No. 520 September 1,  1968
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 47907
INDIANA
August was a good month for growing crops\in India
inches above normal and temperatures averagecYnear
were considered favorable for field work and wor
nroduction of major crops is above a month earli
Oats did not turn out as well as  expected ear
down Other crops remained unchanged from a mon£
The indicated yield of the 1968 corn crop is a rei«ffS 97^0 bushels per acre. This ex
ceeds the previous high of 94.0 bushels achieved in 1965 and compares with the 84.0
bushels per acre last year.  Production at 455,027,000 bushels is 2 percent above last
year and 22 percent above average. Corn made very good progress in August and by
the end of the month, 90 percent of the crop had reached the dough stage. About half
the crop had dented and over 5 percent was mature and safe from frost.
Combining of oats was completed during August. Considerable rain during the first
half of the month reduced prospects and the September 1 indicated yield of 62.0 bushels
per acre is below the 64.0 bushels estimated a month earlier. This compares with the
1967 yield of 48.0 bushels per acre and an average of 52.8 bushels. Production at 23,-
174,000 bushels is 63 percent above last year and 1 percent more than average.
The soybean yield is indicated to be a record high 29.0 bushels per acre. This compares with three other years when 28.0 bushels were produced. The 1967 crop averaged
21.5 bushels and the 1962-66 average is 26.8 bushels per acre. The record production of
87,406,000 bushels is 24 percent more than last year and 18 percent above average.
Soybeans made good progress in August. By the end of the month, 5 percent were shedding leaves. Some fields are quite weedy. Stocks on Indiana farms totaled 1,055,000
Dushels. This is 15 percent less than the farm holding of soybeans a year ago.
Sorghum grain yield is indicated at 68.0 bushels per acre compared with 65.0 bushels
for both last year and average. Acreage for grain is estimated at 10,000 acres. Total
production is forecast at 680,000 bushels, 5 percent below the 1967 output but 17 percent above average.
Tobacco prospects improved during August. Harvest is underway. The September 1
indicated yield of 2,500 pounds compares with 2,385 pounds last year and an average of
2.200 pounds per acre. Total production at 14.5 million pounds is 5 percent above last
year but 8 percent less than average. Hay prospects improved during the month as
ample rains resulted in unseasonally good growth and the third cutting of alfalfa got
anderway. The all hay yield of 2.19 tons compares with 1.97 tons last year and an average of 2.03 tons per acre. Total production at 2,266,000 tons is 20 percent above the
1967 crop but 8 percent below average. Alfalfa production at 1,238,000 tons is up 12
percent from last year. Clover-timothy hay production estimated at 875,000 tons is 33
percent more than the 1967 crop because of a larger acreage and higher yield. The 1968
apple crop forecast at 58 million pounds is down 23 percent from last year and 24 percent below average. Peach production at 6 million pounds is off 17 percent from 1967
and 23 percent below average.
August milk production amounted to 198 million pounds and was 2 percent below
August 1967 and 22 percent less than average. Production per cow in August 1968 was
25 pounds higher than in August 1967 but the number of milk cows was down 6 percent.
Egg production during August totaled 239 million eggs, up 18 percent from a year earlier.
Rate of lay at 1854 eggs per 100 layers compares with 1814 in August 19^7. Number of
layers was up 16 percent from the same month a year ago.
UNITED STATES
Crop prospects improved in August, although dry spots reduced output in some areas,
especially in the South Atlantic Region and some South Central States. Crop progress
was ahead of last year in most areas.
The all crops production index rose one point in August, to 122 and is a record high,
5 points (4 percent) above last year's record. Although slightly reduced, food grains
continue at record level. Feed grains improved to record prospects, and oilseeds, already
a record, advanced further. The composite yield per acre covering 28 leading crops rose
one point, to a record 130, and is 6 points (5 percent) above last year.