A Beef and Forage Specialist says they're seeing a 40 to 50 per cent drop in hay prices in Alberta this year where there's lots of feed available.

Barry Yaremcio with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry says although we're still in the price discovery phase, areas in Central Alberta with more than adequate feed supplies are looking at $100-120 dollars per tonne.

Moving to Southern Alberta, he says any areas with short feed supplies are looking at prices comparable to last year, anywhere up to $200 per tonne.

He adds, dairy quality hay is even higher.

However, it's a different story for farmers in some central regions of the Province dealing with too much rain.

Yaremcio says farmers are struggling to get their first cut of hay off because of too much moisture in areas stretching from Drayton Valley, Westlock and Barrhead across to Smokey Lake, St. Paul and Bonnyville.

"Their prices in those areas are still unkown," Yaremcio said. "If it dries up here for the next two to three weeks and they can get some forage up, they're defintley going to need to suppliment, but at least they'll have some kind of fibre compent that they can start the ration on."

He says by mid-October they should have a better idea of forage prices in the Province.

 

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