Saskatchewan’s provincial crop insurance agency is raising the yield threshold at which drought-damaged crops can be grazed, baled for greenfeed or cut for silage with no penalty on future coverage. Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. said Wednesday it would double the “low yield appraisal” threshold values on cereal or pulse crop acres put to feed. SCIC […] Read more
Saskatchewan raises salvage threshold for parched crops
Stock watering program also boosted; APAS, Tories' ag critic had called for more drought aid
Hay losses will be especially costly this year
Winter can be hard on both the weight and quality of hay — and push up feeding costs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Hay goes on a diet in winter, but how much weight it loses depends on how it was stored. “Over the course of a winter, bales weather and lose both weight and quality,” said provincial beef and forage specialist Barry Yaremcio. “This poses the key question of what kind of value losses occur when storing […] Read more
Early-season estimate of hay value is worth the effort
Having a ballpark price for this year’s hay crop is useful when working out a hay share agreement
Reading Time: 2 minutes It’s not easy to put a value on hay this early in the season, but producers considering a crop share should come up with an estimate, says a provincial farm business management specialist. Hay prices usually do not settle until about the end of October when there are firmer estimates of forage production, the amount […] Read more
Ample hay supplies increase the benefits of storing bales properly
Protecting hay that won’t be fed until the winter of 2017-18 could save you $70 a head in winter feeding costs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Protecting hay from weather damage can significantly reduce the cost of wintering cows. Adequate moisture conditions in most of the province have resulted in larger-than-normal yields resulting in bigger stacks and rows of hay bales. If the winter is normal and cow numbers remain static, there could be a large surplus of hay carried over […] Read more
For safety’s sake, read this list and check it twice
Haying often means rushing to beat the weather, and that ups the danger, says farm safety expert
Reading Time: 2 minutes Baling season is once again in full swing. Many producers equate baling with hot summer days and a rush to beat the weather. While getting hay baled and off the field is a top priority, doing the job safely should take precedence. “To increase the safety of baling procedures while ensuring the job gets done, […] Read more
Put more jingle in your jeans this winter
Shopping around, alternative feeds, and how you store your hay can make a huge difference to the bottom line
Reading Time: 3 minutes With cattle prices off their record highs, many producers are sharpening their pencils. And it can be well worth it. “We have to watch our input costs — that’s the one thing we can control,” said Dean Dyck, a farm business management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “If our incomes go up but our […] Read more
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