Oklahoma crop weather, 07/09/2012 v.35 no.22

              United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Oklahoma Crop Weather
Oklahoma Field Office
Cooperating with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
P.O. Box 528804 · Oklahoma City, OK 73152-8804
(405) 522-6190 · FAX (405) 528-2296 · www.nass.usda.gov/ok
A combined contribution with Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and Oklahoma Mesonet
-over-
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Volume 35, Number 22 Weekly Summary for Jul 2-Jul 8 Issued July 9, 2012
Livestock and Crops Continue to Suffer
The drought continued to develop across the state under hot and dry
conditions the past week. Over 61 percent of the state was in a moderate
to extreme drought per the July 3rd Drought Monitor. Little to no rain fell in
western and central Oklahoma, with a few isolated areas of heavier
rainfall in eastern Oklahoma and the Panhandle: Hooker recorded 2.5
inches of rain in the Panhandle and McAlester received two inches.
Average temperatures were in the mid 80’s and highs continued to top
100 degrees. All crops suffered from the developing drought, though
dryland crops fared worse with the lack of precipitation the past few
weeks. Livestock conditions declined somewhat, as the heat took its toll
on the animals, as well as the available pasture and stock ponds. Grasses
were burning up and hay production was limited. Topsoil moisture
conditions were rated mostly short to very short, with only six percent
rated adequate. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated short to very
short, with 14 percent rated adequate. There were 6.7 days suitable for
field work.
Small Grains: Plowing of wheat ground was 75 percent complete, 27 points ahead of normal and rye plowing was 74 percent complete.
Plowing of oat ground was 77 percent complete by Sunday.
Row Crops: Conditions continued to decline as drought conditions worsened and little rain fell. Peanuts were rated mostly good while
soybeans and cotton were rated mostly fair. Corn silking was 64 percent complete by the end of the week, and 32 percent had reached the
dough stage, 18 points ahead of normal. Sorghum emergence was 95 percent complete by Sunday, 21 points ahead of normal. Sorghum
heading was 21 percent complete by Sunday. Virtually all soybeans had emerged by week’s end, well ahead of normal. Seventeen percent
of soybeans were blooming by the end of the week. Peanut pegging was 39 percent complete by Sunday. Forty percent of the cotton crop
was squaring by Sunday and six percent was setting bolls.
Virtually the entire watermelon crop was setting fruit, 15 points ahead of normal. Harvest had begun and was 18 percent complete by the
end of the week.
Hay: Hay condition ratings continued to decline, rated mostly good to fair. Hay production suffered with the expanding drought. A second
cutting of alfalfa was 95 percent complete by the end of
the week and a third cutting was 51 percent complete,
24 points ahead of the five-year average. A first cutting
of other hay was 92 percent complete, and a second
cutting was 18 percent complete by Sunday, 13 points
ahead of normal.
Pasture and Livestock: Pasture and range condition
ratings continued to fall; rated mostly fair to poor, with
10 percent rated very poor. Both the heat and heavy
grasshopper populations continued to limit available
pasture for livestock. Livestock condition ratings fell but
continued to be rated mostly good. Prices for feeder
steers less than 800 pounds averaged $151 per cwt.
Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $140
per cwt.
Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent
Week Ending Sunday, July 8, 2012
Moisture Rating
Current
Week
Previous
Week
One Year
Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 48 25 74
Short 46 54 22
Adequate 6 21 4
Surplus 0 0 0
Subsoil
Very Short 41 30 68
Short 45 46 27
Adequate 14 24 5
Surplus 0 0 0
Conditions by Percent
For Week Ending Sunday, July 8, 2012
Commodity
Very
Poor
Poor Fair Good Excellent
Corn 4 10 37 48 1
Sorghum 2 19 45 34 0
Soybeans 3 19 52 25 1
Peanuts 0 1 17 74 8
Cotton 2 10 53 33 2
Alfalfa Hay 3 16 50 29 2
Other Hay 5 23 45 25 2
Livestock 0 5 39 51 5
Pasture and Range 10 26 47 16 1