|
Version française disponible |
Archive |
Crop Report | |
Oct 21, 2008 Issue Number: 27 | |
Southwest: |
Most of the region’s crop has been harvested, with yields and grades as follows:
Wheat: 99% completed, with an average yield of 40 – 50 bu/ac; 75% graded 2CW and 25% graded 3CW - downgrading was caused by fusarium and sprouting. Barley: 99% completed, with an average yield of 75 – 90 bu/ac; about 20% is malt quality and 80% feed quality due to fusarium and sprouting. Oats: about 90% completed, with an average of 90 – 100 bu/ac and all grading 2 or 3CW.
Canola: 95% completed, with an average yield of 40-45 bu/ac and all grading #1CAN. Flax: about 85% completed, with an average of 25-30 bu/ac and all grading #1CAN. Peas are 100% completed with an average of 25 – 35 bu/ac and all grading #1. Sunflower and corn crops still have too few acres harvested to report accurate yields.
Winter wheat acres have dropped considerably this fall. Some fertilizing has started, mainly by producers that bought product early.
Forage yields in general are reduced to about 50-70% of normal.
|
Northwest: |
Soil moisture conditions range from ideal to saturated. Harvest is done for most producers, who are now busy with fall tillage and fertilizer applications. Yields and grades are as follows:
Wheat: average yield of 50 bu/ac and average grade of 2CW; wheat in the North Parkland had higher than normal levels of fusarium. Barley: average yield of 90 bu/ac and an average grade of 1CW. Oats: average 105 bu/ac., with most grading 1CW and 2CW.
Canola: average of 50 bu/ac; about 80% graded 1Can and 20% 2Can. Flax: average 24 bu/ac, with most grading 1Can and some 2Can. About 60% of the flax in the North Parkland area remains in the field.
Winter wheat and fall rye acres are down this fall; seeding was generally delayed until after September 5.
The silage corn harvest is producing average to above average yields of very good quality feed. At this point, hay fields and pasture lands are in good condition. The volume of winter feed is good, but quality is average to below average. A notable exception is native hay production in low-lying areas adjacent to Lakes Winnipegosis and Manitoba.
|
Central: |
While yields for most crops have been average to above average, lower quality due to rainy conditions during harvest affected many producers. Lower yields occurred in areas suffering from excess moisture or other adverse weather conditions. Maturity of long season crops had been a concern, however a later-than-normal fall frost has allowed most crops to fully mature. A hard frost would now be welcome to help dry down the standing sunflower and corn crops. Yields and grades are as follows: Spring wheat: range of 35-60+ bu/ac., with average about 45+ bu/ac. Fields treated with fungicide benefited from yield increases, but not necessarily quality improvement. The majority of the crop graded 2CW or better. Fusarium head blight has caused significant downgrading, especially in later harvested crops. High fusarium levels will create marketing challenges for many producers. Winter wheat: range of 60-95+, with average of 70-80 bu/ac. The early harvested winter wheat came in with good quality, but winter wheat harvested after the rain suffered from higher fusarium and vomitoxin levels; a good portion of the crop was downgraded due to sprouting. Barley: range of 55-100 bu/ac, with an average of 75-80 bu/ac. Quality is good, with up to 30% reporting malt designation. Some downgrading due to FHB, but majority of crop was harvested before the rains started. Oats: many producers reported their best yields ever, ranging from 65-150+ bu/ac and an average around 105 bu/ac. Quality was generally very good, including good test weight, although some downgrading due to weathering and mildew. Rye: average of 60-70 bu/ac, with good quality. Canola: yields were excellent. Wind caused problems both at seeding and harvest. Some fields required reseeding due to wind damage. Canola benefited from the cooler temperatures; pod and seed set were very good. Yields were variable, ranging from 20-60 bu/ac, averaging around 30-35 bu/ac. Quality is good, with most grading #1CAN. Some green seed issues in late-seeded or re-seeded crop, but green seed problems were lower than anticipated. Yield average was reduced due to significant wind damage to both swathed and standing canola at harvest time. Losses ranged from 3-4 bu/ac, to as high as 20 bu/acre. Some concerns with blackleg and sclerotinia infection; insect damage this year was minor. Flax: range of 6-40 bu/ac, averaging 25-30 bu/ac. Quality is good. Peas: range of 30-60 bu/ac, averaging around 40 bu/ac. Generally good quality. Edible beans: widely variable yields. Navy beans range from 1200-3000 lbs/ac, but average yields are lower in most areas due to excess moisture and cooler temperatures. Pintos range from 1000-2200+ lbs/ac; average yields are generally higher than navy beans. Kidney types are lower in yield, but quality is better than usual. Quality is generally good in all edibles. Soybeans: harvest ranges from 50% to almost complete. Yields vary from 25-50+ bu/ac, averaging around 30 bu/ac. Quality is excellent, but seed size is on the small side. Yields are lower than last year. Some fields ran out of moisture during seed fill; others suffered from the cool temperatures in the spring. Standing crop is mature, but too wet to harvest. Buckwheat harvest is about to start. Potato harvest is close to complete – yields range from 220-350+ cwt, averaging around 250-300 cwt. Quality is good. Sunflower harvest ranges from just starting to 40% complete. Yield reports range from 500– 2000 lbs/ac; seed weight seems to be lower than other years. Yields lower due to head rot, rust and insect damage. Corn silage to date ranges from 12-20T/ac, averaging around 15T/ac. Quality is good. Grain corn harvest is just starting. Crop maturity has been delayed due to this year’s cooler temperatures. Yields are expected to be in the 100 bu/acre range. Quality looks good; crop is still too wet to harvest. |
Eastern: |
The harvest of cereal and oilseed crops has been completed, with some progress being made in soybeans and sunflowers. No corn has seen a combine yet. Most of the harvested acres have been cultivated once and some ditching has been done. Field operations are about 50% completed. Excessive soil moisture is limiting field work in some areas, especially in northern areas, although soil moisture is rated ideal in the southern areas. An average amount of stubble burning occurred in the region this year. The acres seeded to winter wheat will be average in southern areas (but only 70% of 2007 acreage) and below average in northern areas. The winter wheat crop is in good condition.
