AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central

The district received heavy to scattered rainfall with amounts ranging from 0.5 to 5 inches, and many areas received 1-3 inches of rainfall. The last two weeks brought chill hour numbers closer to average, but all crops could still use more chill hours. Wheat, oats and small grains benefited from the moisture, but many fields were struggling. Native pastures were holding, but cool-season grasses looked stressed. Some tanks filled due to rainfall. The cattle market was up, and the sheep and goat market remained steady. Supplemental feeding continued for livestock.

Rolling Plains

The district experienced dry conditions and needed rain. The lack of rainfall put significant stress on the wheat crop. In addition to crop concerns, cattle diets were being supplemented with hay due to insufficient winter wheat and pasture growth for grazing.

Coastal Bend

Light rain showers and cloudy days kept fields and pastures wet and prevented fieldwork. Preplant fertilizer was applied to corn fields, and producers were preparing equipment for the upcoming planting season. Winter grasses and volunteer clover were growing well with recent moisture and fair temperatures. Hay and protein feeding continued for livestock, though cool-season forages were improving.

East

Most of the district received 2-3 inches of rainfall, and some counties received much more. Ponds, creeks and lakes were full or overflowing. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate to surplus. Wood County reported flash flooding. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair to good. Working conditions in some pastures and fields were difficult due to heavy rains. Temperatures were unusually warm for this time of year. Cattle markets were strong with aggressive buying. Livestock were in fair to good condition with supplemental feeding taking place.

Southeast

Soil moisture conditions were short to adequate. Counties experienced wet conditions, with fields and pastures remaining soggy due to frequent rainfall. For some counties, the rains led to challenges for producers such as swollen rivers, saturated soils and stalled forage growth. Producers were providing heavy amounts of hay to cattle, which raised concerns about bale reserves. Some counties reported ideal soil moisture and weather conditions for fieldwork and forage growth while other areas reported difficult working conditions and oversaturated soils and reduced forage quality. Some areas still needed more runoff rainfalls to fill tanks. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to excellent. Oat and wheat conditions ranged from fair to good.

Panhandle

The district experienced warmer conditions. Wheat progressed and showed some growth due to moisture from the most recent wintery mix of precipitation. Farmers distributed composted manure, especially on forage fields harvested for silage in the fall. Supplemental feeding of cattle continued. Overall, soil moisture was short to adequate. Pasture and range conditions were very poor to fair, and crops were in poor to good condition.

North

Counties received much-needed rainfall with cooler overnight temperatures. Counties reported rainfall between 2-6 inches with some flooding reported. Topsoil and subsoil were short to adequate and short with very few at adequate to surplus, respectively. Pasture and range conditions were reported fair and good for most of the counties. The soil moisture benefited soil health and wheat germination. Livestock were in very good condition, but the pastures were still stressed with minimal cool-season grass growth so far. Calving season was underway. The heavy rainfall will make fieldwork difficult in some areas until the ground dries enough.

Far West

The district experienced another week with no moisture. Weather was mostly seasonal with above-average temperatures extending into the mid-80s. Extremely high winds up to 51 mph caused dust storms throughout the district, further drying out soil moisture and causing topsoil erosion late in the week. Fieldwork was ongoing to keep fields from blowing. Dryland wheat fields were in poor condition, and even some irrigated wheat looked poor due to lack of water capacity. Pecan harvest continued in some areas. Many fields remained dry and hard. Pastures were bare and dry. Grass and winter weeds were still in poor condition. Cattle and other livestock remained in relatively good condition, as producers continued to provide supplemental feed.

West Central

Areas received scattered rain that delivered trace amounts up to 4 inches with several areas reporting at least half to 1 inch, but all areas needed more moisture. Rainfall in some areas was heavy enough to fill livestock tanks. Temperatures were unseasonably warm. Growth in small grain fields stalled due to drought, but the recent rains should help some fields. Oats turned yellow after the cold snap. Some wheat fields were still in good condition but needed rainfall. Pastures were dry and needed good rain before spring green up. Livestock continued to rely on heavy amounts of supplemental feed. Many producers were grazing cattle on wheat. Most cattle looked in fair to good shape. Some producers were repairing frozen pipes from the recent cold snap.

Southwest

A cold front brought moisture, with rain shower totals ranging from 0.5 to 2 inches. Some areas reported flowing rivers. Warmer temperatures over the weekend should help pastures green up. Further freeze damage was being observed in rangeland and some small fruit trees. Overall, range and pasture conditions remained dry. Cool-season forages were baled, and cool-season range plants were showing late winter to early spring growth. However, little forage growth had occurred due to cool weather conditions. Winter wheat emerged and was in good condition. Livestock markets remained steady to high. Some gardeners began preparing for spring planting. Producers continued to reduce livestock numbers. Lambing and kidding were underway. Livestock were receiving supplemental feed and were in mostly fair to good condition. Warmer temperatures were expected next week.

South

Temperatures were as low as 38 degrees at night with daytime highs in the 70s. No measurable rainfall was reported, though some areas reported fog and morning dew. Topsoil moisture conditions were still poor in most areas with some reports of adequate conditions. Most parts of the district needed additional rain to prepare for the upcoming planting season. Farmers and row crop producers prepared fields to plant corn and sorghum in hopes of taking advantage of adequate soil moisture. Planting should pick up over the next few weeks, with a few farmers planting corn already. Citrus producers continued to harvest and evaluate potential damage to fruit and trees after the recent freeze. Oat fields continued to progress and were in excellent condition. Onions and other vegetables looked good and recovered from the freeze while leafy greens showed signs of freeze damage. The local water irrigation canals remained closed with no available water for the local agriculture due to water scarcity in the Rio Grande River. Range and pastures continued to suffer due to the recent freeze with most pastures displaying burnt tops. Standing forage was dry and was posing a fire danger. Conditions were very tough on livestock and wildlife with the wet and cool weather and poor range and pasture conditions. Producers continued to supplement livestock diets with hay and protein, and some producers were hauling water. Some cattle producers burned prickly pear for their cattle. Hay was in high demand, resulting in price increases. Feed costs were also high at local stores. One local beef cattle market reported above-average sale volumes after the winter storm prevented the previous week’s sale. Feeder calf prices continued to climb and were at an all-time high. Prices on cull cows and bulls were strong as well.