Logan Houff helps manage a farm and ranch in the Eston area. He says they feed cattle 200-220 days of the year. They don't cut hay, and therefore they have to buy all of their feed, except for the silage.
A hay producer that they normally buy from had texted recently with bales on offer. The prices are better this year than last year. "There are some pockets around where the hay crops aren't as thick. I've seen a few places where the crops aren't as good. For the most part producers will be able to source bales that are reasonably close to home."
Houff also wanted to add "lots of producers put up feed this year that don't normally put up feed. There's more acres planted to green feed this year, or silage, or putting stuff up for swath grazing. There's even a few producers who have exited the industry entirely, with very few animals retained into the breeding stock." With those combined he feels there won't be a shortage locally, but there's always another variable. "There's going to be a few places in the States that are dry and they may compete for some of the hay."
Houff said that the price of trucking has doubled from Saskatoon. "Trucking is going to be a killer no matter how you look at it. Inputs are fuel prices and equipment, and they were a concern even before the current prices of $2 per liter."
They will buy hay in the areas from Saskatoon to Medicine Hat and from as far away as Brooks, Alberta or the Longview area. They background cattle meaning that they buy calves in the fall and sell them in the spring, or send them to grass.
Tue, May 14, 7:00 PM
