The World Forage Analysis Superbowl evaluated 843 entries and presented awards to top finishers at an awards luncheon, sponsored by Mycogen Seeds, Oct. 3 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. Doterer Dairy of Mill Hall, Pa., took home grand champion honors and was awarded $2,500 from Kemin for the recognition for its brown midrib corn silage.

Hundreds of entries
More than $22,000 in cash prizes was awarded to top-finishing producers participating in this year’s contest.

Al Deming, World Dairy Expo president, says, “This is the largest forage contest in the world.”

The grand champion first-time entrant cash award of $1,500, sponsored by Kuhn North America, went to Matt Held of Slinger, Wis. In addition, two Quality Counts awards, sponsored by Croplan by WinField United, were presented to the corn silage winner, Hylight Dairy LLC, Adams, N.Y.; and the hay/haylage winner, Windy Ridge Farm, Marionville, Mo.

Sponsors of the 2018 World Forage Analysis Superbowl were led by the Platinum Sponsor, Mycogen Seeds. Other sponsors included: category sponsors Ag-Bag, Agri-King, AgriSure, Croplan by WinField United, Kemin, Kuhn North America, Mycogen Seeds, Nexgrow, NutriFiber and WL Alfalfas. Additional support was received from Protexia and Scherer Inc. as Gold Sponsors and the National Hay Association, Passion Ag Inc. and Prairie Creek Seeds as Silver Sponsors.

Organizing partners for this year’s contest included Dairyland Laboratories Inc., Hay & Forage Grower, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison and World Dairy Expo.

Growers from across the U.S. and Canada were invited to send their best samples in either dairy or commercial divisions. Dairy samples were judged on lab analysis (60%), visual judging (30%) and calculated milk per ton (10%). Commercial entries were judged on lab analysis (70%) and visual judging (30%). Visual judging consists of analysis of the color, texture, maturity and leafiness, depending on the category. Dairyland Laboratories in DePere, Wis., tested the samples.

Here are the five top placings from each category and the number of entries in each category:

Grand champion baleage, sponsored by Agri-King (33)
1. Edwin Leid, Athens, Wis.
2. Fisher Dairy, Rockville, Ind.
3. Katherine Guither, Walnut, Ill.
4. Vogel Family Farms, Minden City, Mich.
5. H and S Dairy, Morgantown, Ky.

Grand champion commercial hay, sponsored by Nexgrow alfalfa (25)
1. Lazy 2K Livestock, Wheatland, Wyo.
2. Hardrock Farms, Wheatland, Wyo.
3. SR Farms, Wilsonville, Neb.
4. Kamps Alfalfa Farms, Darlington, Wis.
5. McGee Ranch, Dalou, Texas

Grand champion dairy hay, sponsored by W-L Research (18)
1. Swartz and Son Farms LLC, Gilman, Wis.
2. Donald and Nancy Hasselquist, Osceola, Wis.
3. Harry F. Adams Jr., Byron, Ill.
4. KMR Dairy Inc., Onarga, Ill.
5. S&B Dairy, Sigel, Ill.

Grand champion grass hay, sponsored by Barenbrug USA (23)
1. Rosedale Seeds, Oxford, Wis.
2. Lazy 2K Livestock, Wheatland, Wyo.
3. Hardrock Farms Inc., Wheatland, Wyo.
4. Danko Farms, Powell, Wyo.
5. Don and Nancy Hasselquist, Osceola, Wis.

Grand champion haylage, sponsored by Ag-Bag (87)
1. Olson Farms, Lena, Wis.
2. Twin Cities Vue Dairy, Manitowoc, Wis.
3. Ken Miller Farms, Marlette, Mich.
4. Hilltop Holsteins, Osceola, Wis.
5. Stoll Farms, Cascade, Iowa

Grand champion standard corn silage, sponsored by Agrisure Traits (350)
1. Vernon Zimmerman, Shiloh, Ohio
2. Sievert Farms, Sobieski, Wis.
3. Fredrick Farms, Owen, Wis.
4. Mill Creek Dairy, Kimball, Minn.
5. Junion Homestead, Casco, Wis.

Grand champion BMR corn silage, sponsored by Mycogen Seeds (305)
1. Morrisville State College, Morrisville, N.Y.
2. Strutz Farms, Two Rivers, Wis.
3. McKnight River Breeze, Chase Mills, N.Y.
4. Johnson Creek Dairy, Mosinee, Wis.
5. Four Hands Holsteins, Amery, Wis.