2008 Manitoba Provincial Hay Competition

Entry Deadline

November 21st, 2008 

Competition classes available:

 
•    Legume (greater than 75% legume)
•    Legume/grass (combination of legume/grass)
•    Grass (greater than 75% grass)
•    Greenfeed
•    Horse (for maintenance of a mature horse)
•    Horse (for growth and performance

Sample Submissions

•    250 grams of core sample must accompany each entry.  Be sure to clearly label the core sample to the correct class entry.

•    250 grams of core sample is one 8” X 10”  bag packed to the top. 

Use an 8” X 10” and fill to the top.

Rules & Conditions

2008 Manitoba Forage Council
Provincial Hay Competition Rules and Conditions

The Provincial Hay Competition is designed to promote quality hay production and knowledge¬able hay marketing. Only Manitoba Producers are eligible to enter this competition.

1.    Class: Forage producers may enter in one or more classes. Separate samples, entry forms and fees must accompany each entry submitted. The six classes include:
A.    Legume (greater than 75% legume)
B.    Legume/Grass (combination of legume/grass)
C.    Grass (greater than 75% grass)
D.    Greenfeed
E.    Horse (for maintenance of a mature horse)
F.    Horse (for growth and performance)

2.    Production: Hay samples must be grown on the farm of the entrant during the 2008 growing season and must be from a regular forage production field (minimum of 25 acres).  It must be obvious that the hay entry came from a bale. Hay that has not been baled will not be accepted.

NEW ENTRY DETAILS IN RULE #3!

3.    Sample Entry: Hay Samples must be 2 flakes from small bale, 1 flake from medium or large square bale, or approximately 10 lbs. from a round bale.  Each entry must be accompanied by 250 grams of core sample from the entered lot.  Label each entry with your name, address and class.  Send sample(s), entry form(s), and $30.00 per entry to: Your Regional GO Team Office OR Brandon GO Team Office at 1129 Queens Ave, Brandon, MB R7A 1L9
Attention: Jane Thornton.

Samples and entries must be received by Friday, November 21st, 2008.

4.    Analysis: All hay samples will be analyzed using Near Infra Red Analysis. In addition, the horse hay categories will be analyzed for mold spore counts.

The four categories of A, B, C, & D will be judged as follows:
Forage Analysis 70%, Physical Characteristics 30%
Category E & F will be judged as follows:
Forage Analysis 50%, Physical Characteristics 50%

5.    Results: Winners will be contacted by the Manitoba Forage Council and competition finalist hay entries will be displayed at Ag Days January 20 – 22nd and the Forage Symposium February 17, 18th, 2009. Awards will be presented at the Forage Symposium.  Results will be mailed to contestants after all samples have been analyzed and judged. If contestants want their sample back it will be their responsibility to pick up the sample.

6.    Classes with only one entry will be placed according to the following scale:

Placing    Score Range
1st                    95 – 100
2nd                  89 – 94
3rd                   83 – 88
4th                   82 – 87
5th                   76 – 81
6th                   70 – 75

7.    The decision of the judges in all matters will be final.

2007 Provincial Hay Competition Winners

Good hay was generally a rare commodity this year. In some areas early season rains pretty much squashed any dreams of good quality hay on the first cutting.  Then in some areas the taps turned off and there was very little hay to be cut on the second or third go rounds. Even with the weak US dollar, markets were quite strong for any good hay in the US.  I know that good hay had no trouble finding a home this past year.

Despite the yearly problems with putting up good quality hay the Hay Competition had some very fine hay to judge this year. It was also our first year to display the hay finalists at Ag Days and I am happy to report that Ag Days organizers and participants seemed happy with the interest.

Below are three years of data from the mold spore counts done for the Horse Hay classes. You can see there is quite a range and each year can be quite different from the previous year indicating that molds are always present, you just need the right conditions for them to grow.

Mold spore counts range from year to year and sample to sample:
              

Year       22 deg C Colony Forming Unit/g             35 deg C Colony Forming Unit/g
                (range)                                                             (range)

2005       40 to 700,000                                                10 to 280,000
2006       6,000 to 65,000                                             1000 to 18,000
2007       350 to 23,000                                                 200 to 5,000

While I use these mold counts for judging purposes there is no research that indicates at what level they become detrimental to the horse’s health.  Therefore, my motivation for using them in the judging is to bring awareness to the hay producer and buyer as to the significant impact they can have on horse health.

I would like to thank the hay producers for taking the time to enter into the Hay Competition and the Manitoba Forage Council for their sponsorship of this competition.  This year first place winners receive a lovely fleece jacket.  Keep up the good work and I look forward to your entries in 2008.

By Jane Thornton, MAFRI

Congratulations to our 2007 Hay Competition Winners!

Class A – Legume > 75% legume

1st Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa Lot 2
2nd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 3rd cut Gala alfalfa  
3rd Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa Lot 3

Class B – Legume/grass

1st Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa/grass Lot 1
2nd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 2nd cut Gala alfalfa/Baridana orchard grass  
3rd Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Gala alfalfa/Fleet meadow brome Lot DF-07-L/G

Class C – Grass > 75% grass

1st Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Fleet meadow brome

Class E – Horse hay for maintenance of the mature horse

1st Place – Sunnyside Farms Ltd. of Russell – 1st cut Drummond timothy Lot MBS 03
2nd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut quackgrass/timothy/alfalfa
3rd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut orchard grass/meadow brome/timothy

Class F – Horse hay for growth and performance

1st Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut timothy/alfalfa
2nd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut orchard grass/Fleet meadow brome/timothy/alfalfa
3rd Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut meadow brome/quackgrass

2006 Provincial Hay Competition Winners

Congratulations to our 2006 Winners!

Class A – Legume > 75% legume

1st Place – Chapman Bros. of Virden – 3rd cut Pickseed 8925
2nd Place – David & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 3rd cut alfalfa
3rd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – a 3rd cut alfalfa

Class B – Legume/grass

1st Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 2nd cut Proven
Legend II alfalfa/Fleet MBG blend
2rd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut
timothy/alfalfa blend

Class C – Grass > 75% grass

1st Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut Fleet
MBG/Able alfalfa blend
2nd Place – Dennis Friesen of Wawanesa – 1st cut Fleet MBG
3rd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 2nd cut OG/MBG/
timothy and alfalfa blend

Class E – Horse hay for maintenance of the mature horse

1st Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 1st cut OG/MBG/
timothy blend
2nd Place – Kooistra Hay Sales of Swan River – 1st cut native
grass
3rd Place – Dave & Harley Henry of Rossendale – 1st cut native
grass

Class F – Horse hay for growth and performance

1st Place – Chapman Bros. Farms of Virden – 1st cut MBG
2nd Place – E & E Newfield of Winnipeg – 2nd cut
OG/MBG/timothy/alfalfa blend
3rd Place – Kooistra Hay