No. 479 May  1,  1965
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
STATISTICAL REPORTING SERVICE
COOPERATING  WITH
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST  LAFAYETTE,  INDIANA
INDIANA
The 1965 Indiana winter wheat production is forecast at 41,440,000 bushels based on
the condition of the crop May 1. This is a decline of 19 percent from the bushels
produced in 1964, and is 2 percent less than average. This forecasted production is
based on an indicated yield of 35.0 bushels which is the same as in 1961, but below
yields obtained in the last three years. The 5-year average yield is 34.1 bushels per
harvested acre. The acreage remaining for grain harvest is 1,184,000 acres, 16 percent
less than in 1964 and 5 percent less than average. Drought conditions last fall
hindered germination, but winter and spring showers have raised soil moisture to
at least adequate levels. Cool spring temperatures have limited growth, and the crop
tvas 3 inches shorter than average on May 1.
Hay stocks on farms May 1 totaled 336,000 tons, 2 percent less than a year earlier
and 21 percent less than average. Disappearance of hay since January 1, totaled
1,202,000 tons, 15 percent less than the comparable period last year, and 16 percent
less than average. Pasture condition was rated at 88 percent of normal compared
with 90 percent of normal a year earlier. Soil moisture has been adequate to permit
good growth, but cool temperatures prior to May 1 delayed pasture development.
Hay condition, at 89 percent of normal was also below a year earlier but the same
as the 5-year average.
Egg production in April totaled 195 million eggs, 2 percent below the April 1964
production. The monthly rate of lay, at 1,935 eggs per 100 layers, was about the
same as a year earlier. The April number of layers, estimated at 10,079,000 birds, was
down 1 percent from a year earlier.
Milk production in April is estimated at 283 million pounds. This is 1 percent above
the March production of 280 million pounds, but is 2 percent less than the April 1964
total of 288 million pounds.
UNITED STATES
Winter wheat production is forecast at 978 million bushels, 6 percent below the
forecast a month ago, 5 percent less than 1964, but 1 percent above the 1959-63
average. Continued dry weather during April over the western Great Plains, and
larger-than-expected acreage losses in the Corn Belt, reduced crop prospects below a
month earlier.   Elsewhere, April weather favored growth and development.
In the past 10 years, the average change in the United States production estimate
from May 1 to harvest has been 57 million bushels, ranging between 9 million bushels
and 164 million bushels.
The indicated yield per harvested acre is 26.1 bushels, 1.1 bushels below last year
but 0.5 bushel above average. Acreage to be harvested for grain is indicated at 37.4
million acres, 1 percent less than harvested last year and 1 percent below average.
The acreage for harvest is 83.0 percent of the seeded acreage compared with 87.2
Percent in 1964 and 89.4 percent, the average.
Prospects in most of the important producing Plains States declined during April
as dry, warm weather further depleted already critically short moisture supplies.
The hardest hit area centers in eastern Colorado, where moisture has been insufficient