Media advisory issued July 8, 1998.
For media inquiries, contact Caroline Booth Lara, Communications Specialist, (580) 224-6379.
  email: cblara@noble.org

Editor's Note: The hay directory program introduced in this article was replaced in 2001 by the eCattleLog Hay Listings service.

Noble Foundation to Compile Hay Directory
Drought is affecting area cattle producers in varying degrees, but it's common knowledge that if rains don't arrive soon to drench some of the more arid parts of Oklahoma and North Texas, hay shortages could occur to wreak havoc with producers this winter. To help offset that scenario, agricultural specialists with The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore, Okla., are compiling a free hay directory to help people with hay to find buyers, and vice versa.

As an added incentive to list in the hay directory, The Noble Foundation will provide no-charge hay testing to sample the hay's nutrient quality. "We realize that even if producers are able to carry their livestock through the growing season, it will be difficult to produce all the hay necessary for the normal winter feeding season," said Hugh Aljoe, Foundation forages specialist.

Aljoe said the non-profit Foundation, which provides consultation services to farmers, ranchers and landowners in a 100-mile radius of its Ardmore headquarters, is being contacted daily by cattle producers being affected by current drought conditions. "That is why we created this free service, to assist producers in meeting their winter hay needs," Aljoe said.

Aljoe said NF agriculture specialists do not advise producers to drought-feed livestock through the growing season, and hope this service will not be used for that purpose.

Recently, the Foundation outlined methods and strategies addressing pasture management during drought in press releases sent to area media outlets and periodicals. The information also is available on their website at www.noble.org under the News Releases section.

The Noble Foundation is inviting hay producers in north Texas, Oklahoma, and surrounding adjoining regions to list in the NF hay directory.

For information about sending in hay samples for analysis and listing in the directory, contact an agriculture specialist at The Noble Foundation by calling (580) 223-5810.

Sampling brochures and hay listing forms will be mailed, to be completed and returned with the hay samples to the Noble Foundation Agriculture Division. The hay directory will be available upon request as soon as it is published. All information, including the hay directory, will be available over the Noble Foundation website as well.

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Links to other drought-related news releases from the Noble Foundation:
Nitrate Test
Prussic Acid Test
Culling Cattle
Calculating Forage
Drought Survival Tips for Area Cattle Producers

Other related articles may be found at:
Livestock Information Index
Forages Information Index

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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release