Gophers are prevalent in Manitoba, and they may disrupt hay production by creating mounds that damage farming equipment and reduce crop yields. Understanding their impact and implementing control measures is crucial for maintaining high-quality forage.
Pocket gophers, commonly mistaken for moles, are known for their extensive burrowing that results in large mounds of soil scattered across hay fields. This causes mechanical damage and increases the soil content in the forage, called external ash.
Typically, forage has natural ash from minerals, but the additional soil from these mounds can push ash content significantly higher, affecting the nutritional quality of livestock feed.
Farmers can adopt several strategies to mitigate this problem. Rotating infested hay fields with annual crops can discourage gopher settlement. Another effective approach is the mechanical leveling of gopher mounds, especially during early spring.
This helps to smooth out the fields without harming the new growth buds of forage plants like alfalfa, which are essential for the regrowth process.
It’s important to adjust the equipment correctly setting the blades at least three-quarters of an inch above the ground to ensure that they only contact the mounds, not the plant crowns. Timing of these operations is crucial to avoid damaging the emerging buds, which are vital for the spring growth.
In addition to mechanical methods, comprehensive gopher control may involve trapping and the use of rodenticides (depending on your views), integrated into broader crop management practices. These combined efforts help to reduce the gopher population effectively and decrease their negative impact on hay quality.
Adopting these practices allows farmers to produce cleaner, higher-quality forage, thus enhancing the health and productivity of their livestock. Effective management of gopher issues improves hay quality and contributes to more sustainable agricultural practices.