Glacier FarmMedia | MarketsFarm—Fields across Manitoba saw variable amounts of precipitation as crops continued to develop under hotter temperatures during the week ended July 28, according to the province’s weekly crop report.
Sprague in southeastern Manitoba received the most rainfall at 51.3 millimetres, with Reedy Creek in the northwest region close behind at 44.5 mm. Many communities across the province had no precipitation at all. Since May 1, most areas in Manitoba have exceeded 110 per cent of normal precipitation. Cumulative growing degree days since May 1 was between 95 to 110 per cent of normal for most of the province.
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Early fall rye fields may start being harvested this week. Meanwhile, other fall rye and winter wheat fields have dried down while developing into anywhere between the hard dough and physiologically mature stages. Oats and spring wheat fields were in the soft to hard dough stages. The Interlake and northwest regions had their spring wheat crops rated at 80 per cent good to excellent, while the central region was at 75 per cent, the eastern region was at 70 per cent and the southwest was at 65 per cent. Early seeded barley was in the soft dough stage.
The earliest seeded canola crops were already filling pods with flower drop complete. The last canola fields seeded were in full flower while being applied with fungicide. Most sunflowers were in the R4 (inflorescence opening) growth stage, although some were in the R3 (bud elongation) and R5.1 (10 per cent flowering) stages. Aside from flooded and saturated areas, flax fields were in good condition in growth stages 9 (late flowering with most capsules formed) and 10 (white seeds in capsules and lower leaves yellowing).
While some fields, mostly in the eastern region, were adversely affected by excess moisture, peas were in the R4 and R5 stages. The hot humid conditions helped soybeans advance to the R2 and R3 stages, with earlier seeded fields at full pod (R4). However, iron deficiency chlorosis can still be found in some fields.
High humidity in previous weeks prevented curing of hay swaths, as well as reduced hay quality and led growers to use grass instead of hay for bale silage. Drier conditions allowed for progress to be made on first cut beef hay. Hay yields were reported to be between 2.5 to three bushels per acre. However, forage stands may be lacking in quality due to the humid conditions. Most dairy farms have taken a second cut of alfalfa silage, while first cut for tame hay for beef farms were nearly finished. Early seeded silage crops were expected to be harvested this week, while corn silage fields advanced due to high temperatures.
Dugouts for livestock were 85 per cent full while pastures and forage crops have shown strong growth. Pairs of cattle are grazing and bulls were placed with cows, but herds were clumping together to guard themselves from flies.
The Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation (MASC) released its seeded area estimates for numerous crops in Manitoba in the province’s crop report. Canola was the most widely grown crop in Manitoba in 2024 at 3.034 million acres, up 2.3 per cent from the previous year. There were 2.580 million acres of spring wheat seeded in 2024, down 4.7 per cent from last year, while soybeans totaled 1.213 million acres, down 18.9 per cent from 2023.
Oats gained more than 121,000 acres from last year at 403,294 in 2024, while dry beans and field peas had more modest increases. Winter wheat, barley, flax and sunflowers showed declines from the previous year.
