The general public can “judge” hay for its crude protein, relative forage quality and total digestible nutrients at the rather unusual Wyoming AgXpo, Nov. 20-23 in Casper.
To be held at the Central Wy-oming Fairgrounds arena, the expo will also showcase hay, cattle, sheep, goats and horses. It will offer educational aspects, including allowing people to guess forage qualities of hay by sight, feel and smell, says Scott Keith. He's livestock and forage program manager with the Wyoming Business Council, which put the expo together with the University of Wyoming.
“It's an educational process for the public,” Keith says of the hay contest. “It proves that you can't judge a hay by looking at it; you have to have a forage analysis to tell you what it is.” The person closest to the correct values will win a prize.
Also planned: a forage analysis-based hay contest for growers and a number of commercial exhibits.
In addition, Producer's Choice Seeds experts will speak on forage plant production on Nov. 21. A Circle S Seeds representative will talk about alfalfa's nutritional value in small-ruminant diets on Nov. 22 and about horse rations on Nov. 23.
Wind power and marketing talks, horse clinics and open-pen exhibits will also be a part of the expo. For more information, visit wyoagexpo.com.