Soil Sampling & Testing
Proper soil fertility in pastures and hay fields is essential to maximizing production and profitability for the beef herd. Soil testing can help you design a fertilization and liming program that optimizes forage production and minimizes overuse of fertilizer nutrients. Soil testing services are available at a low (or often no) cost through all Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service offices and may also be available through your local fertilizer dealer.
For more information on why you should soil test, please check out the UK extension publication that covers this topic. Agr-57: Soil Testing: What It Is and What It Does (uky.edu) .
For soil test results to be meaningful, it all begins with a representative sample of the field you will be fertilizing/liming. Information on proper sampling is covered in the following publications:
Soil samples submitted through the UK Extension Service are analyzed by the UK Division of Regulatory Services at either the Lexington or Princeton laboratory. The Division of Regulatory Services maintains a website on soil testing which includes a link to all extension offices. It may be found at the following link:
