No. 533     September 1, 1969
INDIANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
STATISTICAL REPORTING SERVICE
COOPERATING WITH
PURDUE UNWERSITY
AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS
WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA 47907
Purdue, Indiana's land-grant university celebrates its centennial in 1969 Included
m the knowledge disseminated from the University is a body of basic facts pertaining to Agriculture. This is one of 223 similar statistical reports prepared by the
Indiana Crop and Livestock Reporting Service at Purdue University in cooperation
with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Such basic facts about agriculture have
been made available for over 100 years. Purdue University has cooperated in the
compilation of these facts for the last 45 years.
INDIANA
August was generally a good month for field work in Indiana. Farmers had 25 days
which were suitable for work in the fields, 6 days more than were available a year ago
and 2 days more than average. Rainfall was about an inch short of normal but temperatures were about normal. Even though moisture shortages developed near the month's
end, most major crops were past their peak growth period and beginning to mature.
Indiana corn production forecast at 451.2 million bushels is 8 percent above last year
and 2 percent more than 1967. Average yield is forecast at 94 bushels per acre compared with 85 bushels last year, and equal to the previous record set in 1965. Corn
development made good progress and 15 percent of the crop was mature by September
5. This is the same as a year earlier but ahead of the 1967 progress.
Soybean production in Indiana is placed at 96,224,000 bushels, nearly the same as the
1968 output but 36 percent above 1967. The September 1 yield forecast of 31 bushels
per acre is below the record yield of 31.5 bushels set last year and compares with 24.5
bushels realized in 1967. The crop is slightly behind usual. Virtually no fields had been
harvested by September 5.
Wheat production at 35,607,000 bushels is about the same as last year but 22 percent
below 1967. The estimated yield of 39 bushels per acre is unchanged from the Autust 1
forecast. Harvest was completed in early August. Oats production was also unchanged
from the forecast of a month ago. Harvest was completed about the usual time. Production at 19,260,000 bushels is 11 percent less than 1968 but 46 percent above the 1967
crop. The average yield was 60 bushels per acre.
Sorghum grain production is forecast at 871,000 bushels, 20 percent above last year
and 22 percent more than the 1967 output. The average yield forecast of 67 bushels
compares with 66 bushels per acre last year and 65 bushels in 1967. The 13,000 acres
expected to be harvested for grain is up 18 percent from both 1967 and 1968.
Production of all hay is placed at 2.1 million tons, down 5 percent from 1968, but up
9 percent from 1967. Alfalfa hay production makes up 1,177,000 tons or 56 percent of
the total. Clover-timothy mixtures account for 756,000 tons or 36 percent of the total,
lespedeza 23,000 tons or one percent, and other hay production of 144,000 tons accounts
for 7 percent of the all hay production.
Tobacco production in Indiana is forecast at 14.5 million pounds, 9 percent above the
1968 crop and 5 percent greater than the 1967 output. The average yield forecast on
September 1 was 2,500 pounds per acre compared with 2,285 pounds in 1968, and 2,385
pounds in 1967. The record yield was set in 1966 with 2,520 pounds per acre. By September 5, harvest was 30 percent complete, about the same as usual.
Apple production, forecast at 85 million pounds, is 47 percent above last year and 14
percent more than two years ago. Peach production is estimated at 15 million pounds,
nearly three times as large as last year, and over twice the 1967 production.
Milk production during August amounted to 200 million pounds. This is one percent
above last year, as increased production per cow more than offset a smaller number of
cows in herds.
Egg production amounted to 226 million eggs during August, down 5 percent from
August 1968. The number of layers was down 3 percent and the rate of lay at 1.804
eggs per 100 layers in August 1969 compares with 1,854 eggs in August 1968.