The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association has been connecting with producers on the road this week as part of the Fall District Meetings.

The last couple of meetings in the Southwest has seen some producers talking about the problems they've been experiencing with the ongoing drought conditions.

It's a situation the group's Vice-Chair Keith Day is all too familiar with ranching in the Lacadena area north of Swift Current.

He says where he grew up it's worse than it ever was in the 80s.

"I've heard producers say they're basically out of options, they have no grass, they have no water, they have no feed. They have basically one option left, and that's to get rid of cows. Even the guys that have some feed, some water, can make their grass stretch another season are going to have to cut back quite a few cattle. So I think there's hardly anyone in this community or this area that isn't going to be cutting back some. "

He says he wouldn't be surprised to see some guys cut 50 per cent of their breeding stock. 

"That wouldn't surprise me, and that's not going to be everybody, but, I wouldn't be surprised if some people will."

He notes while we've seen some improvement in pricing it takes a lot of money when you're buying feed, pumping water and hauling cattle to keep operating.

Day says what they really need to see now is some decent moisture.

"I think a rain would be huge for runoff. Right now it could snow four feet deep, and we wouldn't get any runoff, because the ground is dry and it wouldn't run. It would have to be absolutely perfect conditions for runoff, to get any runoff. But, if we can get an inch or two of rain, the top of the ground would freeze. Then it snows, it stays frozen and when it melts, it runs. That's what we need to get run off."