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[AgriLife Today] Texas crop and weather report for Sept. 29

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By: Adam Russell

Weather patterns likely mean warm, dry winter

COLLEGE STATION –  The Texas state climatologist said an expected La Niña winter weather pattern would probably not emerge and there likely will be warmer and drier conditions on average into 2017.

Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon, state climatologist, College Station, said the Climate Prediction Center is now calling for temperatures in the tropical Pacific to be about half a degree below normal through the first few months of 2017.

Forecasts earlier in the year called for the emergence of a La Niña pattern going into fall, he said. But tropical Pacific temperatures did not cool off enough to meet the official criteria for a La Niña event.  That means that the tropical Pacific is classified as neutral, neither excessively warm, such as with El Niño, or excessively cool, such as with La Niña.

“Persistent El Niño conditions were responsible for above-average rainfall in Texas over the past year,” Nielsen-Gammon said.  “La Niña events typically favor warm and dry winters in Texas. But the Pacific is close enough to La Niña temperatures that this winter will still lean toward the warm and dry side.”

The forecast doesn’t mean there won’t be severe temperature gauge swings in both directions, Nielsen-Gammon said.

“These conditions usually lead to a few days getting really cold,” he said. “But there could also be temperatures in the 70s and 80s in the middle of winter for College Station. It’s only likely to be warm and dry on average, not every single day.”

Nielsen-Gammon said the influence of tropical Pacific waters on weather patterns in Texas is stronger in the southern portion of the state. He said strong, dry cold fronts could make portions of the state more vulnerable to wildfires, especially in areas where grass growth fueled by rain dries out.

“Dry, warm and windy is not a good recipe,” he said.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

CENTRAL: Producers and homeowners in the district were hit by armyworms. Recent rains may lead to population increases. Cotton bolls were starting to open up. Pecan orchards looked really good for the most part. Alfalfa fields were weedy and grassy due to recent heavy rains. Corn harvests neared the end. Rain slowed progress again. Some grain sorghum was still in the field and showed major sprout issues. Stock ponds remained at good levels. Cattle and livestock were in great shape. All counties reported good soil moisture. Most reported good rangeland and pasture conditions, and crops were fair overall.

ROLLING PLAINS: Conditions were favorable for farmers with moisture and warmer weather. Cotton farmers in one county applied growth regulators due to the moisture and warmer weather. Pastures and rangeland benefited as grasses and forbs have taken off. Counties reported rainfall totals of 1-7 inches and some flooding. Winter wheat and triticale was planted. Several producers sprayed for armyworms. Forage and range conditions looked extremely favorable heading into fall. Livestock were in good condition.

COASTAL BEND: Scattered showers kept many fields too wet to plow or for final harvesting. Some producers worked steadily to finish harvesting cotton as weather permitted. Ginning was slower as they must allow lint to dry. Oat planting continued. Tillage and spraying continued to be a priority for most producers, and winter pasture planting began. Producers sprayed for armyworms where populations justified the need. Ranchers geared up for fall treatment of huisache. Hay inventories were at historic highs. Pastures were in good shape, and cattle were doing well. Livestock auctions received weaned calves. Calves were above average on sale weights in some areas, with other areas reporting disappointing prices.

EAST: Warmer-than-normal temperatures allowed pastures to dry out. Scattered rainfall fell across the district with only a few counties reporting rain. Pasture and range conditions were fair to good. Producers were getting another cutting of hay due to rains earlier in the month. Smith County reported high humidity, which affected required longer curing time for hay bales. In Trinity County, producers were still working on their second cutting. Some producers were purchasing out-of-county hay despite good regrowth. Some producers planted winter forages in Smith and Upshur counties. Armyworm damage continued to be reported. Livestock were doing fair to good. Fall calving was underway. The calf market was down in Houston County. Calves were ready for sale in Marion County. Feral hogs were active, and damages were reported. Flies were still numerous. Producers started to plant fall gardens. Subsoil and topsoil were reported as mostly adequate.

SOUTH PLAINS: August was one of the wettest months in many years. The weather pattern was very conducive for alternaria leaf spot in cotton and foliar disease in peanuts. Conditions were showing the potential for regrowth in cotton. A cold front pushed temperatures into the 50s, which could inhibit some cotton fields from finishing out. Late-planted corn and grain sorghum were doing very well. Some corn was harvested prior to the wet weather, and harvest should resume as conditions dry out. There could be lodging issues in some areas. Sugarcane aphids were found in some grain sorghum throughout the district. Maturing sorghum and wet, cooler weather may slow the pest’s progress. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair but should improve. Cattle were in good condition. Planted wheat looked good. Dryer and warmer conditions allowed Floyd County producers to harvest corn fields. Bolls started to open on the majority of the cotton there. Lubbock County experienced warm weather that helped dry fields from wet conditions. Some non-irrigated cotton fields were expected to be defoliated soon in preparation for harvest. Weather in Scurry County was warm with no rainfall. Between 4,000-5,000 acres of cotton was hailed on with varying degrees of severity.

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were near average. Some moisture was received. Soil moisture levels were mostly adequate. Deaf Smith producers were back in fields. With combines starting to cut corn, silage cutters were running as fast as they could. Winter wheat was planted. Some earlier plantings were coming up to a stand. It was too early to tell yield estimates for corn. Grain sorghum was coming along, however many fields were still being treated for sugarcane aphids. Dryland and irrigated wheat production was going into the ground with great urgency due to the rainfall events that kept many producers out of fields. Cotton was slowing down as temperatures cooled. Manure and fertilizer applications were made to prepare for small-grain plantings. Warmer weather in Hansford County helped corn and cotton dry out. Silage was cut. Leaves were dropping on soybeans. Lipscomb County reported fall armyworms were doing damage to wheat and triticale. Rangeland and pastures were mostly fair to good. Cattle were in good condition.

