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K                            Wisconsin
Crop and Livestock Reporter
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                     WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE
Statistical Reporting  Service                           Division  of Agricultural
Statistics
Federal - State Crop Reporting Service
C. D. Caparoon, In Charge
G. N. Tucker, Jr.
V. C. Struck,
C. A. Hines, Asst. In Charge
Agricultural Statisticiana
A. Sturges,        A. D. Richardson,
E. W. Morehead, Editor
B. A. Nelson
Vol. XL, No. 10               State Capitol, Madison, Wisconsin         
      October 1961
IN THIS ISSUE
October Crop Report
September rains boosted
pasture conditions but made
it difficult for harvesting late
crops. Except for the north-
west, Wisconsin farmers
have had a better than
average crop year.
Milk Production
Milk production on Wis-
consin farms during Septem-
ber set a record for the
month. September milk pro-
duction was 2 percent above
a year ago.
Egg Production
Egg production per layer
in Wisconsin farm flocks was
the highest on record for
the month, and total egg
production was nearly 2
percent above September
last year.
Prices Farmers Receive and Pay
The index of prices re-
ceived for products sold by
Wisconsin farmers in Sep-
tember was unchanged from
August and remained at the
September 1960 level.
Current Trends
Wisconsin feeder pig
prices on October 1 aver-
aged 6 percent above a
year ago. For the nation,
index figures show factory
employment down from a
year ago but industrial pro-
duction up.
Feature
Farm Wage Rates
and Employment
IMPROVED PASTURES, the ex-
cellent condition of new seedings
in most areas, and more third cut-
tings of hay mark the changes in
Wisconsin's crop picture since the
first of September.
Wisconsin has had a better than
average crop year with excellent pro-
duction of some crops in most areas
except the northwest. In that area
rainfall was short during most of the
crop season. For the state as a whole
temperatures averaged a little better
than normal during September and
rainfall was much above normal.
At the beginning of October many
farmers throughout the state reported
harvesting problems because of wind
damage and heavy rains. This is par-
ticularly true for farmers cutting
corn for silage and for potato pro-
ducers who say wet fields slowed
operations.
Pastures were pretty short in most
areas of the state during part of July
and August, but conditions improved
during September. Pasture conditions
on October 1 averaged 82 percent of
normal for the date compared with
90 a year earlier and the average of
80 percent.
Vegetation generally benefited
from the September rains. The con-
dition of new seedings is reported ex-
cellent in many areas even though
the fields were sunbaked and dry dur-
ing part of the summer.
Prospects for the hay crop im-
proved a little during September with
the October 1 estimate of over 81/2
million tons. Few farmers expected
third cuttings of hay when they made
their July reports, but third cuttings
were reported by many farmers in
their October reports.
Wisconsin's crop of corn for grain
is expected to be over 110 million
bushels. This will be a crop a little
above last year. Offsetting this
greater production is a carryover of
old corn on farms of less than three-
fourths the quantity reported a year
ago.
The tobacco crop is harvested and
is curing well in the sheds. Prospects
for the cranberry and commercial
apple crops are better than a year
ago. Larger crops than a year ago
are estimated for beets, green lima
b)eans, and sweet corn for processing.
Weather Summary, September 1961
Station
Superior
Spooner
Park Falls
Rhinelander
Medford
Marinette
Antigo
Amery
River Falls
La Crosse -
Hatfield Dam
Marshfield
Hancock
Oshkosh.
Green Bay
Portage
Sheboygan
Manitowoc
Lancaster
Darlington
Hillsboro
Madison.
Beloit
Lake Geneva
Milwaukee
(airport)
Average for
25 stations
T   i
Temperature        Precipitation
23
24
25
27
25
30
26
25
28
32
26
23
27
32
30
31
34
30
28
29
28
30
36
30
31
28.4
K
92
90
87
86
85
92
86
89
90
89
89
85
89
90
90
90
92
93
90
89
88
90
91
91
93
89.4
57
S8
56
59
57
65
59
59
60
62
60
58
61
63
62
64
64
63
63
62
60
62
65
65
65
61.2
e       ,                  ±           -
E
z
56.
58.5E
5685
56 1
57.7C
57.1
61.5
58.8
59.6
60 6
62. 3
60.6
59. a
60 8
62.3
60.2
63.7
63.0
61.7
63.4
62.0
61.1
62 1
64.7
63.6
62. 6
60. 8
E E . LIe
_'          _
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3.89 2.8S
3 .6713.16
3 .85 3.33
4 .343 50
3.28 3.79
4.36 3.14
4.63 3.66
3.08 3 0
4 .06 3.36
4 97 3.82
3 87 3. 4
5.00 3.47
5. 85 3.61
6.22 3 25
5.02 2. 8
9.96 3.96
8.24 3. 1
4.63 3.26
11.65 3.7
10.25 3.63
8.15 393
7.92 3.99
9. 78 3.82
10.92 3. 36
9.41 3.33
6.28 3.45
0. 05
5. 02
3.73
1.93
5.36
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+1.so
0.37
1 .59
3.87
+1.20
+0.11
+ 3. 22
+3.96
+2. 02
+ 3. 25
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2.33
+1. 12
+2.70
+0.91
-0.80
+2.99
+ 5.63
+4.66
+0. 54
Record Milk Production
Is Reported for September
Milk production on Wisconsin farms
(luring September was the highest on
record for the month. Monthly pro-
duction records this year wvere also
set for March, July, and August. But
total milk production so far this year,
January through September, is up
less than 1 peicent from the quantity
produced in the first nine months of
1960.
With about the same number of
milk cows but a record production per
cow, Wisconsin milk production on
farms in September of 1,280 million
pounds was nearly 2 percent above
September last year. Total milk pro-
duction for the nine months is esti-
mated at 14,108 million pounds.
Milk production on the nation's
farms during September is estimated
at 9,617 million poundls and shows a
gain of almost 3 percent compare(l
with September last year. During the
first nine months of this year 96,364
C