Winter feed supplies are looking good for the southeast region, but producers are anticipating a straw shortage due to unseeded acres.
"It's very difficult to get straw because there is no crop to make the straw," said Fillmore producer Tom Grieve. "Even in a normal year, it is difficult for cattle producers to get straw."
According to the weekly crop report from the Ministry of Agriculture, 73 per cent of cattle producers have surplus to adequate straw supplies and 45 per cent will have adequate hay supplies to last through the winter. There are 93 per cent of cattle producers that will have surplus to adequate green feed supplies.
Farmers are relying on straw that was left over from last year, or even might do more out-of-yard feeding depending on their straw supplies. "Those calving earlier in the year will particularly need that straw, and hopefully we don't have too bad of a winter," said Grieve.
Seeding operations continue for winter wheat and some fall rye. An advantage of seeding winter crops is that it will create straw crops for cattle producers.
Dale Paslawski noted more of his neighbours are seeding winter wheat this year, and that it will be a larger than normal operation. The main reason is that because of excess moisture received earlier this year, few farmers were able to seed any spring crops, and now have the stubble on their land that is ideal for seeding winter crops.
"The winter wheat has already emerged on some farms, and is looking good. Everything seems to be looking nice for those crops," said Paslawski.
Farmers who seeded crops during the spring are completing their harvest operations, but for many in the SE the concern is dealing with the weeds on the unseeded acres. "I think some guys are looking at burning off their weeds, and we will see quite a bit of that this fall," said Paslawski. Farmers will swath or mow their weeds, and then pile everything in the centre of the field for a safe burn. "They will wait for a warm day to create the fire shields, and then burn the weed piles."
Rain showers received on Sept. 19 slowed harvest progress in the southeast. According to the weekly crop report by the Ministry of Agriculture, 84 per cent of the crop was combined and 11 per cent of the crop was swathed or is ready to straight-cut. During that week, the Weyburn area received 15 mm.
Grades for lentils harvest are reported as 27 per cent 1 CAN, 66 per cent 2 CAN and seven per cent 3 CAN. Grades for field peas are reported as 27 per cent 1 CAN, 59 per cent 2 CAN and 14 per cent 3 CAN. Grades for durum harvested are reported as 31 per cent 1 CW, 58 per cent 2 CW and 11 per cent 3 CW.
Another issue that southeast farmers have to deal with during the fall is proper drainage of their land, especially for those farms that have wet fields. "Of course we have to talk to the Watershed Authority before we do any drainage, but we are still quite wet especially after getting another heavy rain recently," said Paslawski.
Topsoil moisture on cropland is reported as six per cent surplus, 84 per cent adequate, eight per cent short and two per cent very short. On hay land and pasture, topsoil moisture is rated as four per cent surplus, 80 per cent adequate, 15 per cent short and one per cent very short.
The deadline to submit forage claims and declarations for the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation is Sept. 30. If producers have not completed harvest by this date, they may request an extension of insurance.
The deadline to submit Excess Moisture Program (EMP) applications for acres unseeded by June 20, or acres that were seeded and subsequently flooded on or before July 31 is also on Sept. 30. The last day for AgriStability participants to submit their 2010 program forms without penalty is Sept. 30.
