for 2nd, and $75 for 3rd. The best overall (highest RFQ) across all categories wins the use of Massey Ferguson equipment for the next year and $1000 in cash.
If you are interested in submitting your hay or forage for the 2020 SEHC, you still have time to do so. Please reach out to us at uge3181@uga.edu or 706-359-3233 with any questions!
