Success StorySoil Testing program



Soil Testing program

Author: Colby Guffey

Planning Unit: Clinton County CES

Major Program: Soil testing

Plan of Work: Livestock, Poultry, & Crops

Outcome: Initial Outcome

In March of 2022 soil samples were sent to the UK soils lab for a local cow/calf producer to determine amount of fertilizer needed for hay in pasture growth.  After receiving the soil results back the ANR Agent, having previous knowledge of the producers’ fields and fertilizer practices, something was amiss.   The fields were showing major deficiency in P and K and the fertilizer recommendation was much higher than what the producer had been previously applying.  Having several years of soil testing history saved in the UK soil data program the ANR Agent called the producer to discuss what could have been the reason for such large changes in the fields P and K results. After discussion with the producer, it was determined that an error in sampling had occurred.  The producer stated that someone other than him had pulled the soil sample cores from the fields and had sampled to a depth much deeper than needed for no-till soil samples.  The baseline data from years of soil sampling through the UK soil testing program allowed the ANR Agent to review the fields in question and determine that the sampling error had caused the issue with the soil sample analysis.  The fields were fertilized based on 2021 soil samples thus saving the producer several thousand dollars in excessive fertilizer application due to sampling error.






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