Clay County Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with various producers across the county to provide entries for the 2021 East Kentucky Hay Contest. In addition to getting a free hay analysis, the participating producers also had the opportunity to have a custom ration developed for the class of livestock to which they would be feeding their hay. By the end of the sampling period, twelve Clay County producers provided 33 samples for analysis by University of Kentucky forage specialists.

The East Kentucky Hay Contest provides an opportunity for producers across the region to engage in good-natured competition, but the event also provides an opportunity for on-farm engagement with producers. This dialogue provided Clay County Extension staff with the opportunity to provide additional information and resources around the latest available research in forage management. Given that hay costs are consistently one of the largest expenses borne by cow-calf operations in Kentucky (estimated at $88/cow-calf pair in 2021), management actions that improve quality and utilization of this resource can lead to higher on-farm profitability.