Wheat Harvest

[aj]

Cool...I was wondering if the pricing is a trend? We've some bigger operators actually putting new storage up. They think the basis will improve with time. I heard some Texas elevators would take wheat but not bid on wheat till something happens. Thats kinda scary for cash flow reasons.

 

[KCK]

Some places ran into protein issues. It was too low, our crop last year was equally as how and there isn't anything to blend it with to make some countries bid on it. Then if they can't blend, they can't get the right dough, loaf, baked product... so on, so forth. Some elevator in Oklahoma took a rail line to the Gulf, got turned away and finally sold it at the Port of Catoosa for lack of protein.

 

[chambero]

I'm hearing the same thing on protein here in North Texas.  I guess its supposed to be 12% and most of it is running 11%?

Anyone know the reason for that - did we get hold of bad variety(s) of seed, too little fertilizer, etc?  It certainly isn't lack of moisture in our part of the world.  We had about ideal conditions.

 

[pjkjr4]

Sometimes a lack of nitrogen can cause lower protein levels. You usually see that when there was an adequate amount (or what you would think be an adequate amount) of N put down either pre-plant, or in the late fall, and the growing conditions are good for the better part of the growing season. Topdressing late (first hollow stem) will help protein levels, but, in a normal year, is it really worth the extra $/acre??

 

[Silver]

heck we just started to get some heads a couple of days ago.

 

[Mark H]

Ideal growing conditions  (plenty of moisture) for any cereal grain will reduce protein levels while increasing yield. Increasing nitrogen to the crop will help compensate for the problem and increase yield but cause lodging  to increase on some varieties.  Variety selection is critical in maintaining grade.  Was too much emphasis put on yield versus quality for a given level of management?
Is the standard variety here Hard Red Winter or Soft Red Winter? Both?

 

[justintime]

I'm hearing the same thing on protein here in North Texas.  I guess its supposed to be 12% and most of it is running 11%?

Anyone know the reason for that - did we get hold of bad variety(s) of seed, too little fertilizer, etc?  It certainly isn't lack of moisture in our part of the world.  We had about ideal conditions.

I have not grown grain for a number of years, but I know that here in W Canada, protein is highest in drier years. Years of above average moisture usually result in more bushels, but lower protein levels. Some of this may be due to moisture from irrigation or rain can push N down into the soil to levels where it is not as accessible to the plant. P usually stays where it is placed. What kind of moisture conditions did you have there. There... you have just received a crash course in everything I know ( or think I know) about growing grain. The last load of grain I sold was in 1978, so my brain cells regarding grain growing issues may be a bit musty.

 

[aj]

If you do have good protein wheat it is worth a bonus but then you have to keep it seperate to cash in. I know frontier ag is hoping for a elevator full of higher protein wheat. This would be a marketing advantage as people could use the product for blending purposes. I think the great growing conditions makes the wheat plant stool out.....there are more heads to fill with the same amount of fertilizer thus less available N for each seed. Maybe like cane feed. Low nitrate feed is always lower protein and high nitrate feed is always a higher protein level.

 

[aj]

Spot on JIT. ;D

 

[Shady Lane]

What are ields like in your areas on hard red spring varrieties typically?


I'm currious on how they compare to here?

 

[Duffer]

Here in Indiana there is not a whole lot of wheat but what is here in our area is horrible.  Test Weights 52 to 54 for the most part.  Usually we make 85 to 90 bu/ac this year ours was 45.  Some guys are getting docked a dollar or more for vomitoxin.  Head sprouting is horrible. But on a positive note the wheat is comming off early enough that we should get a decent double crop of beans.

 

[LostFarmer]

Our small grains are not even in the boot stage yet.  I have cut more barley and wheat in November than I have September.  If we have it planted by the first of May it is a one in 25 event.  If we are in by Memorial day we are real happy.  Again more planted in June than April. 

 

[BCCC]

Here in SW, KS we had an awesome wheat harvest! On dryland that was summer fallow the year before we made a whole 20 bushels/acre!!! On the wheat that hadn't been summer fallow, we made a whopping 6 bushels/ acre!!! <beer> We need an icon that has someone bent over saying get the Vaseline! Didn't even cover the cost to get it cut.

 

[Mark H]

The main Hard Red Spring Wheat variety in use in the Bowden, Alberta area is CDC GO with a yield of around 75 bushels to the acre.  If it not does not suffer from frost damage  expect a bushel weight of a least 60 LB at 12% protein.  Lodging can be a problem.  Plenty of wheat is down graded due to damage in the swaths due to weather.  Wheat here is a minor crop next to Barley and Canola due to the growing season (116 days frost free) and relative yields of the other crops besides wheat. 

 

[aj]

Around here our hard red winter yields on dryland go anywhere from 5 to 70 bushels. Irrigated wheat usually won't beat 80 or 90 bushel to the the acre. Hail storms are a problem in wet years. Most of our recip comes out of thunderheads which almost always has some hail in it. Our annual precip is around 18 inches a year.

 

[KCK]

Oklahoma is more or less done. The panhandle is getting into the irrigated land and yields are all over the board. mid 40's to mid 70's. They got some late snows and missed the horrible hail storms. That stuff just laid down crops in Central Oklahoma around Kingfisher, Okarche area. Farmers are staying pretty mum about actual yield numbers and we are not sure why. I keep saying "Better than expected is why" I think I am wrong. There will still be some in and around Central Oklahoma that can't get into spots because of rain. Those mud holes are drying out fast, but they aren't risking getting stuck!

Let's just hope the basis goes back up and some of these guys sitting on their crop see some money. Oklahoma's wheat is dirty, dirty and full of dockage. They are getting hit for that and low protein now. It is sad that they feed the world and can't make a buck.

 

[aj]

We started yesterday north of Colby Kansas. 12% moisture.

 

[pjkjr4]

Oklahoma is more or less done. The panhandle is getting into the irrigated land and yields are all over the board. mid 40's to mid 70's. They got some late snows and missed the horrible hail storms. That stuff just laid down crops in Central Oklahoma around Kingfisher, Okarche area. Farmers are staying pretty mum about actual yield numbers and we are not sure why. I keep saying "Better than expected is why" I think I am wrong. There will still be some in and around Central Oklahoma that can't get into spots because of rain. Those mud holes are drying out fast, but they aren't risking getting stuck!

Let's just hope the basis goes back up and some of these guys sitting on their crop see some money. Oklahoma's wheat is dirty, dirty and full of dockage. They are getting hit for that and low protein now. It is sad that they feed the world and can't make a buck.

Up here, nobody's talking because they feel like they aren't getting very much for what the brought in. I can understand. The early planted wheat was pretty good here, but the late stuff was bad to very bad. I know of several people that will have the drills running in late August and early September so they can go back to grazing every acre possible. Now that there's a little bit of money in owning yearlings, why not???

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Central Ohio is horrible. Avg 15 bu/ acre on good days 30. Normal here is 80+. Vomitoxin (argue)

 

[KCK]

Up here, nobody's talking because they feel like they aren't getting very much for what the brought in. I can understand. The early planted wheat was pretty good here, but the late stuff was bad to very bad. I know of several people that will have the drills running in late August and early September so they can go back to grazing every acre possible. Now that there's a little bit of money in owning yearlings, why not???
[/quote]

The market sure doesn't paint a pretty picture for the future of wheat farming! I couldn't believe the prices I would hear from elevators! Sad times!