Oklahoma

The warm and sunny conditions throughout Oklahoma during the week ending July 17 have aided the advancement of row crops, according to the Oklahoma Agricultural Statistics Service, July 18.

Statewide, temperatures averaged near 80 degrees and all districts received more than a tenth of an inch of rain. Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions declined slightly, but both remain mostly adequate to short. There were 6.0 days suitable for field work.

The small grain harvest has been virtually completed. Wheat, oats and rye were 84, 87, and 94 percent plowed, respectively.

Row crops were still in mostly good condition. Corn, sorghum and peanut progress were all ahead of normal. Corn silking jumped 22 points to 75 percent completed. Seven percent of corn in the state reached the mature stage by week's end. Sorghum headed increased 12 points and coloring increased from last week to 4 percent. Peanuts pegging, at 90 percent, was 13 points ahead of normal. Peanuts setting pods was also ahead of normal at 58 percent. Also a third of the soybeans were blooming which was behind normal of 40 percent. Soybeans setting pods increased 7 points to 11 percent. Cotton squaring increased significantly due to the warm weather received throughout the week. Cotton setting bolls, at 7 percent, increased 2 points from last week.

The second cutting of alfalfa was nearing completion and the third cutting was three quarters completed. The first cutting of other hay was 88 percent complete and the second cutting was 20 percent complete. All hay remains in mostly fair to good condition.

Watermelons were in mostly fair to good condition. Watermelon fruit set was virtually complete and harvest was nearing the halfway mark with a 30 point jump from last week.

Pasture conditions declined slightly over the week, but still remain in mostly good to fair condition. Livestock continued to be in mostly good condition. Livestock marketings were rated as average. Death loss of cattle was mostly light to average. Feeder steers under 800 pounds averaged $117.93 per cwt. and feeder heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $109.75 per cwt.

Date: 7/21/05