Like many cattle producers in Manitoba’s northern Interlake, Joe Bouchard has spent a significant amount of the summer sky watching.
Since May 1, more than 350 millimetres of rain have fallen on Bouchard’s farm near Fisher Branch.
“And there’s other places (in the region) that are near or over the two foot (600 mm) mark,” said Bouchard. “This whole north Interlake has just been getting pounded by every rain.”
The incessant precipitation has forced some cattle producers in the region to move their cattle to pasture on higher ground. Bouchard hasn’t faced that predicament, but the lack of progress on his hay crop is a concern.
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“It’s getting really mature. It’s starting to lose feed value…. But overall, I’d say the hay crop looks good. You just can’t get near it,” he said, noting it’s so wet that his boots sink into the mud when he steps onto his hay land.
The wet conditions are even more severe than 2008, he added, a year when 275 mm of rainfall was recorded between July 1 and Aug. 25 at the Environment Canada weather station in nearby Arborg.
“We were actually getting a bit of hay made at this time (in ’08). Right now there’s water sitting on the fields.”
Northwest of Arborg, the situation is similar at Hilding Olson’s farm near Steep Rock, Man. Based on his rain gauge, Olson figures they’ve received about 430 mm of rain since early May.
“Oh, yes,” Olson answered, when asked if that’s a record amount of rainfall for the spring and early summer on his farm.
Olson has produced 500 round bales from ridges and other high ground, but he has to make 5,000 bales to have enough feed for his Simmental cross cattle this winter.
“How many more (bales) we’ll get? I can’t even begin to guess,” he said.
Unfortunately for Olson and Bouchard, drowned out hay land is not eligible for the federal-provincial aid package announced earlier this month to compensate producers for excess moisture this spring.
“We applaud the announcement of this relief package,” said Kim Crandall, a district director with the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association. “But we look forward to the same kind of help for our cattle guys.”
In a provincial government release last week, Manitoba’s agriculture minister Stan Struthers said he’s aware of the situation.
“Impacts of excessive rainfall on pasture and hay lands are being closely monitored,” Struthers said. “Our hay listing program will be an important asset for Manitoba’s livestock producers, but I have asked officials to let me know if access to feed becomes a significant problem.”
For hay listings in Manitoba, visit web2. web2.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/hay-search/.
