haybales

Saskatchewan livestock producers continue to make good haying progress and now have 92 per cent of the hay crop cut. Eighty-one per cent of the hay crop has been baled or put into silage, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture's Weekly Crop Report. Eighty-three per cent of the hay crop is rated as good to excellent in quality, 14 per cent is rated as fair and three per cent is reported as poor quality.

Haying progress varies across the province with 96 per cent cut in the southeast, 98 per cent in the southwest, 93 per cent in the east-central region, 88 per cent in the west-central region, 91 per cent in the northeast and 77 per cent in the northwest.

Eighty-seven per cent of the hay crop has been baled or put into silage in the southeast, 93 per cent in the southwest, 81 per cent in the east-central and northeastern regions, 74 per cent in the west-central region and 60 per cent in the northwest.

One per cent of the provincial crop has now been combined and three per cent has been swathed or is ready to straight combine. The five-year (2007-2011) provincial average for this time of year is two per cent combined and four per cent swathed or ready to straight combine.

Provincially, 28 per cent of the winter wheat, 23 per cent of the fall rye, six per cent of the peas, three per cent of the lentils and one per cent of the mustard has been combined. Two per cent of the canola and five per cent of the mustard has been swathed.

The majority of crop damage this week is attributed to insects, disease, hail and localized flooding. Severe hail storms and heavy rain were reported in some regions.

Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as 11 per cent surplus, 72 per cent adequate, 14 per cent short and three per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as seven per cent surplus, 68 per cent adequate, 18 per cent short and seven per cent very short.

Farmers are busy finishing haying, controlling insects and getting ready for harvest.