Dry conditions could delay spring grazing

Dry soil conditions and below-average snow packs in Ponoka County and across the province could mean a late start to spring grazing and an increased risk of winterkill on hay and pasture stands for area livestock producers, cautions a provincial forage specialist.

“Producers should plan for delayed growth on their hay and pasture lands this spring and be prepared to keep their herds on winter feed supplies for at least a week longer than usual this spring — possibly longer, depending on when we get some moisture,” says Grant Lastiwka, a forage and grazing specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD).

“The dry conditions really snuck up on us after such a wet start to the growing season last year. It’s surprising how quickly things turned around.”

Soil moisture and snow packs are well below normal across large pockets of central, eastern and northern Alberta, with soil moisture ranging from an estimated one in six-year to one in 50-year lows in many of these areas. In Ponoka County, soil moisture is generally near normal ranging to moderately low in the west with a pocket of one in six-year to one in 12-year lows in the northwest, and a pocket of high soil moisture in the east, according to provincial soil moisture maps at www.agric.gov.ab.ca/acis.

Feb. 29 perennial insurance deadline

The risk posed by dry soils could quickly lessen or turn around completely with some early rain or wet snow once the ground starts to thaw in late March or April, points out Lastiwka. But with conditions currently so dry, and the Feb. 29 deadline to insure hay and pasture in Alberta just weeks away, “farmers need to be aware of these issues now so they can assess soil moisture on their own farms and decide how they want to manage that risk,” he says.

Ralph Wright, a provincial soil moisture specialist with ARD, says an extremely dry fall is largely to blame for the current conditions. “Alberta had a wet June and July, but thirsty crops and forage stands used up all that water. By early September, our soil moisture was depleted. And from August to mid-November the rains basically stopped falling in many parts of Alberta — preventing the soils from getting a fall moisture recharge for next year’s crops before the ground froze.”

Slower plant growth; increased risk of winterkill

“As those energy reserves become depleted over the winter, the plants will be slower to start growing this spring. They’re also more vulnerable to winterkill — which could be a real issue this year, especially on older hay stands,” he adds, pointing to the lack of snow cover and unseasonably warm temperatures earlier this winter, which were followed by a frigid blast of Arctic air in January.

“Who knows what we’ll be facing in the spring. You can go from flood to drought or drought to flood pretty quickly around here. It’s not predictable anymore,” says Randy Hatala, who runs a mixed dairy and beef operation between Rimbey and Ponoka. While he got about 20 inches of rain on his hay and pasture land last year, Hatala says it was a dry fall so getting a decent amount of rain in April will be critical to kick-start growth on his hay and pasture in the spring.

“I feed year-round with the dairy, and hay is my bread and butter,” says Hatala, who “can’t afford to spend $50,000 to truck in feed if we don’t get rain” so he insures his hay and pasture each year.

More than $6 million paid in 2011

In 2011, more than $6 million was paid on hay and pasture insurance claims across Alberta mainly due to lack of moisture, says John Kresowaty, perennial insurance co-ordinator with Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), the provincial Crown corporation that administers crop insurance in Alberta.

Across central and southern Alberta, more than $3 million was paid to producers who experienced limited rainfall late in the season and production losses on hay. Claims have also been triggered in southern Alberta by accidental pasture fires this winter due to dry conditions, high winds, and a lack of snow, says Kresowaty. He explains pasture insurance includes spot loss coverage for accidental fires and fires caused by lightning. Across northern Alberta and the Peace region, more than $3 million was paid after an extremely dry, cool spring delayed hay and pasture growth.

With conditions so dry across the province this year, Kresowaty expects participation in perennial insurance will increase.

“We often see that when soil moisture is dry,” he said. While most producers in the program insure every year, there are some who opt in and out depending on what the weather looks like in February and sometimes find themselves disappointed by Mother Nature, he says.

“Many sign up after a disaster has already happened and miss out on that coverage, or they opt out too soon and find themselves unprotected at the wrong time.”

He says AFSC encourages producers to stay in the program every year with premium discounts of up to 20 per cent for continuous participation and an experience discount of up to 38 per cent for hay producers with a favorable claims history.

Alberta is a ‘land of extremes’

“It’s very difficult to predict what the growing season will be like in the spring based on current conditions,” says Wright. He points out that on average, February is the driest month in Alberta but by April “anything is possible when it comes to the weather. Alberta is a land of extremes with lots of sudden swings from prolonged dry periods to wet conditions. All we can do is wait and see.”

For more details about perennial insurance, producers can contact their local AFSC office or phone the AFSC call centre at 1-877-899-2372 before the Feb. 29 deadline.