How's your moisture?

[cowman]

A lot of western Canada experienced a major drought last year. And a good portion hasn't had much snow this year. What are the possibilities of another very dry year? I was talking to a guy in the auction mart last week and he said even if we get a wet spring he doesn't expect to have his cows out until well into June. He hurt his grass too much last year. Now I suspect a lot of us will be feeding until June...what does that do to the profitability of a cow? Especially since a lot of cows were being fed by Oct. 1/2001.
There are still bred cows coming into the sales and most of them look to be in pretty good shape. The price is holding in there pretty decent. Saw some black baldy hfrs. sell for $1425 last week.
I suspect if we get a cold dry spring they will fall off pretty quick. I'm close to Red Deer Alberta and we have fair snow cover but we were really dry last fall. I believe we will need some decent rains this spring...what's it like where you are?

[rookie]

Up here in the north east things are beginning to look scary. The law of averages says it will not snow 4 feet by April. There is some snow cover to make things look wintery. But the hoppers are really gaining momentum so we keep the fingers crossed for buckets of rain this spring and summer. My opinion is we were lucky here for the last two years and did get some rain to keep things growing for awhile. Time will tell...

[Muttley]

I'm from central Sk. and we have no snow at all. There is none in the tree lines or ditches either. It has been so warm that I am back to summer coveralls and the kids are mucking in the few pools of mud and water that are in the yard.
Many people are hauling water for homes and livestock. There is some talk that even the irrigation folks could have restrictions.
We were quite dry here last fall and most feel even a good April rain will do no good unless it can keep coming.
I was driving in a summerfallow field yesterday it was so dry I used 2 wheel drive.
If this keeps up for the summer you will see alot of broke farmers. I myself will probably be one of them as I have had to use my reserve assets and cash to pay for this past year. There is starting to be farmers questioning what if any imputs they should put in. I know of a few farm employees that fear their jobs are on the line for this spring.

[countryguy]

Even here in Manitoba the moisture deficit is starting to become a little worrysome.Dugouts are the lowest I've ever seen them,some of the shallow ones are even dry.This is following four years of excessive moisture.We do have enough moisture to start things growing but after that it could get a little interesting.We do seem to benefit from "colorado lows" which can dump alot of moisture at a single time that you folks out west seem to get missed by,but only time will tell if any of these happen to cruise through.A drought would definitely put the finishing touches on my farming career!!! LOL

[cowman]

Water is becoming a big problem. A lot of dugouts are dry and even some wells. The further south you go out here the dryer it gets. A buddy of mine has already arranged to send his cows to northern B.C. this summer. It doesn't really make sense but he is pretty desperate.
What I'm hearing, wherever I go, is a quiet desperation and apprehension. So often you hear"If it doesn't rain we are done". And meanwhile in Rome, Vanclief and his flunkies, play the fiddle!!! Don't we have one fine federal government?

[Muttley]

I appreciate the fact that the grain farmers are needing money as much as the cattlemen. I hope that if we ever get something from the gov't that it will include the cattle people and not just a acre payment based on crop production.
I fear that in my area even with rain some grass should not be grazed that will be anyway. I have sold off cattle that I never would have and my income will be hurt this fall no matter what from less animals on my farm.

[bbattist]

Maybe a few of you western folks should pack up your cows and move east to Nova
Scotia or New Brunswick.Us Bluenosers
complain of dry spills but I don't believe we know what a drought is when we compare our situation to yours.We had
a fairly dry summer and fall but we had a good amount of snow,~ 3-5 feet here in Nortern Nova Scotia.I believe some new blood in our beef industry in this region would do a world of good.-Best of
Luck.

[cowman]

Muttley: Keep your chin up! Tough times don't last forever, but tough people do!! Hang in there....we need family types like you in the country! Despite our useless government, have some faith in the land and the ability of it to sustain us. I know times are tough...remember the old saying(my grandfather was fond of reminding us) "When the going gets tough, hang onto that old cows tail, she'll pull you through EVERY time!
Truer words have never been spoken!!!

[cowman]

bbattist: I doubt if us prairie chickens would know where to start out there!
I have a warm spot for Nova Scotia, as I had a delightful aunt who was a BlueNoser and also when I was young I worked with a few lads from Nova Scotia. They were great boys if a little wild!!! My old Dad was stationed there before he went overseas in WW11 and he always talked about how beautiful the Annapolis valley was! He always said he intended to retire there ....unfortunately he died before that ever happened.