Lack of rain continues to dominate the provincial agriculture ministry’s weekly crop report, the latest edition of which was released Thursday.
It says hay yields on dry land are well below the five-year average and, reflecting concern about hay shortages and rising prices, is promoting the ministry’s forage, feed and custom service listing for producers to advertise and acquire feed products. It’s at http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/FeedForageListing
Average hay yields on dry land are estimated to be 0.8 ton per acre for alfalfa, 0.9 ton per acre for alfalfa/brome hay, 0.7 ton per acre for both other tame hay and wild hay, and 1.3 tons per acre for greenfeed.
On irrigated land, average hay yields are estimated to be 2.2 tons per acre for alfalfa and alfalfa/brome hay, 2.5 tons per acre for other tame hay, 1.9 tons per acre for wild hay and 3.1 tons per acre for greenfeed.
In all, producers now have 54 per cent of the hay crop baled or put into silage, with an additional 18 per cent cut and ready for baling, it added.
Enough rain has fallen recently to delay haying in some areas. Hay quality is currently rated as two per cent excellent, 52 per cent good, 38 per cent fair and eight per cent poor when compared with the five-year (2010-2014) average.
Source : LeaderPost