The winners of the first-ever Pennsylvania Forage Analysis Competition were announced at the 2014 Pennsylvania Dairy Summit, held Feb. 12 – 13 in State College, PA. Three winners in each category were announced at the Dairy Summit, with the first prize receiving $1,000, second prize receiving $500 and third prize receiving $250.
Hosts of this competition included the Penn State Extension Dairy Team, the Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania, Cumberland Valley Analytical Services, Dairy Business Communications and the Center for Dairy Excellence. Judges for the competition included Ken Griswold with Kemin, Ralph Ward with Cumberland Valley Analytical Services and Dave Pollen. Special thanks also go to the Lancaster DHIA for providing collection points for samples.
Winners and sponsors included:
Conventional Corn Silage, sponsored by Master Choice, Inc.:
– First Place: Mahlon King, Welshcrest Farm, Gap, Pa.
– Second Place: Walt Moore, Wal-Moore Farms, Chatham, Pa.
– Third Place: Clayton Shirk, Kutztown, Pa.
BMR Corn Silage, sponsored by New Holland Agriculture:
– First Place: Rick Cramer, Manheim, Pa.
– Second Place: Harlan Hoover, Oley, Pa.
– Third Place: Vernon Horst, Chambersburg, Pa.
Forage Sorghum Silage, sponsored by Alta Seeds
– First Place: Elvin Wise, Blain, Pa.
– Second Place: Paul Levan, Jr., Hamburg, Pa.
– Third Place: Duane Graybill, Thompsontown, Pa.
Mixed Perennial Silage, sponsored by King’s Agri-Seeds, Inc.
– First Place: Todd Welty and Rick Van Etten, Four Winds Dairy, LLC, Ulysses, Pa.
– Second Place: Daniel Good, McAlisterville, Pa.
– Third Place: Gary Kline, Y-Run Farm LLC, Troy, Pa.
Perennial Legume Silage, sponsored by Ecosyl Products, Inc.
– First Place: Jesse Bitler, Vista Grande Farms LLC, Fleetwood, Pa.
– Second Place: Jessica Peters, Spruce Row Farm, Meadville, Pa.
– Third Place: Alvin Jacob Peachy, Belleville, Pa.
Cool Season Annual Silage
– First Place: Marlin Hoover, Elliottsburg, Pa.
– Second Place: Danny Beiler, Christiana, Pa.
– Third Place: David & Doug Sattazahn, Zahncroft Dairy LLC, Womelsdorf, Pa.
For feedback regarding this year’s competition or inquiries regarding next year’s contest, please contact Rebecca White with the Penn State Extension- Dairy Team at 814-863-3917 or raw4@psu.edu. For more information about the summit, go to www.padairysummit.org or call (814) 355-2467.