Farmers continue to face challenges from dry conditions; cattle producers impacted

“We are struggling to get bales; the bales aren’t that great,” Walker told battlefordsNOW.

The family have not had to sell any cattle yet, but are worried they might need to if things don’t improve. In the meantime, they are using other sources to fill the gap.

“We are cutting everything we can, slew hay, everything,” she said.

Walker said they grow some crop for green-feed as well.

“I just don’t know how much we are going to have because we don’t have the rain to produce enough; it’s not a thick enough crop,” she said.

The family also makes what is known as chop for cattle feed by milling up some grains and adding minerals, as another option for sustenance.

“We are trying to work our way through before we have to sell, any way,” Walker said.

Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture crops extension specialist Matt Struthers says yields are less than adequate for crop producers across the province. That’s why many fields are being cut for green-feed that typically would be cut for grain.

“That’s thankfully a good option for some producers,” he said. “Other producers don’t have that option. It’s just that it’s on a farm-by-farm basis. But overall there is quite a feed shortage for cattle in the province. That is a growing concern among livestock producers.”

The drought across Saskatchewan including the northwest region is causing many crops to dry down very quickly.

“With the heat and dry weather we have had with the drought, it has really quickened things up,” Struthers said. “Some producers have already gotten out and started combining some of their winter cereals and other crops.”

He said many have taken off some of their crops and cut them for green-feed as well.

The Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. is allowing producers to salvage their low-yielding cereal or pulse crops for feed in response to the shortage this year, without negatively impacting their future coverage.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said in a release the livestock sector in the province is “facing tremendous challenges sourcing feed, as well as some challenges in securing access to sustainable, quality livestock water sources.”

“Agriculture is a vital part of our provincial economy and we are taking steps to support producers through this extended period of dry, hot conditions,” he said.

While there was some rainfall this past week in the northwest region, the amount was still not notable to improve the situation.

Struthers told battlefordsNOW it’s too late in the season for rains to have an impact on most crops at this stage.

“Rains right now won’t affect yield or much of the crop now, unless it is a very late-seeded crop that might still benefit from a rain,” the specialist said. “But that’s very unlikely at this point. The damage has been done.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow

by Angela Brown

Farmers continue to face challenges from dry conditions; cattle producers impacted

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