Beef Cattle Research Council offers feed cost calculator and regional trends
CALGARY, AB. β Harvest has begun and crop potential is looking very good in Southern Alberta. Ample spring rain, weeks of August heat produced lush crops of every variety.
Winter feed will be plentiful for many areas, but could be the opposite in others. Since feed prices are driven by supply, demand and the cost of alternatives, the costs will vary for producers. Ample supplies in some areas will push the cost down, while other areas could see limited supplies at increased prices.
In Alberta, depressed yields in 2018 and 2019 pushed hay prices to record highs last June. This year, tame hay growth in the province is rated good to excellent in 93 per cent of cases, a 37 percentage point improvement over the five-year average. While an adequate supply of quality forages is expected for Alberta this year, coll and wet weather will reduce supply in the north.
In the province of Saskatchewan, some pastures are in poor condition while excess moisture has plagued the north. The issues have prompted producers to increase their reliance on silage and greenfeed due to low forage production the last three years