Cotton in good shape
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (AP) -- COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) - Texas A&M Agrilife Extension regional crop reports for Oct. 7:
CENTRAL: Runoff from rains began to fill stock tanks. Bermuda grass pastures and those fields with emerged wheat or oats were heavily infested by armyworms. Livestock were in good condition, with supplemental feeding slowed thanks to recent grass growth. Initial soybean yields were very low.
COASTAL BEND: Temperatures were near normal with scattered rainfall reported throughout the region. Minor field and pasture flooding resulted with little harmful effect. Sesame and sunflowers continue to dry down. Producers were spraying for weeds. Pastures were slowly recovering from the drought. In Victoria County, 800 round bales of hay were dispersed to 18 ranchers. The hay was shipped from Arkansas and sold to ranchers for $35 per bale. Additional shipments were scheduled for the coming weeks.
EAST: Many counties were still receiving good amounts of rain. Hay was still being harvested as weather permitted. Winter pastures continued being planted and prepared. Armyworm and feral hog reports were on the rise. Producers continued to wean calves. Livestock were in good condition. Several counties reported heavy infestations of armyworms.
FAR WEST: Isolated showers brought from 0.5 to 1 inch of rain. Pastures remained dry. Most pecans were filled out. Some tent moth caterpillar activity was reported on pecans, but it was thought the pest came too late to damage the crop. Producers began defoliating cotton, and harvesting was expected to start soon.
NORTH: Soil moisture ranged from adequate to surplus. Recent rains helped grasses grow and helped winter pasture establishment. Dry weather following the rain allowed the harvesting of small grains and hay. Producers hoped to get back into the fields soon to harvest the remainder of their soybeans and milo. The hay crop for this year has been of good quantity but low quality. The corn harvest was finished, and sorghum harvest neared completion. Early reports indicated that sorghum yields would be average. Soybeans were starting to change color and drop leaves. Below-average soybean yields were predicted. The cotton and rice harvests were ongoing. Peanuts were in fair condition. Livestock were in fair to good condition. Wheat producers were still preparing fields, and they expected not to be able to plant wheat for grain until late October or early November. Fall armyworms were out in force and took a toll on early planted wheat, oats and the last cutting of Bermuda grass hay. In addition to the armyworms, mosquitoes, webworms, gophers and other insects were on the move as the temperatures fell.
PANHANDLE: Topsoil moisture was short with no rain reported. Cooler temperatures came to most of the area with low-lying areas showing frost. The corn harvest got off to a slow start because of wet fields. Cotton was in good condition with bolls from 25 percent to 90 percent open. Growers continued to defoliate some fields in preparation for harvest. The peanut harvest started in some areas. Sorghum continued to mature. Soybeans were 50 percent harvested in some areas. Wheat was 60 percent to 80 percent planted. What wheat that was planted was 25 percent to 60 percent emerged. Cattle were in good condition, and the weaning of calves was expected to begin soon. Rangeland was in fair condition.
ROLLING PLAINS: Cool, wet weather stimulated growth of cool-season grasses and the winter wheat crop. Wheat producers worried about armyworms, grasshoppers and many other problems associated with early planting, but they feared dry weather more and continued planting. However, the rain may have come too late to help cotton, said AgriLife Extension agents. The grain sorghum harvest was nearly completed. Some hay was still being cut and baled. Cattle on rangeland were showing good body-condition scores. Producers were looking for affordable hay in anticipation of winter feeding.
SOUTH: The weather has been mild, with scattered rains in some areas and heavy rainfall in others. Grasses responded well to rain and warm days. Pastures were slowly greening up. Producers were preparing to harvest hay for winter. Livestock were in good condition, but in some counties ranchers were still hauling water. More rain was needed to fill ponds and tanks in many areas. Wheat and oats plantings were completed with some fields already emerging. The cotton harvest was nearly completed. The peanut harvest was expected to begin in about two weeks. Producers began planting spinach.
SOUTH PLAINS: Mild and dry conditions continued with high winds coming late in the reporting period. Soil moisture was short to adequate. The corn and milo harvests progressed well. Cotton was in fair to good condition. Growers continued to defoliate cotton, but harvesting had only just begun in a few fields. The grain sorghum and sunflower harvests were ongoing as conditions allowed. Producers were planting winter wheat and digging and harvesting peanuts. Pastures and rangeland were in fair to good condition. Livestock were in good condition with continued supplemental feeding.
SOUTHEAST: Rain filled stock tanks and improved crop conditions. Volunteer ryegrass and clovers were appearing. Producers reported significant damage from armyworms to pastures and hay fields. In Chambers County, the rice ratoon crop harvest was ongoing. Producers had already planted or were preparing to plant ryegrass to offset forage deficits from the summer drought. The condition of livestock improved with increased grass growth and availability of water. Soybeans looked good, with some fields in the bloom stage.
SOUTHWEST: Parts of the region received as much as 8 inches of rain, greening up the warm-season grasses that survived the drought. Where less hardy rangeland grasses died from the drought, the greening was from lower-quality grasses and weeds. Nonetheless, the green-up improved prospects for remaining livestock and wildlife. However, year-to-date cumulative rainfall remained significantly below the long-term average, and more rain will be needed to sustain production. The rain interrupted the cotton harvest, but the crop was mostly harvested and stalks destroyed for boll-weevil control. Peanuts and some pecans took full advantage of the rainfall and made good progress. The pecan harvest was expected to begin as soon as orchard floors dry. The fall sweet-corn harvest was ongoing with some fields scheduled to mature in November in time for Thanksgiving sales. Fall-planted cabbage, pickling cucumbers and green beans also made good progress. The cabbage harvest was under way.
WEST CENTRAL: The region reported humid, warm days and cool nights with scattered showers. Soil moisture conditions were excellent. Planting of fall crops was in full swing. Cotton was doing very well. Producers continued baling and cutting hay. Rangeland and pastures were also in very good condition as winter forages and cool-season grasses greened up. However, stock tanks and pond levels remained low. Livestock were in good condition with continued supplemental feeding. Pecan shuck split began, and growers were preparing for harvest, expecting a good crop.
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