College Station, Texas
November 22, 2005
Texas cotton producers are calling
2005 a banner year with one of the best quality and largest
crops on record, said
Texas
Cooperative Extension
experts.
"Currently, we have the best color and leaf grades in the U.S.,"
said Dr. Randal Boman, Extension cotton agronomist in Lubbock.
"Our staple length is also coming in very good to excellent."
He said quality is expected to be much higher than in 2004 due
to dry fall weather. This allowed the cotton color quality to
remain high and should have greatly reduced bark contamination.
"It has been an outstanding yield and quality year for our
producers," Boman said.
Dr. Billy Warrick, Extension agronomist in San Angelo, said, "We
should have good fiber length in our region because we had a
soil profile with good moisture at the time of fiber
elongation."
He said high grades are anticipated due to ideal fall weather
for harvesting, and fiber strength is good due to the varieties
of cotton planted.
"For the most part, micronaire should be in the range of 3.5 to
4.9," Warrick said.
According to
www.cottoninc.com, micronaire is the fineness of the fiber
and is rated on a range from 2 to 6.
Dr. Robert Lemon, Extension cotton agronomist in College
Station, said, "The Texas Agricultural Statistics Service is
projecting another record cotton crop for Texas."
The record was set last year with a crop of 7.7 million bales.
Lemon expects this year's crop to break the record at 7.8
million bales.
Boman said, "The Lubbock and Lamesa (classing) offices combined
have classed about 1.5 million bales thus far. It is estimated
the High Plains crop will substantially exceed last year's
record crop of 4.8 million bales. Our estimated crop for 2005 in
the High Plains is about 5.3 million bales."
Prior to 2004, the record amount of cotton harvested in the High
Plains was 3.5 million bales, he said. This year, yields in the
area are expected to exceed 2004's 4.8 million bale crop by over
400,000 bales.
The substantial increase in yield can be attributed to new
varieties of cotton, timely rainfall, irrigation, lack of
substantial insect pressure and outstanding fall temperatures,
Boman said.
Warrick said, "In our region, West Central and Far West Texas,
the rain received in August was a key factor, and the warm
September helped in crop development."
While High Plains producers are experiencing a boom, not all
Texas producers have benefited from ideal weather.
Lemon said production will be down in the central and southern
regions of the state due to lower rainfall this spring and
summer.
Boman said the High Plains' anticipated yields should make up
for decreases in areas that had dry summers and should still
push the final number over the 2004 record.
There is still a chance the high quality crop could be damaged
and downgraded. Boman said that only about 45 percent of the
High Plains crop has been harvested, and Warrick said only 30
percent to 40 percent of the Far West and West Central crop was
harvested.
"If rain occurs before harvest is complete, it can affect the
grade," Warrick said. "With the large crop to harvest and the
first freeze already occurring, the cotton still remaining to be
harvested could have problem with bark (contamination)."
The following livestock, crop and weather conditions were
reported by Extension districts:
PANHANDLE: Soil moisture is very short to short.
Temperatures dropped when a strong cold front passed, but warm
conditions soon returned. High winds caused some soil erosion.
Cotton harvest was 65 percent complete; yields were good to
excellent. Peanut harvest was almost complete.
Soybean, sunflower and sorghum harvests continued. Wheat was
rated fair to good; Wheat streak mosaic and High Plains virus
were diagnosed in some crops. Rangeland conditions were poor.
Dry conditions caused fire risk.
Cattle were in good condition as supplemental feeding continued.
SOUTH PLAINS: Soil moisture is very short. A cold front
and the first freeze of the season caused stress to area
livestock and delayed harvests.
Cotton harvest was 70 percent complete; yields and fiber
qualities were above average. Winter wheat was in fair-to-good
condition. Sorghum and peanut harvests were nearly complete.
Soybean and sunflower harvests were complete. Rangelands and
pastures were in fair-to-good condition.
Livestock were in good condition; supplemental feeding
continued.
ROLLING PLAINS: Soil moisture is short. Cool, dry
conditions continued.
The first freeze of the season came to a few counties. Cotton
harvest continued; yield condition was good. Some ranchers were
supplemental feeding livestock and hauling water to stock tanks.
Livestock were in fair-to-good condition.
NORTH: Soil moisture is very short to short. Unusually
warm weather was reported. Cotton, pecans, sweet potatoes,
sorghum and soybeans were harvested. Oats and wheat were
planted. Some early-planted ryegrass was lost due to dry
conditions. Stock tanks and ponds were low or dry.
Livestock producers were supplemental feeding livestock; cattle
were in good condition.
EAST TEXAS: Soil moisture is very short. Dry conditions
persisted. A cold front provided the first freeze of the season,
light showers and low temperatures. Hay shortage was severe in
many areas. Cattle conditions were good; many producers were
culling herds.
FAR WEST: Soil moisture is short to adequate. Several
counties reported the first frost of the season. Cotton harvest
continued. Winter wheat emerged in good condition. Pecan harvest
began. Rangelands were rated good; cattle had good body
condition.
WEST CENTRAL: Soil moisture is very short. Cold, dry
weather and the first frost of the season were reported. Cotton
harvest continued; yields were rated good. Small grains were not
emerging because of dry conditions.
Oats and wheat were lost without moisture. Pecan harvest
continued, but production was low due to early-season losses.
Supplemental feeding of livestock continued; producers hauled
water to stock tanks. Cattle were in fair condition.
CENTRAL: Soil moisture is very short. Dry conditions
persisted. Many wheat stands did not emerge, and others
struggled to survive. Some producers were selling cows and
calves at low weights to avoid supplemental feeding through
winter. Pasture grasses were short. Stock tanks were low or
completely dry.
SOUTHEAST: Soil moisture is short. Cool temperatures
arrived and dry conditions continued except for brief, isolated
showers early in the week.
Some pecans were harvested after freeze and high winds. Ratoon
rice harvest continued. Ranchers fed hay to cattle.
SOUTHWEST: Soil moisture is very short, and dry
conditions continue.
Cabbage and recently-planted onions were progressing well under
heavy irrigation. Spinach, cucumbers, peanuts and green beans
were harvested.
Ranchers thinned their cattle herds and provided heavy
supplemental nutrition to remaining livestock.
COASTAL BEND: Soil moisture is very short. A cold front
provided isolated showers to some areas. Field work, bed
preparation and tillage continued. Pecan harvest continued;
quality was rated fair. Supplemental feeding of livestock
continued.
SOUTH: Soil moisture is adequate. Average temperatures
were reported. Citrus, sugarcane and cabbage was harvested.
Fall vegetables progressed well; fertilizer was applied.
Rangelands and pastures were in fair condition. |