All beef cattle and hay producers are encouraged to turn in a sample of their hay for analysis at this year’s Austin County Hay Show scheduled for Oct. 4. Hay sample collection boxes and forms will be available at the following drop-off locations: Bellville Farm & Ranch, Linseisen’s Feed & Supply Inc., and Austin County Extension Office, all in Bellville; Steinhauser’s in Sealy; Bernardo Farm & Ranch in Cat Spring; 4M Feed & Ranch in New Ulm; and Lindemann Store in Industry.
Samples will be accepted from Aug. 1-Aug. 31. Analysis of hay samples will be done by the Texas A&M Forage testing lab. Results will be available after the Annual Fall Forage Seminar at the Austin County Fairgrounds on Oct. 4 or mailed directly to the producer following the program. Each location will have entry forms and directions for collecting samples. The analysis is offered free of charge to anyone growing or feeding hay to livestock.
The analysis will give producers very useful information such as the crude protein level, total digestibil- ity, and acid detergent fiber (ratio of leaf to stem). The testing campaign and hay show is open to any hay producer from Austin or surrounding counties.
Producers may submit as many samples as they wish for analysis in each of the following categories: Improved (Hybrid) Bermudagrass (Except T-85) (e.g., Coastal, Jiggs, Alicia), Other Bermudagrasses (e.g.,
Common Bermudagrass, Tifton 85), Warm Season Annual Grasses (e.g., Rice Straw, Hay Grazer, Su dan Crosses, Sorghum Alum), Other Warm Season Perennial Grasses (e.g., Eastern Gamagrass, Bluestem, Johnsongrass, Kleingrass, Bahia- grass), Cool Season Grasses (e.g.,
Wheat, Oats, Cereal Rye, Rye- grass), Legumes (e.g., Clover, Pea nut, Cowpea), Legume/Grass Mix- tures (e.g., Rye/Clover, Oats/Vetch), and new this year, All other Mixed Grasses (e.g., Bermudagrass/Ba hia, Bermudagrass/Johnsongrass). Please refer to the Austin County Hay Show Guidelines available online at https://austin.agrilife.org/ hay-show/.
For information on submitting a forage sample for analysis or on supplementing beef cattle, contact the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Austin County at 979-865-2072.
