Hay shortage worsens without rainfall

By LORI COPE | East Texas Editior

Drought conditions have forced many producers to fork over hay to their cattle. Hay supplies are already short, creating concerns for the upcoming winter months. --Staff photo

Sept. 15, 2005 - Short hay supplies are affecting livestock owners ... and unless significant rain comes soon, many will struggle with finding and affording the baled forage.

Northeast Texas is one of the driest regions in the state, and drought-stricken pastures are forcing producers to fork over hay to their livestock.

�If they have any four-legged animals, they are feeding hay now,� said Ralph Davis, Kaufman County Extension agent, from his office in Terrell on Sept. 7. �And those that aren�t, they are keeping supplemental feed out because the grass they have, it�s so dry, there�s just not much to it.�

Because rainfall has been “spotty” throughout the region, some producers are just now experiencing poor-enough pasture that hay, or feed, is being offered to the livestock.

�We don�t have any producers feeding hay now,� said Jackie Risner, Nacogdoches County Extension agent, �because we had some rain a few weeks ago that helped (the pastures). But the last two weeks, we�ve had temperatures in the upper 90s, and that�s melted everything.�

The summer’s heat, and lack of rain, has burnt hay production so far this year.

�We�re in terrible shape here,� Risner said. �There are some that haven�t made any (hay), and others who have gotten only about half of what they normally do.�

Van Zandt County Extension Agent Brian Cummins assesses hay samples entered in the Hopkins County Hay Show. Cummins was determining the physical scores for the hay, while a lab will determine their chemical score. County hay shows provide producers opportunity to have their hay tested at little, or no, cost. -- Staff photo by Cope

Davis added that Kaufman County producers are baling only about 40 to 50 percent of their usual amount.

These statistics are resounded throughout the region.

�About one-half to two-thirds of normal,� said Brian Cummins, Van Zandt County Extension agent, on hay production in his county.

Larry Spradlin, Hopkins County Extension agent, said his county’s producers have put up about a quarter of what they normally do.

In the northern section of Northeast Texas, Dennis Smith, owner of Dennis’ Farm Store in Denton, said, “We’re short, short! There’s some producers who haven’t had any (production) at all. There’s places all over the county that’s cut only one time.

�I�ve got a place that�s 22 acres. Normally I get 75 to 77 rolls off it, and it only made 12 (rolls of hay),� Smith said.

In far eastern Texas, Harrison County Extension Agent Randy Reeves said some producers are cutting hay now (in early September), but because it’s been delayed, it’ll likely be low in protein. “We had some rain earlier and that helped, but it’s getting dry again. But right now, we’re better than we were a month ago.”

In the driest areas, producers are looking for some help. “What they are doing now is praying for rain so they can maybe get a fall cutting of hay,” Cummins said.

�And they are looking at planting forage, but that won�t be ready to graze until mid-November to Thanksgiving,� Spradlin added, with faith of rainfall.�

With short hay supplies, increased planting of winter pasture seed in late September or early October is expected; but then again, production success depends on rainfall, and fertilizer.

High fertilizer prices, driven by high fuel prices, will influence producers’ decisions. “I’’m seeing nitrogen fertilizer costing $350 to $400 per ton,” Smith said from his Denton County store.

High fertilizer costs have boost an unconventional option. “We’ve seen an increased demand for poultry litter,” said Risner, who works in a county where poultry production, and thus litter availability, is high. But, he pointed out, there are difficulties with trucking it to a field, and then spreading it once it’s there.

High fuel prices are reflected in hay costs, whether it’s trucked in or retrieved.

�I�ve got people looking for hay, and I�ve got nowhere to send them,� Smith said.

Risner said he saw a better hay supply west of I-35. “Coming back from Lubbock (in July), I saw many fields with hay in them around Comanche.”

A check with Comanche County Extension Agent Bob Whitney found the region’s producers will absorb what they produce. “We’re down some, as far as hay production, but we had some significant rain in August,” he said. “The first cutting was good, but many didn’t get that second cutting in July. ... But we’re cutting now; but we will only have enough to fill the contracts to area dairies and horse owners.”

One of the “best deals” now, according to Risner and Spradlin, may be alfalfa. Many of Hopkins County dairy farmers are familiar with shipping in baled alfalfa from Oklahoma and Colorado, Spradlin said, but it may be a good option now for beef producers.

�But it�s fed differently than what our beef producers are used to,� Risner added (it�s fed in small amounts, and not left out for free-choice eating), �and shipping costs are likely to hurt.�

Currently, hay prices are ranging from $35 to $60 per round bale. Supply will continue to diminish as producers feed any produced this year and any carried over from last year.

Financial help from the government is not likely this year, even if counties are officially declared to be devastated by drought. Sheri Weims, Farm Service Agency county executive director in Hopkins County, said an assessment report cannot be completed until after the first killing freeze ends the growing season. Without the assessment report, the process for Congressional drought declaration is halted.

�It�s not a matter of the county offices not wanting to help producers,� but rather the specified process that slows federal monies, Weims said. Likely, any federal funds for this current drought will be available to producers for the next growing season � in the spring of 2006.

Brenda Carlson, state FSA spokesperson, said many Northeast Texas counties have drought declarations “pending,” which means the counties’ officials have sent letters to the governor detailing their dry situations. Carlson said, on Sept. 8, the Northeast Texas counties with “pending” status include Red River, Bowie, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins, Lamar, Rains, Wood, Collin, Delta, Camp, Franklin, Morris, Titus, Cass, Hunt, Panola, Marion, Harrison.

It’s important for producers to understand “there is no ad hoc program for 2005,” Carlson said, which means no funds for drought will be available this year. But, if the declarations are made, then the counties’ producers could be eligible for emergency loans through FSA.

In the meantime, hay trade avenues include Country World’s Country Classifieds, the TDA hay hotline (877-429-1998), and online at www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet/ or other Internet searches for hay.