LA nutrition challenges due to drought conditions are back
News reports of late indicate that areas of drought in some parts of Saskatchewan are the worst in a 100 years. The drought this summer, combined with record setting temperatures and the impact both of these have had on pastures, hay and cereal crops, as well as surface water, will have an impact on large animal nutrition, now and over the coming winter.
SK veterinarians are concerned the reduction in hay production for baled feed, the reduction in hayfield regrowth for fall and winter grazing, the reduced growth in pastures, and the lowered yield of cereal crops (grain and straw) may mean there could be a severe feed shortage for livestock this winter. In some parts of the Province surface water reserves in sloughs, dugouts and small creeks have all but dried up.
Livestock provided with limited amounts of good quality feed (and therefore insufficient energy), with reduced access to water could result in there being animal welfare concerns and increased death rates near the end of this coming winter.