By Alice McFarlane

Haying operations in full swing around Saskatchewan

Jul 14, 2022 | 1:20 PM

MELFORT, Sask. — Crops are continuing to progress throughout the province thanks to warm temperatures and rainfall in many areas.

There are some areas that have received excess rain and need warm, dry conditions to help crops develop. Parts of the southwest and west central regions received rain this week, but much more is required to support crop and hay growth.

Provincially, 64 per cent of the fall cereals, 58 per cent of the spring cereals, 51 per cent of the oilseed crops and 72 per cent of the pulse crops are at their normal stages of development for this time of year.

Many crops are currently behind due to excess moisture. While most crops are in fair to good condition some crops won’t recover due to dry conditions in some areas and being drowned out in others.

Those areas that received adequate rainfall and temperatures throughout the season say their crops are in excellent condition.

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Meanwhile, haying operations are in full swing.

Shellbrook area farmer, Arnold Balicki, said hay yields north of Prince Albert are much better than during last years drought.

“Last year was a little difficult to see the swath on the hills,” Balicki said. “I think we’re going to have a pretty decent hay crop and the land that we put into oats and barley for silage is exceptional. It’s one of our best crops.”

Rain and humid conditions have slowed operations. However, Balicki said it was the cold weather in early June stunted the alfalfa crop.

“It just nicely started blooming up here, so we started knocking it down and we have over 100 acres down now and I’m raking it,” Balicki said. “My son is chomping at the bit wanting to get behind me and bale but it’s just not quite ready to run through the bailer yet.”

Balicki said there are areas of the southwest that are still in a drought situation, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get turned around for them this year.

“I have a friend down in southwest who got a bail on acre last year and this year what he’s bailed so far is about three quarters of a bale an acre so that particular area is terrible,” he said. “Yet he was telling me that 12 miles down the road they’ve got one of the best hay crops ever. So, if you got the rain, you have the hay in the pasture, if you didn’t get the timely rains, you’re kind of hooped.”

The provincial report said livestock producers now have 16 per cent of the hay crop cut while eight per cent has been baled or put into silage.

Hay quality is rated as 19 per cent excellent, 62 per cent good, 17 per cent fair and two per cent poor.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @farmnewsNOW