Oct. 12, 2006

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COLLEGE STATION – Large numbers of cattle continue to be marketed at livestock auctions in the eastern portion of the state due to drought, Texas Cooperative Extension reports.

Cattle prices fell $3 to $5 per hundredweight on some classes and hay is in demand and short in supply. Producers are purchasing hay out of state with trucking fees and the price for large round bales ranging from $75 to $90 per bale.

"Many cattlemen are liquidating or severely reducing herd sizes to accommodate drought and hay shortages," said Dr. Ramona Kellum, district Extension administrator at the Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Overton.

However, those producers who are optimistic about future rainfall are planting rye grass and lots of it. Some green-up of already-planted grass continues, she said.

The following are reports from Extension districts around the state:

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were above average most of the week. The area received no rain. Soil moisture is rated very short to adequate with most areas reporting very short to short. Corn harvest is 70 percent complete with yield reports being very variable. Cotton bolls continue to open. Sorghum is headed and turning color. Peanuts are rated mostly fair to good with harvest under way. Wheat is about 80 percent planted and stands are rated fair. Prospects for fall grazing of wheat would be improved with a good general rain. Range conditions vary from very poor to excellent with most areas reporting fair to good. Cattle are in good condition. Horn flies continue to be a problem.

SOUTH PLAINS: Weather conditions were warm most of the week. Producers continue to defoliate cotton. A minimum amount of cotton acres has been harvested. Corn harvest is winding down with average yields reported. Peanut harvest continues, and producers are reporting fair yields with good grades. Pumpkin harvest and sales are in full swing. The watermelon harvest is ending. Winter wheat planting continues and is off to an excellent start. Sorghum harvest started; yields have been down due to hot, dry weather during growing season. Pastures and ranges are in fair to good condition. Cattle are in good condition.

ROLLING PLAINS: All counties need more moisture. Some wheat is in good condition where rain was received. Beet armyworms are reported in some portions of the district. Stock water supply is still extremely short. Livestock are in fair condition. Hunters are preparing for the upcoming season.

NORTH: Soil moisture ranges from short to very short. Water in stock tanks is declining dramatically. Producers are worried about running out of water. Surface water remains low; more rainfall is needed. Corn, soybeans and sorghum are harvested. Oats and winter wheat are being planted and cotton harvest is under way. A few producers are still harvesting hay. Livestock producers are hesitant to plant winter pastures for grazing because of lack of moisture and rain chances. Winter pasture may not last until the next rain. Sweet potato crop will be about a quarter of normal size. Fall armyworms a problem in some areas.

EAST: Conditions are dry and forage is short. Hay is in demand and short in supply. Conditions in Harrison County are dire. Hardwood trees are dying in pastures and landscapes. Final cuttings of hay are being made, with volume well below normal. Many producers are planting cool season grasses to make up for hay shortages. Selling of calves and cull cows continues.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture ranges from very short to surplus, and range and pastures are in very poor to good condition. Cotton is in poor to excellent condition. No measurable rainfall was received. Shrimp harvest is not expected to be good this year.

WEST CENTRAL: Dry warm conditions continued this week. Field preparations and small grain planting continued. Cotton producers are applying harvest aids. Cotton is being baled in some areas. Hay fields continue to be cut and baled. Dry windy conditions have caused forages to decline in quality. Cattle market is good.

CENTRAL: Above-normal temperatures and drying winds put stress on emerging wheat and oats. Some stands have browned out and may not recover. Land preparation for wheat is mostly complete; most have not planted as they are waiting for moisture. Cattle markets continue to sell large numbers as water supplies decline. Producers are feeding hay and protein and energy supplements to herds to maintain performance.

SOUTHEAST: A few showers helped produce some good forage growth. A number of fields are being cut for hay. Lack of stock water remains critical. Pecan crop will begin to fall soon. Hay buying is still frantic with producers getting ready for the winter. Planting of winter pastures has been delayed due to the dry conditions and elevated . Much hay is still being sold to producers in other counties. Soybean rust is still prevalent in the county; affected fields have been sprayed.

SOUTHWEST: Forage availability is too short to sustain minimum livestock without serious effect on wildlife. Dry weather will not allow for planting of small grains crops. Cabbage, cucumbers for pickling, green beans and some southern greens are making good progress under heavy irrigation. Peanut harvest is slowly gaining momentum. Yields will be down due to the drought and record-high temperatures in August. About 15 percent of the cotton remains stored in field modules. The pecan harvest is just starting. Yield estimates are down from last year due to the very dry year.

COASTAL BEND: Field activities have resumed as soils have dried. Some producers are planting forages and renovating pastures impacted by the drought. Harvest of late grain sorghum and soybeans are under way.

SOUTH: Continual scattered showers have helped keep soil moisture at an adequate level throughout the region. Dryland wheat and oat producers were prompted by the recent rains to get planting started, and most are close to finishing. To get the crops off to a good start, additional moisture is needed. Land preparation for onions, cabbage and spinach continues. Native pastures and rangeland remain mostly fair. The recent rains and cooler temperatures have provided good forage production and quality grazing for livestock and wildlife. Citrus and sugarcane harvests are to begin soon. Hay operations are in full swing in many areas. Pastures will soon enter a dormant stage. Cotton seedlings have emerged after showers, and producers are moving into fields to plow them out. Within the next two-week period, all cotton ginning should be finished.