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This item has been supplied by a forage marketer and has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hay & Forage Grower. A Forage Technology Field Day is being presented by Harvest Tec, Inc. and Utah State University Extension on Wednesday, August 24. Open to any hay grower, buyer, or seller who wants to learn more about new concepts in hay technology, the event will provide an opportunity to observe and learn about a revolutionary new system for measuring the relative feed value (RFV) of alfalfa as it is baled. This new practice has now become reality, and is being used in many alfalfa producing areas. The delivery system that utilizes this technology will be demonstrated and discussed. Harvest Tec is the developing company, and USU has conducted extensive field testing and analysis, comparing it to the traditional method of determining alfalfa RFV by random bale coring. Studies have documented the accuracy and reliability of the new system in a wide variety of geographies and baling conditions. The technology demo will show alfalfa hay buyers and sellers a new and verified way to identify the RFV of every bale. The new on-baler system calculates and records RFV as each bale is made, and assigns that value to an RFID tag that the equipment attaches to the bale’s string. An alternate method identifies the bale’s RFV level with food grade dye markings for visible recognition. The Forage Technology Day will offer discussions of the practical applications of this new system for alfalfa producers, custom balers, hay brokers and dairy operators, including the ability to sort and feed alfalfa according to its nutritional value. Several alfalfa producers who have tested the new system in their own operations will be in attendance. They have concluded that this new method of determining the value of each bale of alfalfa is accurate, reliable, and eliminates the need for bale coring analysis, and that it becomes a better form of evaluation for buyers and sellers. The event is open to the public, and the location for the Forage Technology Field Day is the USU Caine Dairy, 4300 US 89, Wellsville, UT. Start time is 9 am, and lunch will be provided. For additional information, contact Harvest Tec at (800) 635-7468.
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