Manitoba Weekly Crop Report - Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives

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Crop Report

October 10, 2006 Issue Number: 24

Southwest:

The overall moisture situation in the southwest is good to dry. There was little to no precipitation over the past week. Dugouts are about 60-65% full and some producers are watering cattle.

Harvest in the southwest is complete except for the sunflowers and that has not begun as of yet. Overall the crop was average with the following yields.

HRSW – 35bu/ac with majority grading #1CW or #2CW - some wheat midge damage, Oats – 85 bu/ac with majority grading #2CW, Barley – 65-70 bu/ac with some going as malt and some late seeded barley having low bushel weight, Canola – 30 -40 bu/ac with majority grading #1CAN with very little green seed problems, Flax – 25-30 bu/ac with majority grading #1CW, Peas – 40 bu/ac good quality and grading #1CW.

Sunflowers have not been harvested as of yet but crops look to be average to above average.

Hay crops were average for first cut and very few producers had a second cut due to lack of rainfall.

The 2006 crop had very few disease problems because of the warm dry weather conditions.

The 2006 crop year started off great with good moist conditions and then adequate rainfall to get early season growth. Around the end of June the rainfall stopped and the potential for a bumper crop was reduced to an average crop. Harvest weather was great and crops came off in good quality.

Some fall work has started in the southwest and a large percentage of the acres had some type of weed management done whether it was pre-harvest or post-harvest.

Winter feed supplies looked good during the summer, however many producers have been feeding for 2-3 weeks and this may create a shortage by spring.

Overall a year that started out with great potential turned into an average year.

Northwest:

Cereal harvest has concluded with more widely variable yields and higher quality than normal. HRSW has averaged 45 bu/ac and graded 80% #1CW, feed wheat 55 bu/ac, barley 68 bu/ac grading 90% malt and #1CW, oats 85 bu/ac 70% #1CW, winter wheat 60 bu/ac and rye 30 bu/ac. Canola averaged 37 bu/ac and 95% grading #1CAN with minor green seed, Flax is 95% #1CW averaging at 20 bu/ac, Peas came off 80% #1 and #2 averaging at 45 bu/ac, Hemp has averaged 650 lbs/ac.

Weather contributed to a wide range of all crop yields and quality. Lower averages were primarily in the dryer areas of Ste. Rose and Dauphin where wheat proteins have been as high as 17%. Some light bushel weights resulted from heat and July drought. Timely rains through Grandview and Ethelbert resulted in more consistent and better yields. Weathering downgrades during harvest were minor. Only minor level of stubble burning has taken place. Majority of crops were harvested prior to migratory birds moving through and any associated damage was minor.

Disease and insect pressure was generally very low. The exception was Bertha armyworms on canola in the Swan River area and less so around Roblin. Ste Rose had some isolated Diamondback moth pressure. Grasshopper problems and season end survey counts have been very low across the Region. Acres of winter wheat and fall rye seeded this fall are higher than normal for the area.

Late fall rains have improved soil moisture reserves. More producers have opted for post harvest herbicide treatments over tillage and lower nitrogen costs has somewhat mitigated current high fuel costs. Hay production had average yields with little quality concerns because of excellent weather during the hay season. Drought resulted in little to no second cuts. Some native hay was flooded in the lake areas and those producers are anticipating feed shortage over winter. Livestock water supply in dugouts is only fair and some filling is under way. Pastures were severely overgrazed during the July drought. Some recovery with recent rains has improved spring re-growth prospects. Livestock on feed has occurred earlier than normal and poor pasture condition will force delayed spring pasturing and added feed supply pressure.

Central:

No reports of rainfall this past week. Most producers have been pleased with yields this year, although some areas have suffered more due to lack of rainfall. Crops were able to draw on soil moisture reserves. Yields for most crops have been close to average to above average, with lower yields in the areas of low rainfall. Low levels of disease were seen in crops due to dry weather. Wheat yields average to above average, with low FHB levels.

Quality is generally excellent, with some downgrading due to bleaching. Protein levels lower than expected for a dry year.

Winter wheat yields average to above average with excellent quality. Barley yields also average to above average. Percentage of malt designation is higher than the last several years. Oats had average yields, with some downgrading due to low bushel weight. Most soybean fields are harvested. Yields vary from 15-50 bu/ac, with lack of moisture and establishment problems accounting for some of the poorer yields. Some problems with pod split in fields that were mature during hot, windy weather. Flax yields are average to slightly below average with some downgrading due to low bushel weight. Canola yields were extremely variable, but with some excellent yields. Quality was very good with low levels of green seed. Edible Bean yields were variable, with some very good yields. Some problems with splitting affected quality. Seed size, as with many crops this year, is on the smaller side. Potato harvest is progressing very well, with yields generally average to above average. Sunflower harvest has begun, with some producers waiting for crop to dry down. Yield reports of 1500 – 3000 lbs/ac; generally above average yields. Buckwheat harvest is close to complete. Corn silage harvest reported as excellent. Corn harvest is progressing well, with good yields to date. A killing frost would be welcome to aid in dry-down of corn and sunflowers.

