Good forage crops across most of Western Canada will help farmers replenish their supplies after a long winter led to very low carry-over stocks, crop specialists said.
Most areas in his province are moving on to second or third cuts and reporting good yields, said Ken Ziegler, forage specialist with Alberta Agriculture.
“Yields are as good as any other year, if not better,” he said Sept. 6.
Saskatchewan is down a bit from last year but still around the five-year average — and all of the production is needed, said Daphne Cruise, regional crops specialist for Saskatchewan Agriculture.
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“Last winter, because it was so long, most of our cattle producers just made it through with just enough feed,” she said. “I think for this year, there weren’t much carry-over stocks, so a lot of people are looking to get through the winter again.”
In Manitoba, the second cut of alfalfa is about 75 to 85 per cent completed in the southwest region, while hay is currently getting a second cut across most of the province, according to Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives’ weekly crop report in early September.
However, the story is much different as you move farther north. Yields have been good, but quality is lacking because of the delayed harvest, said Pamela Iwanchysko, MAFRI farm production specialist.
“Around here, guys are finishing up their first cut, because it was such a late start,” she said. “Yields are average to above average from what I’ve been told, but quality is probably down because of the high-fibre content due to the late harvest.”
Even with quality issues, Iwanchysko said this season’s forage crops have been much better than last year.
“Supplies are way better than last year,” she said. “I think guys are just starting to take an inventory of what they got, and for the most part, I think it’s adequate to just below average.”
There were virtually no carryover stocks in the area due to the extremely long winter, she said.
