By Blake Jackson
A University of Kentucky team is launching a two-year research and education initiative aimed at improving how “horse-quality” hay is marketed and purchased across the state.
The project is led by Bob Coleman, Ray Smith and Krista Lea, with assistance from county Extension agents statewide, and focuses on helping hay producers better connect with horse owners.
Kentucky is home to about 35,000 horse operations that influence more than one million acres of farmland. Many of these farms rely on purchased hay, and project leaders believe clearer communication between buyers and sellers could help keep more hay-related income within Kentucky.
The collaboration between the Department of Animal and Food Sciences and the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences grew from an earlier grant and centers on strengthening relationships between producers and end users.
“What you’re trying to do is bring together the commodity producers with the commodity users,” said Bob Coleman, associate professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “I believe that is extremely important.”
A major goal of the project is helping hay producers describe their products in clear, consistent ways that horse owners can easily compare. Coleman noted that buyers often rely on online checklists and advice, which can lead them to reject suitable hay.
“You might have a 50-pound bale for $10 and a 40-pound bale for $8,” Coleman said. “That makes a huge difference. Horse owners need to know what they are getting. Also, you need to feed your horses high-quality hay, but what is that? Hay with the highest nutrient numbers is not always the best fit for every horse.”
The initiative will operate through county Extension offices and include demonstration farms, publications, educational programs, six regional field days and partnerships with USDA agencies and state hay marketing programs. Early efforts have emphasized outreach, hay sampling methods and identifying weeds such as foxtail.
Funded by a $147,000 grant from the Kentucky Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, the project aims to make hay marketing easier without turning Extension agents into brokers.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-patrick-jennings
Categories: Kentucky, Education, Livestock