No. 503 May 1, 1967
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
This is one of 223 similar statistical reports prepared each year by the Indiana Crop
and Livestock Reporting Service at Purdue University, and released by the Crop
Reporting Board of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. Such basic facts about
agriculture have been made available for 100 years. Yes, this is the Centennial
Year of crop and livestock reporting in the United States.
INDIANA
The 1967 Indiana winter wheat production is forecast at 47,920,000 bushels based on
the condition of the crop May 1. This is an increase of 14 percent from the 1966
production and 9 percent above the 1961-65 average. This forecast of production is
based on an indicated yield of 40.0 bushels per acre, 4 bushels below the 1966 yield,
but 5.1 bushels above the 5-year average. The acreage remaining for grain harvest is
1,198,000 acres, 25 percent above the 1966 acreage but 5 percent below the 1961-65
average.
Ample soil moisture and warm temperatures accelerated growth and development of
winter wheat and other small grains after April 1. Wheat growth averaged 2 inches per
week during April, and on May 1 the crop was 2 inches higher than average. Wet soils
hampered field work during April and on May 1 progress was a week behind normal.
Hay stocks on farms May 1 totaled 432,000 tons, 13 percent less than a year earlier,
but 15 percent more than average. Disappearance of hay since January 1 totaled
1,201,000 tons, 13 percent less than for both 1966 and average. Pasture growth was
rapid during the first 3 weeks of April, but development slowed with a cooling trend the
last week of the month. Pasture condition was rated at 91 percent of normal compared
with 92 percent of normal a year earlier. Hay condition, at 87 percent of normal, is
below the 93 percent of normal for 1966 and the 89 percent for the 5-year average.
Egg production in April totaled 221 million eggs, 4 percent above the April 1966
production. The monthly rate of lay at 1,920 eggs per 100 layers, was about the same
as a year earlier. The April number of layers, estimated at 11,520,000 birds, was up
5 percent from a year earlier.
Milk production in April is estimated at 241 million pounds. This is 2 percent above
the March production of 237 million pounds, but is 2 percent less than the April 1966
total of 246 million pounds.
UNITED STATES
Winter wheat production is estimated at 1,195 million bushels, 3 percent above the
forecast a month ago. Prospects improved in most States with the biggest gain occurring
in Oklahoma. The May 1 forecast is 13 percent above last year and would be the largest
crop of record. In the past decade, the average change in the Unit°d States production
estimate from May 1 to harvest has been 53 million bushels—ranging between 8 million
and 164 million bushels.
The indicated yield per harvested acre is 26.8 bushels, 0.6 bushel below 1966 but
0.6 bushel above average. Acreage to be harvested for grain is indicated at 44.7 million,
16 percent more than harvested last year and the largest since 1953. The acreage for
harvest is 82.5 percent of the seeded acreage, compared with 90.0 percent in 1966, and
the average of 86.7.
Wint-r wheat prospects continued to decline in the Central and Southern Great Plains
until widespread April 11-13 rains. This timely moisture sharply improved prospects,
although partially offset by subfreezing weather about April 21-24. This poor weather
caused locally severe damage in western Kansas and eastern Colorado. Freezing temperatures hit again on May 1-2 in this area, causing some additional damage. The freeze
damage could be ofTVt by favorable moisture. Nebraska and parts of Oklahoma and
Texas also recorded subfreezing temperatures, but overall wheat damage was considered
1]ght in these States.