Hay and The 2016 New York State Fair

By J. Hansen, J. Lawrence, S. Flis and N. Weber

Following a dry summer in 2016, 40 bales were entered in the 2016 State Fair Hay Contest. Hay was entered from farms in Alton, Auburn, Bainbridge, Brooktondale, Cazenovia, Central Square, Croghan, Fulton, LaFayette, Moravia, Pompey, Richfield Springs, Sodus, and Tully. Hay was entered in one of nine Conventional Hay Classes or one of seven Organic Hay Classes.

Hay was judged based on the physical characteristics (50 points: molding/odor, foreign material, maturity, leaf retention, color) and on forage lab analyses (50 points: dry matter, crude protein, fiber, fiber digestibility). Physical score averaged 39 points and the Chemical score averaged 37. The grand and reserve champion bales for conventional and organic had a physical score average of 46 and a chemical score average of 46.

Thanks to all who entered hay bales in this contest and congratulations to the winners. Please consider entering your hay this year in August (http://nysfair.ny.gov/competitions/how-to-enter/). Thanks to DairyOne for analyzing the hay samples. Thanks to John Sinkovitz and Jasmine Umrigar for assisting the judges and organizing the hay.

For 2017, a $10.00 exhibitor’s fee and form must be sent no later than July 28. Individual classes may be entered or changed until August 22.

Figure 1: Results of the Hay Judging Contest. Hay classes were 1=first cut alfalfa, 2=first cut alfalfa acid treated, 3=alfalfa later cuttings, 4=alfalfa later cuttings acid treated, 5=first cut alfalfa grass mixture, 6=later cut alfalfa grass mixture, 7=first cut grass, 8=later cut grass, 9=other, 107=Organic first cut grass, 108=Organic late cut grass, 109 = Organic Other.
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