Colorado Crop Progress and Condition Report – Week Ending April 8, 2018
Fieldwork continued to progress last week despite minor precipitation events across the state, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
Some areas received scattered moisture last week, but others remained dry and much of the state continued to see adverse effects due to widespread drought conditions. In northwestern counties, the northern mountains saw heavy snow in areas and some rain at lower elevations. A reporter noted that producers were kept out of fields due to rain and melting snow.
Reporters in northeastern counties noted continued dry weather remained a key concern for rangeland and fall planted crop conditions going forward. Irrigation supplies were noted as adequate, with some perennial hay crops receiving irrigation water as well as pre-irrigation of other fields. East central and southeastern reporters noted some moisture was received in area counties, while others remained dry and severe drought along with dropping snowpack was a concern.
A reporter noted that high winds early in the week in Kiowa county damaged the growing winter wheat crop, which was already stressed due to a continued lack of moisture.
Other counties reported multiple rangeland fires and that fire danger remained high due to dry and windy weather.
In southwestern counties, welcome moisture was reported late in the week, but extreme drought conditions persisted. In the San Luis Valley, reporters noted conditions were ideal for barley planting to begin in earnest.
As of April 9, 2018, snowpack in Colorado was 71 percent measured as percent of median snowfall. The Southwest and San Luis Valley were 42 and 43 percent, respectively.
Stored feed supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 19 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.Sheep death loss was 53 percent average and 47 percent light.
Cattle death loss was 79 percent average and 21 percent light.
CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS | ||||
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average |
| (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) |
Barley | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 10 | 3 | 11 | 17 |
Onions | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 12 | 1 | 14 | 25 |
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 7 | 1 | 9 | 12 |
Spring wheat | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 14 | 8 | 11 | 13 |
Sugarbeets | ||||
Planted .............................................................. | 5 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
Winter wheat | ||||
Pastured ............................................................. | 9 | 7 | 14 | 9 |
Jointed ............................................................... | 3 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
Cattle and calves | ||||
Cows calved ...................................................... | 69 | 57 | 68 | 72 |
Sheep and lambs | ||||
Ewes lambed ..................................................... | 73 | 61 | 43 | 58 |
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION | ||||
Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average | |
Days suitable for fieldwork .................................... | 5.9 | 5.7 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
Topsoil moisture | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) |
Very short ......................................................... | 23 | 25 | 4 | 12 |
Short ................................................................. | 39 | 37 | 17 | 26 |
Adequate ........................................................... | 37 | 37 | 75 | 60 |
Surplus .............................................................. | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Subsoil moisture | ||||
Very short ......................................................... | 17 | 21 | 8 | 18 |
Short ................................................................. | 30 | 24 | 28 | 33 |
Adequate ........................................................... | 51 | 54 | 63 | 47 |
Surplus .............................................................. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
CROP, LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION | ||||
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average |
| (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) |
Pasture and range | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 19 | 20 | 2 | 16 |
Poor ................................................................... | 22 | 20 | 26 | 25 |
Fair .................................................................... | 32 | 34 | 36 | 32 |
Good ................................................................. | 25 | 24 | 32 | 25 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
Winter wheat | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | 5 | 5 | 5 | 11 |
Poor ................................................................... | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
Fair .................................................................... | 39 | 39 | 35 | 34 |
Good ................................................................. | 38 | 31 | 34 | 35 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 4 | 8 | 8 | 5 |
Livestock | ||||
Very poor .......................................................... | -- | -- | -- | 1 |
Poor ................................................................... | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Fair .................................................................... | 21 | 22 | 17 | 24 |
Good ................................................................. | 71 | 71 | 71 | 64 |
Excellent ........................................................... | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