Yields and grades are as follows: Spring wheat: average yield of 44 bu/ac; grade breakdown was 5-20% 1CW, 20-75% 2CW, up to 10% 3CW, up to 40% 4CW and between 10-30% CW Feed. Winter wheat: average yield of 75 bu/ac with 30-40% grading 1 or 2CW and 60-70% grading Feed. Barley: average yield of 78 bu/ac with 20-100% grading 2CW and up to 80% grading Feed. Oats: average yield of 115 bu/ac with 75-100% grading 1 or 2CW, up to 20% grading 3CW and up to 5% grading 4CW.
Canola: average yield of 43 bu/ac with most grading #1CAN. Flax: average yield of 23 bu/ac with 50-100% grading 1CAN and up to 50% grading 2CAN.
About 60% of soybeans have been harvested to date. Average yield has been 37 bu/ac, with the crop grading 1 and 2CAN. The sunflower harvest ranges from 0-60% completed, depending on the area. Yields are wide-ranging, with some as high as 2400 lb/ac being reported. High levels of disease and bird damage have lowered yields, especially as the delays in harvesting continue.
Fusarium head blight was the most notable disease problem affecting crop quality this year in spring wheat, winter wheat and barley. Elevators have been selectively taking in only better grades of some cereals, making it hard to get an accurate summary of grades. Sprouting in winter wheat became a problem as the weather during harvesting turned rainy.
Continued intermittent rainfall has meant that significant acres of corn, sunflower and soybeans are still waiting to be harvested. While soybean quality still remains high, sunflower quality is highly variable and continues to degrade as harvest delays occur. It is expected that some fusarium head blight and other moulds will be found in the grain corn. Grain corn yields and bushel weights are expected to be above average. Because of a lack of an early killing frost, all crops matured despite a very cool spring and the late arrival of summer.
Hayland is in good to excellent condition, while pastures are rated as excellent. Final cut hay is coming off in excellent condition in some areas. Pastures are still growing but some hay feeding has started anyway. Feed supplies in the region are adequate to above average and quality is average to excellent. Levels of feeding have declined due to the poor outlook for backgrounded cattle.
The Eastern Region was not impacted by the feed shortage as were other areas of the province. Producers have expressed dissatisfaction with the calf prices they are getting so far.
|
Interlake: |
Harvest is all but complete in the south, while significant acreage remains unharvested in the north.
In the north, harvest progress is as follows:
Cereals: 60% completed.
Wheat: 30-45 bu/ac – 15% 2CW, 60% 3CW, 25% CW Feed.
Oats: 45-100 bu/ac – 75% 3CW, 25% 4CW.
Barley: 40-75 bu/ac – 10% low vomitoxin, 90% high vomitoxin.
Canola: 85% completed. Yields vary from 5-40 bu/ac – 85% 1CAN, 15% 2CAN (most downgrades due to sprouting).
Flax: 75% completed, with yields about 20 bu/ac – 80% 1CW, 20% 2CW.
Peas: 90 % completed. Yields near 50 bu/ac depending on variety and grades; mostly Canada Feed due to sprouting.
Soybeans: 20% completed - all grading 1CAN.
In the south, harvest is nearly completed:
Spring wheat: 48 bu/ac – 30% 2CW, 50% 3CW, 20% CW Feed
Oats: 110 bu/ac – 30% 2CW, 50% 3CW, 20% 4CW
Barley: 82 bu/ac – 10% Malt, 50% 1CW, 40% 2CW
Winter wheat crops were affected by sprouting and fusarium head blight due to untimely rains at harvest. Estimated grades: 20 % - 1 CWRW; 60% - 2 CWRW; 20% Feed. Average yield was 74 bu/ac.
All canola and flax crops are expected to grade 1CAN. Average yield for canola is 40 bu/ac and the average yield for flax is 31 bu/ac.
Soybeans have averaged 41 bu/ac in the south Interlake; harvest resumed this past weekend. Wet field conditions due to recent rains have delayed completion of the harvest.
Yields on confectionary sunflowers have ranged between 600 and 2000 lb/ac based on 50% of the crop that has been harvested to date. The average yield is estimated to be about 1000-1200 lbs/ac.
Corn silage harvested to date has yielded above average. Harvest has been hampered due to wet field conditions in some areas.
The acreage planted to winter wheat this fall is estimated to be below average from the previous 2 or 3 years, due to concerns with fusarium and sprouting. The acreage planted to fall rye is also estimated to be average to below average.
Post harvest weed control was done in some areas of the south Interlake. Most harvested fields have been tilled at least once, with exceptions in the wetter areas. Fall fertilizer applications started in a few areas this past weekend on drier soils.
Winter feed supplies are short for producers on marginal soils in the Interlake. Hay yields were good on land that could support harvest travel. Wet conditions have left many hayfields unharvested for 2008. Fall feeding of livestock has increased this year by 20% over the previous average because farmers cannot access pasture and hay.
|
Prepared by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO Teams & Crops Knowledge Centre Phone: (204) 745-5663 Email |
|
|