Time to get hay tested: Winter Pasture program set for Tuesday, Sept. 8
The Van Zandt County Extension Livestock/Forage Committee will be collecting hay samples for the annual hay evaluation clinic from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8, at the Farm Bureau Building in Canton.
Following collection of the hay samples at 5:30 p.m., there will be a program on winter pastures, soil fertility and gearing pastures up for spring that will be available for producers in Van Zandt County.
Why is it important to get your hay analyzed for its feeding value? Forage testing provides useful information about the nutritive value of a forage, according to Van Zandt County Extension Agent Tommy Phillips.
“This information can be used to adjust the amount of protein and energy supplements that are fed with the forage in order to meet the needs of the animals,” Phillips said. “If the energy and protein content of the forage are relatively high, the amount of supplement can be reduced, resulting in a cost savings.
