Manitoba is inching closer to harvest, but recent rainfall is slowing that down in some areas before machines can really get going.
The most recent crop report shows that harvest has kicked off in the more southern and central regions while those further north have yet to begin.
Manitoba Agriculture Cereal Crops Specialist Anne Kirk goes over some of the conditions they've seen over the last week.
"We received variable amounts of precipitation over the past seven days. So kind of ranging from 0 millimeters in most areas of the province to 23 to 25 mills in the Northwest and Interlake. So for soil moisture conditions, we are seeing that the majority of Manitoba is showing optimal or dry conditions at the surface and some areas are showing very dry soil conditions and that's kind of coming through in the later season crops like corn and soybeans that may need more moisture."
Other crops, especially cereals, are going through harvest now as those are ready to be scooped up.
"Just in some areas, we are seeing a big jump in harvest this week as well. So we did see quite a few winter wheat and fall rye acres combined as well as spring wheat, barley, oats, and field peas getting started."
"The northwest hasn't really started there, except maybe in a few small areas. We are seeing on average most of the harvest is taking place in the southwest, central, and some in the eastern region as well. Overall, we have just under 20% of the winter wheat estimated as harvested and about 40% of the fall rye harvested."
Non-cereal crops are doing well with the harvest inching closer.
"For canola, we are seeing quite a bit of dry down that most of the canola's in the pod fill early ripening stages and we have seen quite a bit of swathing and then pre-harvest applications occurring as well. So those earlier seeded canola crops are coming into the right timing for those applications."
"Now the oilseed fields are kind of at the end of flowering and beginning of pod film for sunflowers. We're seeing that the earliest seeds and sunflowers have completed flowering and are reaching the seed development stage. For pulses, we are seeing that the majority of soybeans are in the school pod stage and then peas, the earliest seeded peas are at physiological maturity with harvest start unknown."
Livestock and forage conditions are doing well even with recent dry and hot conditions.
"The first cut of most of the forages is complete and work on native stands continues. So for beef hay, we are seeing producers starting their second cut of hay, for dairy producers, they have completed their second cut of alfalfa and they're reporting good yields. Cereal silage, likely about half done, and yields look to be average to above average, and there has been some difficulty just finding time to get it to dry because it has been fairly humid in the last few weeks."
"For livestock, we are seeing pastures slow due to the recent heat and drier conditions, especially in parts of the province where we are seeing quite dry conditions. Pasture management practices are making a difference, such as rotational grazing, but those limited soil moisture reserves are affecting pastures and their ability to have cattle."
"We also see some issues with fly numbers, pink eye, and foot rot where conditions remain wet under foot. So for the most part, dugouts, like water supplies, are adequate and dugouts are at about 80 percent in normal capacity."
Any final thoughts?
No, that's all. Thank you.