Ozark Empire Fair hay results announced

The 2018 Ozark Empire Fair Hay and Haylage Show had a familiar name win the champion ribbon. Glenn and Toni Obermann, Monett, claimed the purple ribbon for the fifth time in the last nine years.

The Obermanns’ top hay was an alfalfa-orchardgrass mix that was a May 5 cutting. The varieties in the mix were WL alfalfa and Crown Royal orchardgrass. The Relative Forage Quality was 234.35. The total digestible nutrient level was 60.14 percent with the crude protein at 22.7 percent.

The second place hay in the grass-legume class also came from the Obermann Farm with a 185.39 RFQ. RFQ is an objective measurement that serves to analyze the nutrient content following the lab work. The lab used this year, Custom Lab of Duenweg, Missouri, formerly of Golden City, is owned and operated by Steve Currence.

Normally, the champion hay comes from the legume class, which had 13 entries. Charles Krueger, Verona, had the winner in that class with an RFQ of 210.60. It did top the 34 entries overall in TDN at 70 percent and CP at 23.9 percent. The Krueger RFQ was second high overall which earned it the reserve champion ribbon at the fair.

Placing second in the legume class was Jared Kleiboeker, Wentworth, with a 202.15 RFQ. Following in third was another Obermann entry with RFQ of 195.50 and Jim Stine, Clever, was fourth with a 192.39 value. The average of the 13 entries in the legume class was 178.39, 63.19 percent TDN and a CP of 21 percent.

The straight cool season grass class had seven entries. Marcia Moreland, Crane, claimed the top two spots. The winner was orchardgrass cut on May 5 with a 138.96 RFQ. The TDN level was 60.82 percent with the CP 12.8 percent. Her second place hay was Kentucky 31 fescue also cut on May 5. It’s RFQ was 123.45, TDN 61.49 percent and CP of 17.3 percent. Kevin Dotson, Billings, also had a Kentucky 31 fescue cut May 121 that had a 109.21 RFQ, TDN of 56.72 percent and CP of 14.3 percent.

Class three, the warm season grass class, saw Jack Gilliam, La Russell, win with an excellent bermuda grass with a 138.75 RFQ, TDN 62.30 and CP at 16.2 percent. Sam Schaumann, Billings, placed second with 115.79 RFQ.

Since the move to using only RFQ values, the OEF show attracts a few haylage entries. Jeff and Justin Moennig, Pierce City, topped the legume class with a TFV of 168.76. Their TDN level was 65.20 percent with 21.3 percent CP. It was harvested on May 8. The two other entries were close behind with RFQ’s of 163.50 and 162.50. Entries were from Steven Kleiboeker and Jared Kleiboeker, both of Wentworth.

The annual grass haylage class was won by Karl Wilke, Mt. Vernon, with his cereal rye that had an RFQ of 152.38, TDN of 62.56 percent and CP of 19.9 percent. The Moennigs also entered this class with cereal rye and placed second very close to the Wilke entry at 150.01 RFQ.

"An interesting fact regarding the hay show is that many of the quality hay producers are either dairy farmers or have been dairy producers," said Eldon Cole, livestock specialist with University of Missouri Extension.

A booklet is available that lists the hay test results on all entries as well as the average dating back to the first Ozark Empire Fair hay show in 1985.

Test results for this year’s exhibitors are online at http://extension.missouri.edu/lawrence.

For more information, contact any of these MU Extension agronomy specialists in southwest Missouri: Tim Schnakenberg in Stone County, 417-357-6812; Jill Scheidt in Barton County, 417-682-3579; and Sarah Kenyon in Howell County, 417-256-2391.