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Log inPersistent rains drench hay, keep farmers waiting
Persistent rains drench hay, keep farmers waiting
by Outspoken on Mon Aug 04, 2008 5:51 am
Persistent rains drench hay, keep farmers waiting
Yields will be down and so will the quality of the first crop, as much hay sits uncut until dry weather.
Blethen Maine News Service
Making hay is a sunshine task, which is why the hay is still wet and in the fields throughout much of central and western Maine.
That could spell trouble for farmers with livestock this winter.
The first crop of dry hay is believed to be the most nutritious. Farmers might have to buy nutrients for their animals, to make up for the wet first crop of the season.
"People who make hay require three days of really nice weather for drying time," said Mark Hedrick of the Maine Department of Agriculture. "The longer the hay stands in the field, the more the digestibility and quality of the forage decreases."
"The first crop should technically be harvested by June 15," he said, "but it is lucky if a farmer can do that. Right now, there is a lot of hay still uncut because of the weather."
The hay yield is down across the region, he said.
"We've gotten so much rain we can't even get into the fields to get the hay we've already cut. If I can't get to it, it'll be mulch hay," said Bruce Tracy, whose family raises beef cattle and grows hay on 250 acres in Farmington.
"I don't have a bale of hay in my barn and by this time, I should be almost done," he said Wednesday. "I think the last time it was this bad was in the summer of 1998. The problem is the rain has come down in buckets without much warning and it hasn't been gentle."
Dan Bosworth has 100 acres in hay and another 500 acres in haylage at his family's farm in Cornville.
"It's been awful," he said. "I've not done any dry hay and won't have any until August and there is a demand for it now."
Hedrick, of the state's agriculture department, said low yields and poor quality of hay "can affect small operations that raise beef cattle and the horse trade that may have to feed more concentrates and grain."
Hay will be more expensive, he said, "but that is mostly because of the increased production costs with diesel fuel and fertilizer costs doubling or tripling over last year."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=202863&ac=PHnws
Yields will be down and so will the quality of the first crop, as much hay sits uncut until dry weather.
Blethen Maine News Service
Making hay is a sunshine task, which is why the hay is still wet and in the fields throughout much of central and western Maine.
That could spell trouble for farmers with livestock this winter.
The first crop of dry hay is believed to be the most nutritious. Farmers might have to buy nutrients for their animals, to make up for the wet first crop of the season.
"People who make hay require three days of really nice weather for drying time," said Mark Hedrick of the Maine Department of Agriculture. "The longer the hay stands in the field, the more the digestibility and quality of the forage decreases."
"The first crop should technically be harvested by June 15," he said, "but it is lucky if a farmer can do that. Right now, there is a lot of hay still uncut because of the weather."
The hay yield is down across the region, he said.
"We've gotten so much rain we can't even get into the fields to get the hay we've already cut. If I can't get to it, it'll be mulch hay," said Bruce Tracy, whose family raises beef cattle and grows hay on 250 acres in Farmington.
"I don't have a bale of hay in my barn and by this time, I should be almost done," he said Wednesday. "I think the last time it was this bad was in the summer of 1998. The problem is the rain has come down in buckets without much warning and it hasn't been gentle."
Dan Bosworth has 100 acres in hay and another 500 acres in haylage at his family's farm in Cornville.
"It's been awful," he said. "I've not done any dry hay and won't have any until August and there is a demand for it now."
Hedrick, of the state's agriculture department, said low yields and poor quality of hay "can affect small operations that raise beef cattle and the horse trade that may have to feed more concentrates and grain."
Hay will be more expensive, he said, "but that is mostly because of the increased production costs with diesel fuel and fertilizer costs doubling or tripling over last year."
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=202863&ac=PHnws
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