January Crop Weather Summary Two strong Pacific storms crossed over the State during the month, dropping snow in the north and heavy rains in the south. Las Vegas received a record high 2.07 inches of rain, surpassing the previous record of 1.78 inches set in January of 1940. The lower Colorado River watershed had tremendous flow that raised the level of drought-plagued Lake Mead 9 feet. Snow pack in the northern mountains swelled with the Sierra accumulations nearing twice normal. Rare valley fog was common across the north during the second half of the month, keeping temperatures down and slowing snow melt. Temperatures averaged well below normal north, and well above normal central and south. Snow cover increased winter cattle feeding needs and heavy calves continued to move to market. Hay marketing and shipping continued. Potato processing remained active. Fall seeded grains and garlic were in generally good condition. Main farm and ranch activities: equipment maintenance, livestock care, fence repairs, crop and livestock marketing, industry meetings.

 

Monthly Weather Summary for Selected Nevada Stations, January 2005

 

Milk Production

Milk production in the U.S. during the October-December quarter totaled 41.9 billion pounds, up 0.9 percent from the October-December quarter last year. The average number of milk cows in the U.S. during the quarter was 9.02 million head, 7,000 head more than the same period last year. Nevada quarterly milk production was 122 million pounds, down from 123 million pounds recorded in the October-December quarter in 2003. The average number of milk cows in the State was estimated at 25,000 cows, unchanged from last year.

Winter Wheat Seedings

Winter wheat seeded area for 2005 is expected to total 41.6 million acres nationally, down 4 percent from 2004. Approximate class acreage breakdowns are: Hard Red Winter, 30.5 million; Soft Red Winter, 6.6 million; and White Winter, 4.5 million. However, Nevada Winter wheat seedings for 2005 have increased by 1,000, up 17% from 2004’s seeding of 6,000 acres.

Nevada Crop Annual

Crop production in the Silver State during 2004 increased relative to the 2003 crop year. Grain production trended upward to the previous year comparatively and much of the acreage seeded to wheat and barley was harvested for hay. In 2004 an estimated 18,000 acres were seeded to wheat or barley, but only 11,000 acres were harvested for grain. Hay production was coincidentally up despite the lack of irrigation water, but the extended growing season aided in taking a full four cuttings in much of northern Nevada. Alfalfa seed production increased this year due to the longer growing season around the Orovada area. Nearly all of the acreage planted to corn in Nevada is harvested for silage; no estimates are made of corn grain production or yield Potato acreage did experience a decrease from 2003 to 2004 crop years even though yields increased nearly 4 percent.

 Nevada Crop Production Principal Crops: Area Harvested, Yield, and Production 2003-2004

GARLIC: Acreage, Yield, Production, Price and Value, Nevada, 2002-2004

Nevada garlic production remained low in 2004 as the acreage planted was less than half of the 2,600 acres grown in 1999. Yields averaged lower than usual and the price was down somewhat. Nevada grown garlic is used for seed by California garlic producers because it is disease free.

Nevada Sheep Inventory

Total sheep and lamb inventory in Nevada on January 1, 2005 was 70,000 head, down 5,000 head from January 1, 2004. There were 66,000 total breeding sheep and lambs consisting of 54,000 ewes 1 year and older, 2,000 rams 1 year and older, and 10,000 replacement lambs.

Inventory for 2004 was 52,000 ewes 1 year and older, 2,000 rams 1 year and older, and 10,000 replacement lambs. Market sheep and lamb inventory was down 7,000 head from 2004 to 4,000 head. Nevada’s 2004 lamb crop was estimated at 56,000 head, which is 4,000 head fewer than the previous year’s crop.

All sheep and lamb inventory in the United States on January 1, 2005, totaled 6.14 million head, up slightly from 2004, but 3 percent below two years ago. The inventory has leveled off and is showing a slight increase for the first time since 1990.

Breeding sheep inventory increased to 4.53 million head on January 1, 2005, up 1 percent from 4.50 million head on January 1, 2004. Ewes one year old and older, at 3.57 million head, were 1 percent below last year.

Market sheep and lambs on January 1, 2005, totaled 1.60 million head, down slightly from January 1, 2004. Market lambs comprised 95 percent of the total marketings. Twenty-six percent were lambs under 65 pounds, 13 percent were 65 - 84 pounds, 24 percent were 85 - 105 pounds, 32 percent were over 105 pounds, and 5 percent were market sheep.

SHEEP AND LAMB INVENTORY, JANUARY 1, 2004-05 ^/

^/1 Sum of classes may not add to total due to rounding.

LAMB CROP, 2003 AND 2004

 

ONIONS: Acreage, Yield, Production, Price and Value, Nevada, 2002-2004

Nevada’s onion growers planted 300 more acres in 2004 than in 2003 and yields were very good. Production reached a record high for the State at 108,800 tons. White, yellow, and red onions are all grown in the State.

 

January Cattle Inventory

 

Nevada: The January 1, 2005 cattle inventory in Nevada was reduced from the January 1, 2004 cattle inventory number by 10,000 head to 500,000 head. The cow inventory, at 265,000 head, was also down 10,000 from the January 1 2004 number. The calf crop in Nevada during 2004 is estimated at 210,000 head, compared with 235,000 head in 2003. There was an estimated 83,000 calves under 500 pounds on Nevada ranches January 1, 2004, 2,000 head less than a year earlier. Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter totaled 10,000 head, down from 13,000 head a year earlier.

United States: All cattle and calves in the United States as of January 1, 2005, totaled 95.8 million head, 1 percent higher than the 94.9 million on January 1, 2004. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 42.1 million, were up 1 percent from the 41.9 million on January 1, 2004. Beef cows, at 33.06 million, were up slightly from January 1, 2004. Milk cows, at 9.01 million, were slightly up from January 1, 2004. The 2004 calf crop was estimated at 37.6 million head, down 1 percent from 2003. Calves born during the first half of the year are estimated at 27.4 million, down 1 percent from 2003.

 

CATTLE AND CALVES: Inventory, January 1, 2004-2005 ^/