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Range, pasture feed continues to improve
Wyoming
As of May 22, 71 percent of the state had adequate or surplus topsoil moisture, 5 points lower than last week, while last year at this time only 40 percent was adequate and than the five-year average is 44 percent adequate, according to the Wyoming Agricultural Statistics Service, May 23.
Irrigation water supplies were also higher than average with 77 percent rated adequate or surplus, well up from 41 percent adequate last year and the average of 48 percent.
An average of 5.6 days were suitable for field work during the past week, the most since mid-April. Barley seeding was 91 percent complete, behind last year and the average pace. Emergence, at 79 percent, was near the 5-year average. Barley was 9 percent jointed, 18 points behind last year and 3 points behind average. Almost 90 percent of the barley crop was rated in good or excellent condition, up from about two-thirds last year and average. Oats seeding was 83 percent complete, 8 points behind last year and 2 points behind average. Oats emergence was at 55 percent, near average pace. Spring Wheat seeding, at 87 percent, was 22 points behind last year but only 1 point behind average. The spring Wheat crop was 62 percent emerged, over 30 points behind last year but 6 points ahead of average.
Forty-two percent of the winter Wheat crop was in good condition, compared with only 26 percent in good condition last year and 40 percent for the 5-year average. Winter Wheat was jointed on 75 percent of the acreage, behind last year but slightly ahead of average. Fifteen percent of winter Wheat had reached the boot stage, well behind last year and average.
Corn planting was 82 percent complete, even with last year and the average pace. About one-fifth of the corn crop had emerged, about one week behind average. Sugar beets had emerged on 67 percent of the acreage, 3 points behind last year and 4 points behind the average. Dry bean planting was off to a somewhat slow start with 6 percent of the crop planted, down 20 points from last year and 9 points from the 5-year average.
Range and pasture growth made further improvement and conditions were rated good or excellent in 36 percent of the state, up 5 points from last week, up 19 points from last year, and up 5 points from the 5-year average. About one-fourth was still rated poor to very poor, mostly in the Northeast.
Range flock sheep shorn was at 94 percent, slightly behind last year and average. Nearly two-thirds of the range flock ewes had lambed, just ahead of last year, but behind the average pace. Lamb losses remained mostly normal to light. Thirty percent of cattle were moved to summer ranges, 6 points behind last year and 7 points behind average. Seventeen percent of sheep were moved to summer ranges, 10 points behind last year and 9 points behind average.
Date: 5/25/05
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