Ag stats: Colorado crop progress and condition report – week ending October 28, 2018
Midweek rain slowed fieldwork in areas, but harvest activities picked up later in the week as warmer and drier weather prevailed, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
Warmer temperatures at week’s end aided winter wheat emergence. In northeastern counties, a reporter noted some corn and sorghum was damaged more by prior hail storms than producers originally expected prior to harvest. Livestock and range were noted to be in good condition where moisture has been sufficient.In drier areas, range condition and winter feed availability remained a concern.
East central counties also received rain this week which delayed harvest of corn and sorghum, but the moisture was beneficial for seeded winter wheat.
In the San Luis Valley, field operations generally decreased since crop harvests were complete. A reporter noted calves were being weaned with some weights reportedly ranging from average to lighter than normal. Short hay supplies remained a concern.
A reporter for southeastern counties noted rain delayed harvest last week and fields were very soft. Some corn was not drying down well after the frost and sales volume of calves was high at local sales barns last week.
Statewide, corn was rated 66 percent good to excellent, compared with 79 percent rated good to excellent last year. Stored feed supplies were rated 10 percent very short, 22 percent short, 66 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus.
Sheep death loss was 64 percent average and 36 percent light.
Cattle death loss was 2 percent heavy, 69 percent average, and 29 percent light.
CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS | ||||
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average |
(percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | |
Alfalfa hay | ||||
4th cutting harvested .......................................... | 70 | 64 | 72 | 84 |
Corn | ||||
Mature ............................................................... | 97 | 94 | 95 | 98 |
Harvested for grain ........................................... | 50 | 38 | 29 | 48 |
Sorghum | ||||
Mature ............................................................... | 96 | 94 | 95 | 95 |
Harvested .......................................................... | 35 | 26 | 23 | 43 |
Sugarbeets | ||||
Harvested .......................................................... | 68 | 39 | 58 | 62 |
Sunflowers | ||||
Harvested .......................................................... | 31 | 20 | 28 | 48 |
Winter wheat | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 96 | 94 | 97 | 98 |
Emerged ............................................................ | 85 | 75 | 80 | 88 |
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION | ||||
Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average | |
Days suitable for fieldwork .................................... | 5.4 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
Topsoil moisture | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) |
Very short ......................................................... | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 |
Short ................................................................. | 23 | 18 | 13 | 31 |
Adequate ........................................................... | 66 | 74 | 82 | 61 |
Surplus .............................................................. | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
Subsoil moisture | ||||
Very short ......................................................... | 11 | 16 | 3 | 10 |
Short ................................................................. | 31 | 25 | 17 | 31 |
Adequate ........................................................... | 55 | 58 | 78 | 58 |
Surplus .............................................................. | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
CROP, LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION | ||||
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average |
(percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | |
Corn | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 2 | 3 | 1 | NA |
Poor ................................................................... | 6 | 9 | 5 | NA |
Fair .................................................................... | 26 | 20 | 15 | NA |
Good ................................................................. | 60 | 54 | 61 | NA |
Excellent ........................................................... | 6 | 14 | 18 | NA |
Pasture and range | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 30 | 28 | 2 | 5 |
Poor ................................................................... | 28 | 27 | 14 | 17 |
Fair .................................................................... | 16 | 17 | 26 | 29 |
Good ................................................................. | 23 | 24 | 45 | 42 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 3 | 4 | 13 | 7 |
Sorghum | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 9 | 10 | 6 | NA |
Poor ................................................................... | 8 | 9 | 6 | NA |
Fair .................................................................... | 27 | 26 | 15 | NA |
Good ................................................................. | 48 | 45 | 54 | NA |
Excellent ........................................................... | 8 | 10 | 19 | NA |
Sugarbeets | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 1 | 3 | 1 | NA |
Poor ................................................................... | 4 | 6 | 4 | NA |
Fair .................................................................... | 16 | 24 | 11 | NA |
Good ................................................................. | 40 | 42 | 67 | NA |
Excellent ........................................................... | 39 | 25 | 17 | NA |
Sunflowers | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 2 | 2 | 2 | NA |
Poor ................................................................... | 6 | 3 | 5 | NA |
Fair .................................................................... | 19 | 29 | 15 | NA |
Good ................................................................. | 65 | 58 | 57 | NA |
Excellent ........................................................... | 8 | 8 | 21 | NA |
Winter wheat | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Poor ................................................................... | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
Fair .................................................................... | 31 | 25 | 31 | 37 |
Good ................................................................. | 54 | 55 | 47 | 46 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 10 | 13 | 18 | 9 |
Livestock | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 2 | 3 | -- | -- |
Poor ................................................................... | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Fair .................................................................... | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 |
Good ................................................................. | 71 | 68 | 69 | 71 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
