A total of 232 entries from 16 states represented the competition at the 41st World Forage Analysis Superbowl. The winners of each of the 13 categories were presented last week at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis.
Peterson Farm in Poplar Grove, Ill., earned the Grand Champion Forage Producer award sponsored by Legacy Seeds. The farm’s baleage boasted a neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD) of 59.7%, a relative forage quality (RFQ) of 306, and a milk per ton value of 3,894.
The Grand Champion First-Time Entrant award, sponsored by Brevant Seeds, went to Tilstock Farms in Plum City, Wis. Their alfalfa haylage had 70.2% NDFD and 331 RFQ. The milk per ton value was 3,911.
Forage samples were evaluated based on lab analysis (70%) and visual qualities (30%). Lab analysis was performed by Dairyland Laboratories Inc., located in DePere, Wis.
The Quality Counts category highlights a different metric of forage quality every year and is unknown to participants upon sample submission. This year’s Quality Counts metric was total amino acids as a percentage of total protein, which was assessed for both hay/haylage and corn silage entries.
Sand Creek Dairy in Hastings, Mich., won the Quality Counts award for hay/haylage, sponsored by Agri-King Inc. The farm’s mixed grass haylage had an amino acid content of 91.8%.
The Quality Counts award for corn silage went to Danny Krueger from Wausau, Wis. His brown midrib (BMR) corn silage had an amino acid content of 87.6%. This award was sponsored by Silostop.
Managing partners for the 2025 World Forage Analysis Superbowl were Dairyland Laboratories Inc., Hay & Forage Grower, the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and World Dairy Expo.
The top five placings in each category were:
Grand Champion Commercial Hay — Sponsored by Croplan
1st Place – Hardrock Farms, Wheatland, Wyo.
2nd Place – Lazy 2K Livestock, Wheatland, Wyo.
3rd Place – Dan Funke Farms, Larchwood, Iowa
4th Place – Charles Krueger, Verona, Mo.
5th Place – Peterson Farm, Poplar Grove, Ill.
Grand Champion Dairy Hay — Sponsored by QLF Agronomy
1st Place – Andy Schmitt, Fort Atkinson, Iowa
2nd Place – Rick and Kris Schroeder, Odebolt, Iowa
3rd Place – Holst Farms, Lake City, Minn.
4th Place – Reimer Goat Dairy, Capron, Ill.
5th Place – Aaron Beiler, Waveland, Ind.
Grand Champion Grass Hay — Sponsored by Barenbrug USA
1st Place – Ted Peterson, Sharon, Wis.
2nd Place – Lazy 2K Livestock, Wheatland, Wyo.
3rd Place – Hardrock Farms, Wheatland, Wyo.
4th Place – Don and Nancy Hasselquist, Osceola, Wis.
5th Place – Dylan Stefan, North Collins, N.Y.
Grand Champion Alfalfa Haylage — Sponsored by Ag-Bag by RCI
1st Place – Ciolkosz Dairy, Thorp, Wis.
2nd Place – Andy Schmitt, Fort Atkinson, Iowa
3rd Place – Hoard’s Dairyman Farm, Fort Atkinson, Wis.
4th Place – Sand Creek Dairy, Hastings, Mich.
5th Place – JC Kow Farms LLC, Whitewater, Wis.
Grand Champion Mixed/Grass Haylage — Sponsored by Lallemand Animal Nutrition
1st Place – Woldt Farms, Brillion, Wis.
2nd Place – Sand Creek Dairy, Hastings, Mich.
3rd Place – Bragger Dairy, Independence, Wis.
4th Place – Ciolkosz Dairy, Thorp, Wis.
5th Place – Seven Oaks Dairy, Kaukauna, Wis.
Grand Champion Baleage — Sponsored by Agri-King Inc.
1st Place – Kendall Guither, Walnut, Ill.
2nd Place – Nuttleman Dairy, Bangor, Wis.
3rd Place – Rambling Acres Inc., Stetsonville, Wis.
4th Place – Ann Mallow, Ixonia, Wis.
5th Place – Stamschror Farms, Kellogg, Minn.
Grand Champion Cereal Forage — Sponsored by Byron Seeds
1st Place – Nuttleman Dairy, Bangor, Wis.
2nd Place – Brown Star, Gillett, Wis.
3rd Place – Excelerant Genetics, Lena, Wis.
4th Place – Bragger Dairy, Independence, Wis.
5th Place – Mar-Linda-K Holsteins, Johnson Creek, Wis.
Grand Champion Standard Corn Silage — Sponsored by Scherer Inc.
1st Place – John Schwittay, Peshtigo, Wis.
2nd Place – Sand Creek Dairy, Hastings, Mich.
3rd Place – Thornapple Farm, Leicester, N.Y.
4th Place – Wagner Farms, Oconto Falls, Wis.
5th Place – Excelerant Genetics, Lena, Wis.
Grand Champion BMR Corn Silage — Sponsored by KingFisher
1st Place – Denmar Acres, Greenleaf, Wis.
2nd Place – Sand Creek Dairy, Hastings, Mich.
3rd Place – Excelerant Genetics, Lena, Wis.
4th Place – Pike Hills Dairy, Little Falls, Minn.
5th Place – Zirbel Dairy Farms, DePere, Wis.
