Colorado Crop Progress Report for the Week Ending March 25, 2018

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY: Last week remained dry and windy in areas, allowing fieldwork to begin, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Soil moisture supplies improved slightly due to scattered storms, but statewide a lack of moisture was the primary concern going into the growing season. Reporters in eastern and northeastern counties noted conditions were mixed depending on locality. Some areas received timely moisture, aiding pasture and dryland crop conditions, while others remained dry. There were reports some wheat blew out and several wheat fields had blank spots due to winter kill and dry, windy conditions. Southwestern counties remained in extreme drought, with southern counties impacted the most. Although recent precipitation in areas helped topsoil moisture and fall planted wheat condition, subsoil moisture remained limited. Reporters noted irrigation supplies appeared adequate, with dryland crop and rangeland bearing the brunt of drought conditions. In the San Luis Valley, reporters noted fieldwork started and some growers began irrigating a week early. Conditions were dry with no recent measureable moisture. Reporters in southeastern counties noted isolated moisture was received, but warm and windy conditions prevailed. Statewide, livestock were doing well, with calving and lambing progressing better than normal in areas due to mild weather. As of March 26, 2018, snowpack in Colorado was 73 percent measured as percent of median snowfall. The Southwest and San Luis Valley were 55 and 54 percent, respectively. Stored feed supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 16 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Sheep death loss was 35 percent average and 65 percent light. Cattle death loss was 77 percent average and 23 percent light.
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