Cattle herds are out on pastures that are showing the effects of a two-year drought. Cattle producers are considering how they will get through the fall and winter.
Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) and Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP), two farm groups representing Manitoba beef and grain farmers, are urging farmers across the province to list available hay, straw and alternative feeds for use. This call comes amid reports from across the province that hay and forage yields are far below expected.
“Many beef producers have been hard hit by back-to-back dry conditions that have led to diminished pasture and forage yields and depleted their hay and straw reserves,” explained MBP President Tom Teichroeb. “Faced with these conditions, they are looking to source both traditional and alternative sources of feed and bedding. We are encouraging producers with these kinds of resources available to consider listing them for sale.”
“Given dry conditions reported across much of the province, we feel that it is important to ensure producers know what their options are when it comes to both buying and selling available hay and straw,” KAP president Bill Campbell said. “As a grain farmer and a beef producer, I must utilize every option available to ensure the long-term viability of my operation.”
KAP and MBP are encouraging producers to list available feed for purchase.
DUC FORAGE
Meanwhile, Ducks Unlimited Manitoba has reached out a helping hand to livestock farmers, making available almost 15,000 acres of forage and grazing land to producers.
This includes opening up DUC lands for haying (6,000 acres) and grazing (4,000 acres) and increasing the forage incentive program acreage to over 4,000 acres.
The forage program offsets the cost of planting perennial forages for producers in DUC target areas.
LISTINGS
Manitoba Agriculture can assist with sources of hay, straw and alternative feed. Call 1-844-769-6224 or visit your local Ag Office.
There are two dedicated groups on Facebook for buying/selling hay and straw. Manitoba Hay And Feed and www.facebook.com/groups/livestockfeed
Also, Hay Exchange (government website) is a free hay listing and hay locator website. It includes listings from all 50 states and all Canadian provinces.
