As the drought continues across the Prairies, ranchers and grain farmers are navigating baling and grazing drought-affected crop.
There are insurance considerations when offering field crops as grazing, but there are also several considerations for livestock producers when determining the suitability of a field as feed.
Shannon Argent, business manager with VBP+, says that ranchers will need to ask farmers for a pesticide application history, to manage for the potential of any residues. Some products may have restrictions for grazing, or require a withdrawal period for livestock post-grazing before they can be shipped for slaughter.
Not all product labels will have this information either, so producers are encouraged to speak to a chemical company representative to clarify any concerns.
You can access the pesticide residue factsheet here.
Remember, grazing drought-stressed crops can create nitrate concerns, as well.
For those considering offering grazing of written-off crop, this video offers an example of the cost considerations and the benefits to crop growers.
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