Dry season highlights link between cattle and grain farmers

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Similarly, hayland and topsoil are facing a shortage of moisture, with 66 per cent needing rain.

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Because of this, much of the hay is in poor condition and concerns about feed shortages continue.

Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, said the conditions so far this year have been detrimental to the livestock industry.

“There are a number of areas where there are feed shortages due to both the dry conditions and heavy frost on the grasses,” he said. Especially in the western half and southwest corner, running out of water has been a big issue.

“You put those two stressors on guys and they’re going to put the cows on the market,” he said.

Lately, there has been a change in the cattle market.

“We’ve watched livestock numbers drop over the past number of years, with low prices,” he said.

Hall said BSE, high feed prices, and other factors have led to poor returns for farmers.

Lately, that has been turning around though.

“Now we’re seeing a resurgence in cattle prices and we’re sort of hoping to be able to maintain the numbers,” said Hall.

Still, he said these high prices could have a negative side.

“You start looking at the age of cattle producers and they’re thinking of wanting to get out and what better time than high prices,” he said.

Because of this, the market is becoming saturated.

“There are certain markets that are seeing lower cow prices because there are more coming on to the market.”

“It’s not looking good for either the grain or livestock sector.”

Hall explains that both industries affect each other greatly. Poor crop conditions can lead farmers to produce feed-quality grain, but they need someone to sell it to.

If there is less livestock, there will be less of a demand for feed-quality grain.

“The grain sector does depend on the livestock industry. So if it shrinks, that hurts us both,” he said.

However, Hall said he doesn’t expect livestock production to dwindle too much.

“We have way too many acres that are suited best for the livestock industry,” he said, referring to extreme hills, sandy areas, grasslands in the province: all better suited for livestock production than grain production.

“I can’t see it shrinking to zero, but we need a livestock sector right across the province, not just in those specific areas.”

Hall said the lack of rain has left almost no one unscathed.

“It’s pretty much across the province,” he said, although the south seems to be in worse condition. 

“There are certain areas that have got some rain that are in better shape but in a lot of cases those areas have received a heavy frost.”

Crop development is delayed in some areas because of cool and dry weather. Although more than half are at a normal stage of development for this time of year, according to the Crop Report. Despite downfalls, the majority of crops are in good conditions at this time.

The ministry of agriculture has a listing site which “provides the opportunity to list feed products and custom services for sale or view products that have been listed for sale. This service, which helps to link buyers and sellers, is available without cost to the user.”

The 2015 Crop Report is also available on Twitter.

asoloducha@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alex_soloducha