Drought plans............

[woodland]

How’s everyone else’s grass and water situation?

[GDR]

How’s everyone else’s grass and water situation?

We've had some showers but could use some more. I think the biggest challenge here is that we are either too cold or too hot, just cant seem to get normal May or June weather this year for decent growing conditions. Grass is tall enough but is very thin, still hasnt covered last years old growth, wont get very many days out of a pasture. Almost looks more like August than June. I can't complain though, was down to High River yesterday, I think they are gonna be in trouble, hardly any grass and usually they are cutting hay pretty quick but wont be this year.

Newer hay stands here look decent, older stuff or more grassy stuff needed more rain.

[Blaithin]

Hauled the girls out the first weekend of June. Drove by this morning and you can already tell their favoured spots. They’re going to have a diet heavy in slough grass at this rate. Been getting timely rains but nothing excessive. All those storms to the west of 2 the last couple days could come more this way. I wouldn’t mind.

[GDR]

This past week the dryness has really showed up. Looks like August. Alfalfa starting to bloom and grass is either heading out super short or browned off and shrunk. Thinking about taking what's there and hoping some summer rains come for a second cut?? What's everyone else doing? Grass hasnt really grown since the cows went out and now the days will be getting shorter.

[Blaithin]

Where it’s dry it’s dry and not really coming back at all where they’re grazing it down. That said, where they’re grazing it down is also gopher hills so that’s a factor too. Out away from the gophers it’s not so bad.

Had a gate malfunction yesterday morning. The entire herd came home! What’s that mean that they’re bringing themselves home in June...


Some were brats to load up and take over. Lucky them they get to do it twice!

[woodland]

I think we’re done grazing in a month if things don’t turn around pronto. That’s with grazing almost every acre of hay too. Grass is getting lighter colour by the day and the south slopes are browning off already.

Up in the Peace country I guess guys are pulling yearlings off grass now. Probably should do the same if this heat sticks around.


I don’t want to open a pit in August in start feeding. Heck I’m still feeding the late calvers and cull cows yet.

Next year country shortly …………..😉

On a positive note there’s no mosquitos since the sloughs are gone and the grasshoppers have been drowned out repeatedly for the last five years. 🍀

[DaneG]

Hay and pasture is bad and grasshoppers are worse, going to start cutting hay on Monday not much there but may as well get what’s there before the hoppers. This year is shaping up as a wreck for the cattle business!

[Blaithin]

Did a lap this week. Home to Red Deer, out east and back home. There’s a lot of hay coming down, especially east of Red Deer. I would not call them bad crops. Not really blooming yet but can’t ask for a better week so down it comes. If the storms hit after the heat like they say there might be a good boost to a second cut. It’s awfully early.

Pastures aren’t looking as great. You can tell which ones the cows are in. There’s little to no rebound for the grass with them in there. Pastures that haven’t seen a hoof yet look alright.

This week is going to be the test for a lot of plants out here.

[woodland]

My FIL came and picked up some hay the other night as his pasture ran out for his few cows. They got a month of green grass……… hope they enjoyed it since that looks to be about it for the foreseeable future.


Takes 38’ to cover the ground in the middle of the windrow. Supposed to break the all time heat record in Edmonton and the wind is blowing too. Probably have to come back around dark to roll it up.

Definitely gonna have lots of net wrap to carryover till next year. Fun times🍀

[GDR]

My FIL came and picked up some hay the other night as his pasture ran out for his few cows. They got a month of green grass……… hope they enjoyed it since that looks to be about it for the foreseeable future.


Takes 38’ to cover the ground in the middle of the windrow. Supposed to break the all time heat record in Edmonton and the wind is blowing too. Probably have to come back around dark to roll it up.

Definitely gonna have lots of net wrap to carryover till next year. Fun times🍀

I've been baling the last couple nights starting at dark too. Seems strange, southerners do it all the time though. Few guys baling alfalfa this afternoon at 37 degrees, not sure I wanted to for the leaves and wondering about storage, hay is dry but not really cured? We had a breeze all night last night and no dew. Was pretty dry raking at 6 this morning. We are getting about 2 round bales to the acre, have one field to cut yet that will be better though. Maybe rain coming Friday? Hope so.

[Blaithin]

Has anyone, or does anyone, use molasses?

Was talking with a guy the other day, looks like I can get it for about $.46/head/day if they consume on the higher end of quoted amounts. This is if it’s free choice in a wheel. Don’t think I want to piss around with injecting bales.

I know it’s common to use in Australia. Here though there seems to be more naysayers than people willing to talk about pros.

If used, was it found that animals stayed in the 1-2lb a day range or do they tend to just eat and eat it. Every now and then I get a protein tub but they struggle to last the expected time and are quite expensive in comparison. Plus then I have those tubs everywhere.

I know there are other options that work better but I don’t have the herd size to consume most of them fast enough, or the trucking or storage to manage. I can do some rolled barley from the neighbours, if they have enough barley this year. Molasses just seems like a supplement option that I can manage for my small herd with my limited resources.

[GDR]

Has anyone, or does anyone, use molasses?

Was talking with a guy the other day, looks like I can get it for about $.46/head/day if they consume on the higher end of quoted amounts. This is if it’s free choice in a wheel. Don’t think I want to piss around with injecting bales.

I know it’s common to use in Australia. Here though there seems to be more naysayers than people willing to talk about pros.

If used, was it found that animals stayed in the 1-2lb a day range or do they tend to just eat and eat it. Every now and then I get a protein tub but they struggle to last the expected time and are quite expensive in comparison. Plus then I have those tubs everywhere.

I know there are other options that work better but I don’t have the herd size to consume most of them fast enough, or the trucking or storage to manage. I can do some rolled barley from the neighbours, if they have enough barley this year. Molasses just seems like a supplement option that I can manage for my small herd with my limited resources.

You talking straight molasses or one of the mixes like promolas or anipro?

Not really answering your question I know but I've put molasses on ground barley to keep the dust down plus add some calories but not huge amounts, bought in 5gal pails from the feed mill. Have also put the molasses mixes on straw bales, injected once and just poured on the bale once.(set on end, let sit a couple days then flip and do it again) Some guys just use a lick tub but I think it takes a bit to get started. I know you said you didnt want to do the bales but it does work, not cheap either though.

Sundre Soil services and Eagle hill co-op both have both sold it in the past if you want to compare pricing.