California silage-corn producers and Wyoming hay growers dominated the World Ag Expo Forage Challenge, announced Feb. 12 at the Tulare, CA, farm show.
In the alfalfa hay category, Dave Hinman, Hardrock Farms, Inc., and Daryl Tiltrum, Dipper Tee Sheep, LLC, both of Wheatland, WY, took first and second place, respectively. First-time entrants Rick and Kim Perigo, Valiant Penny Hay Co., Lund, NV, took third place in the annual contest.
California growers of brown midrib (BMR) corn silage skunked contestants from the other 10 Western states eligible to make submissions. First place in the BMR corn silage category went to Jake Bosma, Bosma Milk Co., Tipton. Second-place winner was Mike Barcellos, Monster Dairy, Newman. Tony Louters, Tony Louters Dairy, Merced, took third place.
First- and third-place standard corn-silage winners, respectively, were Californians Dino Giacomazzi, Giocomazzi Dairy/Farms, Hanford, and Bert Weststeyn, Weststeyn Dairy, Linden. Second-place finisher was Kelly Callahan, Royal Turf Farms, Royal City, WA.
A total of $18,000 in cash prizes was awarded through the Forage Challenge, presented by Mycogen Seeds. More than 90 entries were submitted from Western growers. Lallemand Animal Nutrition North America sponsored contest awards and prizes. First-place winners each received $3,000; second-place, $2,000; and third-place, $1,000 each.
Cash prizes were awarded based on forage lab analyses and a visual evaluation of entries by experts in dairy nutrition and forage production.