Kelli Hinman of Wheatland, Wyoming, was named Champion Forage Producer and received a $2,500 check from Nutrisave Forage Management Systems.

Bappe Farm of Riverton, Wyoming, was named Champion First-time Entrant and received $1,500 from Kuhn North America.

Champion forage producers were honored on October 5 at the Mycogen World Forage Analysis Superbowl Awards Luncheon, held at World Dairy Expo.

Other champions include:

Diane Pound

Dairy Hay – S & B Dairy of Sigel, Illinois; Syngenta

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Dairy Haylage – Corner Oak Farm of Grand Blanc, Michigan; Kent Feeds

Dairy Corn Silage – Kim Leudeman of Hersey, Michigan; Ag-Bag (for Standard) and Jon Merrell of Wolcott, New York; Mycogen Seeds (for BMR)

Grass Hay – Danko Farms of Powell, Wyoming; Barenburg USA

Commercial Hay – Hardrock Farms of Wheatland, Wyoming; Bridon Cordage

Commercial Baleage – Pounder Bros Inc. of Delavan, Wisconsin; W-L Research

Quality Counts Awards – Valley Hill Farms of Kendall, Wisconsin; Croplan Genetics (for corn silage) and Sugar Creek Farms of Dansville, New York; Croplan Genetics (for alfalfa/grass)

David Hinman of Hardrock Farms

The first-place entrant in each category received a check for $1,500. Second-place winners received $500, third-place winners were awarded $250 and $100 was given to fourth-place finishers.

Quality Counts Awards reward quality forage production; however, the criteria for selection are unknown to contestants at the time of entry.

There are two categories. This year’s corn silage winner was selected based on percentage starch, while the alfalfa/grass winner was selected based on percentage ash.

Croplan Genetics presented each of the Quality Counts winners with a $1,000 cash prize.

The World Forage Analysis Superbowl invites its growers from across the U.S. and Canada to send their best samples in either dairy or commercial divisions.

Jon Merrell

Dairy samples are judged on lab analysis (60 percent), visual judging (20 percent), herd production information (10 percent) and calculated milk per tone (10 percent).

Commecial entries are judged on lab analysis (70 percent) and visual judging (30 percent).

Visual judging consists of analyzing the color, texture, maturity and leafiness, depending on the category. AgSource Laboratories in Bonduel, Wisconsin, tested the samples.

Entry forms for the 2012 World Forage Analysis Superbowl will be available at www.foragesuperbowl.org.    

Top five placings in each category

Champion Dairy Hay

Dairy Hay – sponsored by Syngenta
1st place – S & B Dairy, Sigel, Illinois
2nd place – Evergreen View of Waldo, Wisconsin
3rd place – Old Settlers Dairy LLC of Denmark, Wisconsin
4th place – Benjamin K Fischer Jr of Greenfork, Indiana
5th place – Smil Aire Holsteins of Plymouth, Wisconsin

Dairy Haylage – sponsored by Kent Feeds
1st place – Corner Oak Farm of Grand Blanc, Michigan
2nd place – S & S Ag of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
3rd place – Alberta Valley Ag of Elberta, Utah
4th place – Olson Farms of Lena, Wisconsin
5th place – Lakeside Dairy Farm Inc of Mineral, Virginia

Champion Grass Hay

Dairy Corn Silage (BMR) – sponsored by Mycogen
1st place – Jon Merrell of Wolcott, New York
2nd place – True Farms Inc of Perry, New York
3rd place – Four Mile Creek Dairy LLC of Rice Lake, Wisconsin
4th place – Jason Stoltzfus Farm of Waterville, New York
5th place – Trierweiler Dairy Inc, of Portland, Michigan

Dairy Corn Silage (Standard) – sponsored by Ag-Bag
1st place – Kim Leudeman of Hersey, Michigan
2nd place – B & D Dairy of Pound, Wisconsin
3rd place – Hickory Gables Inc, of Hickory Corners, Michigan
4th place – Jon Merrell of Wolcott, New York
5th place – Gernaat Dairy LLC of Falmouth, Michigan

Brian Friske, farm owner

Commercial Hay – sponsored by Bridon Cordage
1st place – Hardrock Farms of Wheatland, Wyoming
2nd place – Dart Hay Service of Streator, Illinois
3rd place – Danko Farms of Powell, Wyoming
4th place – Jerome Kampwerth of Carlyle, Illinois
5th place – Bappe Farm of Riverton, Wyoming

Commercial Baleage – sponsored by W-L Research
1st place – Pounder Bros Inc. of Delavan, Wisconsin
2nd place – Summit Farms of Plymouth, Wisconsin
3rd place – Houmes Farms of Veedersburg, Indiana
4th place – Vista Grande Farms LLC of Fleetwood, Pennsylvania
5th place – Kendall Guither of Walnut, Illinois

Champion First Time Entrant

Grass Hay – sponsored by Barenburg USA
1st place – Danko Farms of Powell, Wyoming
2nd place – David Olson of Lena, Wisconsin
3rd place – Pounder Bros Inc. of Delavan, Wisconsin
4th place – Church Farms of Grand Marsh, Wisconsin
5th place – Hardrock Farms of Wheatland, Wyoming

Watch for photos and analysis reports for the top three placings in each category in the November 15th issue of Progressive Forage GrowerFG

—World Forage Superbowl press release

PHOTOS
PHOTO 1: Kelli Hinman
Represented by her father, David Hinman (center)
Pat Couillard (left) and Todd Johnson (right) of NutriSave Forage Management System

PHOTO 2: Champion Baleage
Pounder Bros., Inc.
Diane Pound
Mike Peterson of W-L Research (sponsor)

PHOTO 3: Champion Commercial Hay
Hardrock Farms
David Hinman of Hardrock Farms (right)
Greg Wacker of Bridon Cordage (left, sponsor)

PHOTO 4: Champion Brown Midrib Corn Silage
Jon Merrell
Back row, left to right:
Kathleen Emery, representing Mycogen (sponsor)
Karen Merrell, Jon Merrell, Carol Merrell, Pete Merrell
Front row, left to right:
David, Daniel and Charlotte Merrell (children)

PHOTO 5: Champion Dairy Hay
S & B Dairy
Represented by Sean Sherrod, farm nutritionist (left)
Brent Johnson of Syngenta (right, sponsor)

PHOTO 6: Champion Grass Hay
Danko Farms
John Thyssen of Barenbrug USA (left, sponsor)
Representing the farm, Donn Randall (right), Wyoming Crop and Forage Program Manager

PHOTO 7: Quality Counts Corn Silage
Valley Hill Farms
Brian Friske, farm owner (right)
Randy Welch (left, sponsor)

PHOTO 8: Champion First Time Entrant
Bappe Farm
Represented by Dallen Smith, County Agent, University of Wyoming Extension