Agricultural News
Dry Conditions Continue as Fall Harvest Season Winds Down Across Oklahoma
Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:12:06 CST
Almost no moisture fell across Oklahoma the past week, with no Mesonet station recording over a tenth of an inch of rain, according to the Oklahoma Crop Weather report issued today by USDA-NASS Oklahoma Field Office. Moisture from the previous week's rain improved wheat in limited areas, but overall wheat conditions declined slightly.
Both wheat and rye were rated mostly fair to poor and canola was rated mostly fair. Moisture was badly needed throughout the state as the drought continued. The entire state was in a moderate to exceptional drought (D1- D4) and almost 72 percent of the state is in an extreme to exceptional drought (D3-D4) as of the November 13th Drought Monitor.
Harvest of sorghum was virtually complete by the end of the week and harvest of cotton, peanuts and soybeans was winding down. Both topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions continued to be rated short to very short. There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
Small Grains: Condition ratings for small grains continued to worsen. Eighty-six percent of the wheat crop had emerged by the end of the week. Oat seedbed preparation was 86 percent complete and 47 percent had been planted. Forty-one percent of oats had emerged by Sunday, 12 points behind normal.
Canola conditions were rated mostly fair, but declined slightly from the previous week. Ninety-five percent of the crop had emerged by week's end.
Row Crops: Harvest of row crops was winding down ahead of normal progress. The sorghum harvest was virtually complete by Sunday, 21 points ahead of normal. Soybeans harvested was 89 percent complete by Sunday, 11 points ahead of normal. Digging of peanuts was virtually complete by the end of the week, and 90 percent were combined. Harvest of cotton was 79 percent complete by week's end, 2 points ahead of normal.
Hay: The fourth cutting of alfalfa was 82 percent complete by the end of the week. The second cutting of other hay was 77 percent complete, nine points behind normal, but 17 points ahead of last year's progress.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and range continued to be rated mostly poor to very poor. Livestock conditions were still rated mostly good to fair as operators continued to supplement and feed hay to herds. Stock pond levels were of major concern to producers. Prices for feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged $146 per cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $135 per cwt.
The entire Oklahoma report can be view online by clicking here.
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