Crop residue burning has been spread out through the fall.

Conditions have been excellent for baling operations.

Fall fertilizing has begun, with most progress in the east. Field conditions generally very good for fall field work, although the Starbuck and Altona areas are looking for more rain to improve conditions. Soil testing is showing higher than expected residual N.

Feed supplies are adequate in most areas with good quality. Some cattle continue to be fed. Some producers are taking advantage of late forage re-growth and volunteer grain re-growth on cultivated land. .

Residual soil moisture is a concern in most of the region – will need to replenish for next year’s crop. Hay and pasture range from good to poor condition – again, soil moisture needs to be replenished. Dugouts are also low.

Eastern:

2006 was an excellent crop year.

On the east side of the province, subsoil moisture was near capacity in the spring and this proved beneficial as we received less than normal precipitation threw the growing season.

Early seeded crops yielded better than later seeded ones due to the lack of rainfall. Also, areas that received extra rain had better yields. Deep rooted heat loving crops like sunflowers and corn had tremendous yield, over all, crop quality was excellent.

Winter wheat yielded an average 80 bu/ac with good quality and low FHB levels. HRSW yields were 45 bu/ac and 70% graded #1CW and 25% #2CW. Barley yields were 75 bu/ac and also had low DON levels. Oats averaged 90 bu/ac with 30% grading #1CW and 70% #2CW due to thins and lighter bushel weights. Canola yielded 35 bu/ac and 85% graded #1CAN and 15% #2CAN. Flax was disappointing and yielded 15 bu/ac. Edible beans did well and yields were around 1500 lbs/ac, Soybean yields were 31 bu/ac. Grain Corn yields were 110 bu/ac and Corn Silage yields were average to above average. Both oil and non-oil sunflower yields were in the 2500 lbs/ac with heavy bushel weight. Forage seed crop yields were above normal.

More acres were seeded to winter wheat this fall and timely rains in mid September aided germination. Hay and pasture on light soils particularly suffered from the lack of moisture. Yields of first cut were 70% of normal and second and third were 60% of normal, quality; however, was excellent. Overall there is adequate supply of hay but there could be some local shortages. Pastures were exhausted by fall.

Interlake:

The 2006 cropping season was drier than normal with accumulated summer precipitation ranging between 180 mm to 273 mm throughout the Interlake area. Warm conditions persisted throughout the summer resulting in above average accumulated heat units. The hot and dry growing conditions resulted in little disease pressure on most crops. Dry weather during harvest resulted in good grades for the HRSW crop. Some areas had seed damage caused by wheat midge. Dry conditions adversely affected the bushel weights on some crops. Spring wheat crop yields ranged from 40-50 bu/ac with 90-95% grading #1CW and 13.5 to 14% protein. Winter wheat yields ranged between 70-90 bu/ac and 9.5 to 10% protien. Oat crop yields ranged between 60-110 bu/ac with 90% grading #2 and #3CW. Barley crop yields ranged between 60-90 bu/ac with some areas experiencing lower yields. About 35% of the barley crop will meet malt quality standards and most of the barley crop is grading #2CW. Canola yields ranged between 30-40 bu/ac, later seeded canola was lower yielding and 80% will grade #1CAN. Flax averaged 20 bu/ac and graded #1CW. Soybean crop yields have ranged 15-34 bu/ac, with some areas experiencing lower yields. The average yield for edible beans is 1400 lbs/ac. Confectionary sunflower yields ranged between 1500-2000 lbs/ac and oilseed sunflowers yielded up to 2800 lbs/ac. Alfalfa seed crop yields were above average and ranged between 400-650 lbs/ac, with some fields yielding higher. Hemp seed crop yields were average to above average.

The area planted to winter wheat is about average and rains around mid September germinated seeds planted into dry soil. Late germinating winter wheat is in the 2 leaf stage. Post harvest tillage was sporadic during the dry months but became general after the rains in mid of September. Fall fertilizer applications started last week. Winter feed supplies appear to be adequate at this time. Feed carried over from 2005 has been used by cattle producers that had to supplement pastures with baled hay. Only the first cut of alfalfa hay had a decent yield in the drier parts of the Interlake area. A second cut of alfalfa was harvested in the areas that had more rain. A few relatively small areas that received adequate precipitation even had a third cut of alfalfa. The drier areas with low forage yields had more cereal straw and green feed baled to be used in livestock feed rations..

Pastures were grazed hard this past summer with many farmers having to supplement their pastures. Rains in September resulted in grasses greening up with some re-growth occurring..

Overall the growing season ended on the positive side for many farmers. The yield and quality of most crops is on average better than was expected. Some crops did surprising well and some crop yields were disappointing due to the dry and hot conditions.