By TIM THORNBERRY
Kentucky Correspondent

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Most producers in Kentucky saw a reduction in their 2010 crop yields because of last year’s drought, including hay producers, but supplies may just squeak by despite the tough winter conditions thus far.
Last month the Kentucky office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported that alfalfa hay production was estimated at 644,000 tons for 2010, down 16 percent from a year earlier. Other hay production was estimated at 5.06 million tons, 8 percent below the 2009 level. Luckily for state producers, their first couple of hay cuttings last year were good and, in some respects, very good because of abundant spring rains.

Tom Keene, forage specialist with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, said he feels good about the hay supply situation.

“Some of the product we produced in 2010, the quality wasn’t all that great, but we produced a tremendous volume of hay in terms of tonnage,” he said. “Early on I thought we would have this massive carryover of hay from 2010 to 2011.”

But the drought nullified that and livestock producers began to use up some of their supply by last August, added Keene. “Those people that started then are going to be feeding hay for 150 to 180 days. We were certainly scratching our heads back in September and October thinking, are we going to have enough?” he said.

“But in several recent conversations I’ve had with farmers throughout the state, it seems that we are going to be able to squeeze by with current inventory levels we have on hand. I don’t think there is going to be a lot left over, but from everything I can discern I think we are going to come through by the skin of our teeth.”

Keene noted it is not out of the question that some producers may run out, but he is not seeing an outcry of people needing hay. “The timing of (the drought) didn’t help our pastures but it did allow us to make a lot of hay, and that’s going to help us get through this,” he said.

That was not the case in 2007 and 2008, when the state went through droughts early each year, which really made a difference in production. The story now may be pasture conditions as opposed to hay supplies. As of the last crop report of the season, issued in October by the NASS, pastures then were rated as 66 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 9 percent fair and 2 percent good.

“People just grazed pastures right into the ground,” Keene said. “Unfortunately, we did not get any moisture in time to help them recover any whatsoever before we got into the winter. What that has done is opened that canopy up to where there is a lot of soil that is bare. When those grasses start come back, it’s not the only thing that’s going to want to come back; those weeds are going to come in there, too.”

He also said for the coming season, weed control will be paramount for both pasture and hayfields.

“It’s something farmers are going to have to get on top of quickly. This year, along with maybe putting some fertilizer on there, I think weed control is going to be the number-one issue. Weeds in general are just going to be tough and they are going to present some real problems for us,” said Keene.

If there is a bright spot for pastures, it could be the cold temperatures so far this winter. The longer the ground is frozen, the less harm is done to existing grass seedlings.

Another concern is hay quality. As Keene mentioned, there may have been an abundance of hay early last season but the quality suffered.

“If you’re buying or using your own hay, you certainly want to have it tested. You can only feed it judiciously and appropriately if you know what you’re feeding,” he said. “Just throwing a bale out there and thinking it’s going to take care of the cows – nothing could be further from the truth.”