Interlake cattle producers have looked at a lot of red ink this winter as pasture and feed devastation hammered their finances.
But with spring just weeks away, many who have survived are feeling more upbeat about the future than they expected.
“We’ve had an amazing amount of snow,” said Fisher Branch producer Joe Bouchard. “I’ve never seen snow like this.”
The heavy blanket of snow covering most of the fields between lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg holds a few inches of water, and there is hope that the grass will green at the beginning of the season.
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In November a heavy snowfall also hit and mostly melted, putting some moisture into the parched soils.
While most of Manitoba suffered drought conditions for much of the summer, as did much of the Prairies, the Interlake situation was extreme. Grass and crops browned and burned in midsummer as relentless heat and dryness drained the soils of moisture.
Some farmers had to reduce or liquidate cattle herds as the prospects of a winter without feed created an untenable situation.
Federal and provincial governments crafted safety net programs to allow farmers to liquidate animals, obtain feed grains and find pasture. Farmers in the eastern half of the country sent much-needed supplies west as part of the Hay West initiative.
Farmers scrambled to feed hungry animals.
“Guys were feeding just about anything they could get their hands on,” said Bouchard.
“Salvage canola, straw of any kind, corn pellets, DDGs. You got creative just so you could get by.”
Bouchard sold some old cows and a few other animals but wasn’t as badly affected as some. He thinks most producers will be able to hang on until the snow melts and the grass greens.
“It’s a lot easier looking forward to the spring, knowing you have some moisture,” he said. “It’ll be tight till we get to grass.”
Snow won’t be enough, but it’s a start toward crawling out from beneath the suffocating drought.
“With this snow and if we get a couple of timely rains in the spring, it might be enough to break out of the four years of drought,” said Bouchard.
