Hayfields across Johnson County have produced lower tonnage per acre this year thanks to an unusually warm and dry spring that turned into a significant drought over the summer months, with the majority of the county remaining in either a severe or
extreme drought, according to the Oct. 20 U.S. Drought Monitor map.
Watts said that, in July, the first cutting was down 30% to 40% in Johnson County, which was in line with U.S. Department of Agriculture crop progress reports at that time.
Rancher Travis Rule said that irrigation was critical to producing the hay they did get.
“If we hadn’t irrigated, we wouldn’t have had any hay,” he said.
The drought reduced the quantity of both the first and second cuttings, and the third cut was so low they ended up letting cattle graze it, Rule said.
These issues were then exacerbated because growers didn’t have a good idea of what the final crop yield would look like until later in the summer, Watts said, and when they realized the drought was going to cause a significant shortage, many went into panic buying mode.
Despite the distance of the hay and the drought, however, Watts said he’s been lucky to be able to keep prices down for those who need to buy from him.
