STATE OF MONTANA 7 



MONTANA CROPS AND LIVESTOCK — 1965 



The 1965 growing season got off to a slow start with cold, wet weather delaying field 

 tillage work about 10 days. The cold weather, marked by freezing temperatures which reduced 

 fruit prespects and damaged sugarbeet plantings over wide areas, continued through May. 

 Extensive reseeding of winter wheat acreage was necessary in eastern and central counties as 

 a result of winterkill. The spring and summer of 1965 were the coldest for several years, and 

 September's average temperature was the lowest for the month on records beginning in 1880. 

 Precipitation, usually the limiting factor in dry-land farming areas, exceeded any year since 

 1927 for the period April-September and was 40 percent above normal. Wheat in the eastern 

 third of the State and portions of north central areas was badly infested with leaf and stem 

 rusts which reduced prospective yields severely. Intermittent rains maintained abundant soil 

 moisture and benefited plant growth but interfered with harvesting operations for six consecutive 

 weeks beginning in mid-August. Quality of the unharvested crops deteriorated and considerable 

 shattering and lodging of grain occurred. Some grain already cut and swathed, sprouted in the 

 head. Frosts in the early part of September and again on the 17th and 18th, shortened the 

 growing season and damaged dry beans, corn, hay and seed crops. However, output of all field 

 crops except corn for grain, sugarbeets, and seeds was larger than in 19 64. 



CROPS: Production of all wheat totaled 105,350.000 bushels, 12 percent above 19 64 

 and the largest output since 195 5. In spite of delayed harvest as a result of wet weather, and 

 an infestation of rust, principally in winter wheat, the yield of all wheat averaged 25.4 

 bushels per acre, the highest in 50 years. Winter wheat set a new record for production at 

 67,541,000 bushels and the yield of 29.0 bushels equaled the previous high established in 

 1911. Acreage harvested at 2,329,000 was 27 percent above the previous year. About 73 

 percent of the winter wheat acreage was seeded with Cheyenne variety, followed by Winalta 

 with 8 percent and Warrior 6 percent. The durum wheat crop totaled 3,021,000 bushels, 28 

 percent below the previous year. The yield of 26.5 bushels was the highest recorded since durum 

 wheat estimates began in 1954. Leading varieties of durum in 1965 were Wells with 50 

 percent of the total acreage; Stewart, 19 percent; and Langdon, 13 percent. Production of 

 other spring wheat at 34,788,000 bushels was 7 percent below 1964. The leading variety, 

 Thatcher with 38 percent of the seeded acreage was followed by Chinook with 15 percent 

 and Canthatch with 1 1 percent. 



Barley production at 50,050,000 bushels was one percent above the previous year's 

 ■*9, 692, 000 bushels. However, it was harvested from 15 percent fewer acres. The yield of 

 38.5 bushels per acre was the highest since 1897 and compares with 32.5 in 1964. The 

 leading varieties were Compana with 42 percent of the seeded acreage, Betzes with 20 percent, 

 and Unitan with 12 percent. The oats crop at 9,605,000 bushels was 1,058,000 bushels 

 more than in 1964. The 42.5 bushels per acre yield was the highest since 1915. Flaxseed 

 production at 250,000 bushels was 49 percent more than in 1964. 



The output of sugarbeets at 748,000 tons was the smallest since the 1955 crop of 

 724,000 tons. Weather delayed planting about 2 weeks. Low temperatures in late May froze 

 some beets necessitating replanting, especially west of the Divide. The growing season was 

 too cold for optimum growth and development of sugarbeets and yield per acre at 12.4 tons 

 was the lowest since 1951. 



The potato crop totaled 1,326,000 cwt., 6 percent above 1964. Production of dry 

 beans at 217,000 cwt., clean basis, was 11 percent above the previous year and the largest 

 crop since 1961. 



Alfalfa seed production totaled 2,295,000 pounds, clean basis, and was less than half 

 the previous year's crop. Unusually damp and rainy weather during much of the growing 

 season hindered a good seed set and delayed seed ripening. Hard freezes in mid-September termi- 

 nated further growth and some stands intended for seed were cut for hay. Red clover seed 

 output of 280,000 pounds was 56,000 pounds less than the 1964 crop. 



Montana farmers and ranchers harvested a record 3,823,000 tons of hay during 1965 

 from 2,490.000 acres — the largest acreage since 1953 when 2,585,000 acres were harvested. 

 Alfalfa totaled a record 2,145,000 tons, and 680,000 tons of wild hay were harvested. 



Sour cherry production totaled only 160 tons compared with 530 tons a year earlier. 

 Sweet cherry output of 130 tons was 1,900 tons below the previous year. 



LIVESTOCK: The number of cattle and calves, including dairy stock on Montana 

 farms and ranches January 1, 1966, was at an all time high of 2,841,000 head, 3 percent 

 above the 2,758,000 head on hand a year earlier. This marked the fourth consecutive year 

 of increase in the cattle population, and was in contrast with a rather sharp decline in the 

 number of sheep and lambs. 



The inventory of all sheep and lambs on farms and ranches including those on feed on 

 January 1, 1966, was 1,387,000 head, 8 percent less than a year earlier and a continuation 

 of the downward trend. Historically, the largest number of sheep and lambs in Montana 

 was in 1903 when there were 5,736,000 head of stock sheep. 



Hogs and pigs on farms and ranches on January 1, 1966 totaled 123,000 head, 18 percent 

 li-ss than the 150,000 head a year earlier and the lowest number in 8 years. 