NORTH: Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels varied from short to adequate. Small scattered showers fell around the district. Temperatures dropped into the 70s. High 90-degree daytime temperatures dried the soil. Summer grass was suffering. Cotton farmers were beginning to defoliate fields. Hay was produced. Some soybean fields were harvested. It is still early in the harvest, but yield reports were average. Dry conditions slowed planting of winter forage for livestock. The cattle market was weaker. Armyworms were a problem for farmers and ranchers. Most farmers and ranchers delayed planting winter pastures because of the threat of armyworms. Wild hogs continued to cause damage

FAR WEST: Temperatures were in the low 90s but dropped drastically with a cold front. Rain showers occurred and included a few hail storms. Hail caused some damage to cotton fields. Rain amounts ranged up to 3 inches. Rangeland grasses were showing stress in drier areas. Cotton acres were defoliated and readied for harvest. Cotton gins were beginning to open for the season. Supplemental feeding of livestock and wildlife continued.

WEST CENTRAL: Temperatures and humidity were very high. Heavy thunderstorms brought significant rainfall in most areas. Temperature were expected to cool down. Tanks and creeks were full from runoff. Cotton fields need warm sunny days to finish maturing. Moisture was adversely affecting cotton. Sorghum harvests were complete. Wheat planting was underway in some areas. Many producers delayed planting due to armyworm infestations. Armyworms were attacking hay fields and small grain fields around the district. Some producers will not get the third cutting because of armyworm damage. Sugarcane aphid problems also increased. Spraying continued for aphids in late-planted sorghum fields. Rangeland and pasture conditions remained very good for this time of the season. Livestock remained in fair to good condition. Livestock markets were stable, but cattle prices declined. Pecan trees were loaded.

SOUTHEAST: In Chambers County, there was still rice in the field. In Fort Bend County, the cotton harvest resumed in areas that avoided rain. Yields were low and grades were not good due to weather conditions. Livestock were in good condition and pastures were growing. Hay producers in some areas could use a break from showers. Hay was on the ground in dry areas. Soil-moisture levels throughout the district ranged widely from adequate to surplus, with most ratings in the adequate range.

SOUTHWEST: Topsoil moisture levels decreased. Recent rains should produce good fall forage. Wet conditions were expected to continue in some areas. If rains materialize it will set rangeland conditions up for a very good winter. Some hay was still being made and wheat was planted. Temperatures were expected to drop. Farmers were picking cotton. Cotton outcomes were almost as expected. Livestock conditions remained good. Deer looked good too.

SOUTH: Conditions were fairly good as temperatures varied and rainfall occurred in different parts of the district. Rainfall mounts were good – measuring from 0.2-5 inches. In Jim Wells County, the previous two weeks were abnormally hot and dried soil moisture levels. Temperatures reached the triple digits in Webb County before good rains brought cooler temperatures. Crops continued in good condition in and around Atascosa County. Forage was being baled. The cotton harvest continued, and peanut fields were under irrigation with harvest about two to three weeks away. Range and pasture conditions remained in fair to good shape, but were slowly deteriorating in some areas. Some pastures were turning brown from lack of rain. Fall armyworm posed a potential problem in coastal Bermuda grass fields. Body condition scores on cattle remained good, and fall roundups were in progress with some calves being weaned. Soil moisture conditions ranged from adequate to very short. The lack of good grazing pastures was driving market speculation on live cattle prices. The market was doing well after a slow start.  Livestock producers were keeping an eye on cattle market conditions. Wildlife populations of deer, dove, quail and turkey remained in excellent condition. Conditions were great for dove hunters throughout the area. A small amount of cotton acreage remained, and it is becoming uncertain if it will be harvested because rain was in the forecast. Dry conditions in Zavala County kept the cotton harvest active. Native range and pastures remained mostly good to fair with a few pockets in Zavala County in excellent conditions. Pecans made good progress with very little insect pressure. Livestock producers reported no supplemental feeding.  Livestock body conditions remained mostly good to excellent. Dryland oat producers were planting oats in hopes some forecast rainfall would materialize. Also in Zavala County, seedbed preparations for spinach planting were also very active, and sesame fields were beginning to mature. In Hidalgo County, citrus harvesting plans were in process. Cotton stalks were being controlled and winter vegetables were being planted.

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Country Lifestyles

Wichita Falls Area Cattlewomen

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By: Martha Crump

Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.

A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.

Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”

In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.

When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.

To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Farm & Ranch

Grazing North Texas: Managing Old World Bluestems

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By: Tony Dean

Since their introduction to the U.S. in the early 1900s, Old World Bluestems such as King Ranch bluestem and Dahl bluestem have become established on farms and ranches from the Rio Grande to Nebraska. With such a wide range of adaptability, these species are subjected to a wide range of management, depending on location and the goals of the rancher.

Due to the aggressive nature of OWBs, producers in far South Texas have been trying to find a way to eradicate OWBs in their pastures. Texas AgriLife Extension bulletin “Introduced Bluestem Grasses: Management on Native Lands” describes several methods being used in the effort to rid pastures of OWBs. In 2016, one project involved using chemicals, plowing, mowing, reseeding, summer burning, and combinations of these practices.

To read the about the researchers findings and hear Tony’s take, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

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Farm & Ranch

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch

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By: Rayford Pullen

Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.

While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.

Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.

Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.

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