LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — For many Kentucky farmers, hay and feed represent one of their biggest annual expenses. But without proper testing, it's often difficult to determine if that feed actually meets their animals' nutritional needs.
"KDA had been doing testing for years and the testing that they did probably reached its height in 2018 to 2019 and since then it has started to drop off," said Jenny Combs, agriculture research specialist.
Recognizing this gap in services, the University of Kentucky's Division of Regulatory Services partnered with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension Service to take over forage testing operations.
"We implemented and started testing samples in about September and really started rolling out and testing a fair number of samples in November. We are fully up and running and reporting out results now for extension agents and producers," Combs said.
The university purchased the necessary equipment to test livestock feed, providing farmers with crucial data about their forage quality.
"Knowing what your forage and your feed has in it allows you to make better decisions for your animals," Combs said.
Different animals have varying nutritional requirements, and making assumptions can prove costly for farmers.
"A milk cow, for example, needs a higher nutritional value feed than a beef cow that's out on the pasture waiting to be slaughtered for meat," Combs said.
For $22, farmers can test their hay or feed to determine if it meets their animals' specific needs or if supplements are required to maintain animal health.
"Education is power. I think the more that our producers know, the better able they will be to make decisions that will benefit them. And knowing that we are helping the producers of Kentucky is a win, I think, in everybody's book," Combs said.
