Good Samples Mean Good Test Results

Soil Sampling Procedures
Feed Sampling Procedures
Plant Sampling Procedures
Water Sampling Procedures
Liquid Fertilizer Sampling Procedures

Soil Sampling Procedures

1. Tools (Equipment) Use any of the tools shown below, one or two clean pails and soil bags.

2. Sampling Depth

Surface soil samples from fields should be taken to a depth of 8". Subsoil samples should be taken from 8" to 36" for residual nitrate. An alternative method would be to sample 8-24" and 24-48".

3. Sample each field separately

If cropping, fertilization and/or liming has not been uniform on a field, then a separate sample should be taken from each management or soil area. If fields are large, you may want to sample 40 acre units separately, but it is not necessary if management has been the same and the soil type is the same. If soil areas within a field are different in appearance (slope, drainage, color or texture), each soil area should be sampled separately. Small areas may not need to be sampled, but they will give some indication of the variation within the field.

4. Composite surface soil samples should consist of a mixture of about 15 soil cores. Composite subsoil samples for the nitrate test should consist of 8-10 cores. Mix these core thoroughly and fill the sample bag. Label the bag correctly and use this same identification on the soil information sheet.

5. Sample separately or avoid such areas as dead furrows, alkali spots and terrace channels.

6. Send samples as quickly as possible. Include soil sample information sheets.

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Feed Sampling Procedures

Hay

• Bales: Sample at least 8 to 12 bales from each cutting or each lot. Core all rectangular bales from the end and all round bales from the twine surface. Mix the samples thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure.

• Loose Hay Stacks: Select 4 stacks from each cutting for sampling. Collect at least 3 core samples from the side of each stack, mix thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure. If a core sampler is not used for hay sampling, hand grab from each of the bales.

   

Silage

• Upright silo: Take random handfuls of silage while unloading. Mix the samples thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure.

  Horizontal silo: Remove a column 6 inches by 12 inches wide on the open end of the silo. Mix the sample thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure.

Bunk sample

• Take 6-8 grab samples from the bunk(s) as the ration is being unloaded. Mix the sample thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure.

Grain sample

• Take 5 random hand samples from the bin or truck. Mix the sample thoroughly and take a representative sample for analysis using the quartering procedure.

Quartering Procedure:

• Sometimes when forages are sampled, the total of the aggregate samples is to large and bulky to send in to the laboratory. The total sample size can be properly reduced and still maintain a representative sample by quartering the sample. Mix the entire sample thoroughly, then pour it into a pile on a clean paper or plastic. Then divide the sample into four equal parts (quarters), saving the opposite two quarters. If the sample is still to large, repeat the procedure until the proper sample size of one pint to a quart is obtained. All samples should be placed in an airtight plastic bag and submitted to the laboratory for analysis.

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Plant Sampling Procedures