Feed Concerns

[15444]

How is everybody's feed situation looking going into the fall? I just calculated the number of 4x5 bales we will have this fall. I am about 180 bales short. Looks like the cows will be culled hard this year, even with poor prices! Going to be pretty hard to pick the poor ones as we sold most of the culls this spring already.

[charliep]

15444

Where is your ranch located?

Similar question for other areas (both supplies and price)? After last couple of years drought, will some of you be doing things different than in the past for wintering cow (eg. stick with a grain straw ration, limit feeding, etc.)?

What are the plans around silaging? Will feedlots/backgrounders fill up their pits this summer or with the uncertainty in the feeding industry, will they stay fairly conservative on feed needs/take off crop instead?

[pandiana]

West Central Alberta, at least in my area, looked pretty good for hay production early to mid July. Hay and haylage put up with moderate to good yields. Unfortunately, lack of rain, hoppers, and heat are fast eliminating any hope of 2nd cut, as well as late summer and fall pasture. My cereal silage is suffering, but how bad is yet to be determined. We were hoping for 6-7tons per acre. Last estimate was about 4 with grain ripening quickly. Still hoping for that last generous rain before cutting. Prices for hay were softening in July, but already there are some signs of holding out for higher prices.
Local hay was selling rapidly for 4 cents/lb.

[15444]

charliep,

Rainy River District, Northwestern Ontario. West of Thunder Bay and right beside Minnesota and Manitoba borders

[cakadu]

Pandiana - I'm out here in West Central AB too and I have been wondering how long we should wait to buy feed. It's always a guessing game and this year it's even tougher. There is some patchiness to the hay - at least out my way and some places have actually gotten good showers when out of the same storm system, you could actually connect the rain drops.

My inclination would be to look now and just see what is available and what the price is coming in at right now. I'm concerned about people starting to hold out for better prices because the situation keeps getting worse with every sunny, hot and more specifically windy day.

There will also come that day when even if we do get that rain, it will be too late to save the 2nd cut this year.

As far as silage goes, I had heard rumors (there they go again) that many of the feedlot operators out in this area were making silage like crazy in anticipation of the border opening. I can't say I have seen any silaging going on, but then I'm not driving around looking for it either.

I just don't want to see anywhere near the feed prices that there were last year. Like so many others, I'm not sure we can take another year like that.

[ALICIA]

Are you Albertines any were near the fires out there. I seen some pictures of a rancher that says he loosed a couple cows to the fire. Also something about a herd of wild horses that they haven't seen in a few days.

[Junebug]

We are in West Central Alberta. Have missed nearly every shower since the last snow. Pasture are worse than last year. Hay is 1/4 of normal. The grasshoppers are incredibly thick. Bought drought insurance this year, but they won't pay. Many farmers are extremely upset about this as the premiun for most of us was around $3000.00 plus. Don't plan to just sit still and say nothing over this Government scam program.