Manitoba Agriculture Crop Report

 

 

Little to no rainfall over the past week allowed crops to dry down and producers were back harvesting towards the end of the week.  Parts of the region received spotty showers on the weekend, slowing harvest, Russel received 22 mm of rain. Several evenings with frost helped to dry down late season crops.

 

Most cereal crops are harvested with only some late seeded wheat and oats remaining. 

Canola harvest is 80% complete.  The remaining crop is slow to dry down to safe storage moisture levels.  Some producers are drying canola.

 

Soybean harvest is about 70% complete. Yields are average to below average. Sunflower and corn harvest has begun and the recent frost will help dry down plants.

 

Most producers have moved cattle to fall pastures and some have started to wean calves. Corn silage is being done and yields are above average. Overall feed situation is good. Dugouts are about 60% full.

 

 

Harvest progressed in the Northwest region throughout the week although operations took place around periodic rainfall events. Rainfall amounts were 10 to 30 mm around Swan River, close to 40 mm in The Pas, and trace throughout the rest of the region. Daytime temperatures in the high teens allowed combining to proceed. There was a heavy, killing frost throughout the region mid-week. Crop quality is generally rated as average throughout the region with a percentage of the spring wheat rated as above average in the Roblin area and below average around Swan River. Field work is underway as conditions allow.

 

Canola harvest moved along steadily over the past week with Roblin reported as nearly complete, the Swan Valley area approximately 90% complete, and good headway made this week in the Dauphin area. Yields for the entire region are ranging from 50 to 60 bu/ac.

 

With the exception of later seeded fields, the spring wheat harvest is nearing completion with 95 to 100% of the crop harvested throughout the region. Some late seeded cereals are high in moisture so harvest will include drying or waiting for moisture levels to drop to where safe storage with aeration is possible. Harvest of barley and oats is generally complete.

 

The hard killing frost throughout the region will help to dry down soybeans and quinoa. Good harvest progress was made on soybeans around Dauphin and approximately 50% of the soybean harvest is completed in the Swan Valley.  The soybean crop remains standing in the Roblin area. Reported yields range from 35 to 50 bu/ac.

 

Most of the flax crop remains standing. Volunteers and weeds continue to actively grow in harvested fields. Some fertilizer banding is underway in the region.

 

Corn silage harvest is progressing well with operations likely wrapping up this week. Cattle continue to be moved off summer pastures. With the hard frost last week and this weeks forecasted favorable haying conditions, producers may take an additional hay cut on some fields.

 

 

Excellent harvest progress was made last week, with minimal precipitation, and strong winds. Harvest is estimated at 95% complete. Frost last night was welcome to aid in dry down of corn and sunflowers. Much of the region saw temperatures drop to -2 to -3ºC. Snowflake-Pilot Mound-Windygates recorded the lowest temperatues, -5.4 to -6.8ºC.

 

Cereal, canola, pea, and flax yields and quality are very good this year; harvest of these crops is generally complete.

 

Soybean harvest is 95% complete. Yield reports are in the 17 to 50 bu/acre range, with later maturing fields yielding higher than earlier maturing ones.  Average soybean yields are 30 to 35 bu/acre.

 

Edible bean harvest is 95% complete. Yields are above average. Yield reports on pintos range from 1800 to 3500 lbs/acre; with an average expected to be 2000 to 2200 lbs/acre.

 

Corn silage harvest continues. Early yield reports of 10 to 12 tons/acre on lighter land.  Average yields will be lower than last year due to the dry growing season.

 

Grain corn harvest has begun. Yields range from 110 to 180 bu/acre, and moistures from 20 to 22%, up to 25 to 28% and higher. Most fields harvested have been on lighter textured soils.

 

Sunflower harvest has begun. Yields are expected to be average to above average.

 

Potato harvest is starting to wrap up; yields are average.  Wheat and rye seeded as cover crops on potato land are emerging well.

 

Winter cereals are emerging, and are as advanced as 3 to 4 leaf.

 

Post-harvest operations including weed control, harrowing, cultivating, and drain maintenance continue; rains have improved field conditions significantly.

 

Soil sampling continues. Fertilizing of next year’s corn and soybean fields has begun. Anhydrous ammonia applications are in full swing, as field conditions have improved.

Second cut hay is complete. Yields are below average due to dry conditions. Wild hay harvest continues.

 

Livestock water supply is reported as 85% adequate. More rainfall is needed to replenish dugouts. Dugouts are low on many pastures as the water table has dropped significantly. Many cattle are being moved home for winter, or are being fed on pasture, as much of the pasture land is in fair to very poor condition. Some producers are looking at taking a late second/third cut after the first frost. Some producers have had to travel to be able to secure straw supplies.

 

 

Total rainfall accumulations for last week ranged from 2 to 6 mm. Once field conditions dried out producers were able to return to harvesting on Wednesday or Thursday. Average soil moisture conditions on cropland are rated as 100% adequate across the region. Soil moisture conditions on hay and pasture land are rated at 80% adequate and 20% short with the driest soil conditions occurring in southern districts.

 

Soybeans harvest is 85% complete across the region.   Yields range from 20 to 45 bu/acre with the average about 35 bu/ acre. Sunflower harvest is ongoing in the central parts of the region.

Corn is at or near physiological maturity and is drying down. Corn harvest has just begun in central parts of the region, no yield reports at this time.

 

Field work resumed as fields dried out but progress was limited with growers making the soybean harvest their top priority.

 

Some pasture and hay fields that received hog manure have good regrowth which some producers are cutting and grazing. Dugouts are about half full with the past weeks rainfall. Livestock producers are starting to feed livestock on pasture and move calves to market. Livestock winter feed supplies were rated as 20% surplus and 80% adequate for hay and straw and adequate for greenfeed and feed grains. Pasture conditions are rated as 20% good, 30% fair, 40% poor and 10% very poor. The availability of livestock water is rated as adequate.

 

 

Harvest has been progressing slowly with shorter day lengths, overcast conditions at times, and 0.5 to 2.7 mm precipitation throughout the region in the last week. 

 

In the south Interlake only corn, sunflowers, and soybeans are left to harvest. Grain corn harvest has not yet started, sunflowers are desiccated but few fields harvested, and soybeans are 80 to 90% complete. Sunflower and corn yields look reasonably promising, soybeans are average at 30 to 33 bu/acre.  Approximately 60% of the fall fieldwork is complete in south Interlake.

 

In the north Interlake, all of the cereals and peas, about 50% of the soybeans, 80% of the canola, and 20% of the alfalfa seed has been harvested. Most of the alfalfa seed crops have been desiccated, and some has been swathed. Soybean yields range from 30 to 35 bu/acre, canola 30 to 50 bu/acre, and alfalfa seed 200 to 600 lbs/acre.

 

Corn silage harvest is progressing in the north Interlake with yields ranging from 12 to 17 tons/acre, and averaging 13 to 14 tons/acre.

 

The recent rains resulted in more fall tillage as it is not so dry as to work up lumpy. Little anhydrous ammonia has been applied so far, just phosphorus and potash fertilization of fields intended for soybeans next year, and forage fields. Soil tests are coming back quite low on phosphorus and potassium.

 

Soil moisture conditions across the region on cropland, hay and pasture are rated as 100% adequate.

 

Grass growth has slowed with cooler temperatures and shortening day length, and cattle are being moved off summer pastures onto hayfields or supplemental feeding is occurring. With recent rains cattle are gaining well on hayfields. Most haying is complete.

 

Pastures are rated fair to good. Dugouts are 10 to 50% full and water quality varies from poor to good.