Limited hay growth in Northwest Montana has ranchers prepping for hard fall

A mix of weather conditions limiting the summer’s alfalfa and grass growth is creating variable hay harvests and possible feed shortages heading towards fall. Low snowpack, late spring freezes and a lack of moisture created poor pasture land and abnormal hay harvests, a problem that leads to potential hay shortages and decreased cattle numbers in the fall.

“It’s not a typical year for a number of reasons weather-related,” Jack Stivers, Lake County Extension Agent, said.

Stivers cited April’s freezes, June’s lack of moisture and grasshopper infestations as some of the factors producing an unusual hay and pasture season.

Hay, a mix of alfalfa and grass, is cut and baled several times in the summer with one season producing three, sometimes four, cuttings. Stivers said the season’s first cut was three to four weeks early. He predicted reduced yields for the second cutting, saying the early season and lack of moisture would stunt crop regrowth.

A field with too little regrowth is turned into pasture but Stivers said some producers were losing pasture quality, too. As the weather continues to be hot and dry, impacts spread from supplier to buyer. 

Stivers said ranchers are now planning for local shortfalls, importing hay across county or state lines. He added others are looking at selling cows early or just dropping herd numbers. The choice boils down to a give or take, according to Stivers.

“Do you want to buy hay or do you want to sell cows?” he said.

Ken McAlpin, owner/operator of McAlpin Ranch near Polson, is already planning around that question. His ranch produces small grains, cattle and hay so his strategy involves both crops and herds.

As a hay producer, his deciding factor is water. McAlpin’s first cutting was down 25 percent. Limited irrigation this summer has led to taking a second cutting but turning his third cutting into pasture lands. He will use the last of his irrigation water to grow the pasture.

He said the McAlpin ranch would still had a good amount of hay for sale but that most had been presold.

“I had a lot of customers call early,” McAlpin said.

His ranch has even been conservative on selling, though, as McAlpin watches his own hay reserves. Despite having his own supply, the rancher plans to scrutinize his herd this fall.

“When you look at having to tighten up somewhere, selling some old cows instead buying more hay looks like a good option,” McAlpin explained.

While McAlpin is selling part of their hay harvest, the Lazy J M Ranch decided not to enter the market.

“I normally sell hay and I’m not selling any this year,” owner Kurt McPherson said.

McPherson’s first cutting usually provides enough to feed the Lazy J M herd. This year it fell short. McPherson expects a better second cutting but no third. He also predicted poor pasture. Between the two shortfalls, McPherson expects to start feeding hay to his cattle mid-October, roughly a month early.

McPherson took over the ranch in 1994 and said the lack of moisture and the heat made it the most extreme season he has seen.

“Every blade of grass we grew was a physical labor,” he said.

Jayson O’Neill, public information officer for the Montana Department of Agriculture, said there is no official hay shortage yet. He did say his department started worrying when dry, hot trends emerged in states like California, Oregon and Idaho. 

Northwest Montana reached United States Drought Monitor’s D3 drought level the second week of July. Known as extreme drought, it is the second-worst designation and possible impacts include major crop and pasture loss and widespread water shortages or restrictions.

The designation triggered eligibility in 15 counties for the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, a USDA program that provides aid to ranchers suffering grazing losses. O’Neill said the Farm Service Agency could check eligibility and help ranchers fund high hay prices or supplemental feed. He said ranchers have eight months to apply but that they should not wait.

“The sooner you can get the details worked out, the better off you’ll be heading into the winter,” O’Neill said.