Texas aquaculture stable as producers contend with summer heat, drought

“Not much new has happened in Texas aquaculture in the last year — no new farms, no new species added, no new laws or regulations — and production is pretty normal across all industries,” said Todd Sink, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension aquaculture specialist and director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Aquatic Diagnostics Laboratory, Bryan-College Station.

While some producers have added new ponds to their facilities, the additions were not large-scale enough to cause industry-wide impacts, said Sink, also a professor in the Texas A&M Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management.

Current industry status

Texas is home to 130-135 aquaculture producers across the state with roughly 6,200 acres in production and annual farm-gate sales exceeding $120 million.

The state remains the national leader in red drum and hybrid striped bass production, and a top five producer of catfish and crawfish.

Summer heat and drought bring challenges

Most aquaculture production is concentrated in Southeast and Northeast Texas, Sink said. Both regions have faced an abnormally dry, hot summer, forcing producers to contend with increased water evaporation and the challenges it introduces.

“The drought has resulted in increased water evaporation and usage, raising production costs,” he said. “The heat has increased evaporation and led to some fish and shrimp losses – primarily due to low dissolved oxygen as a result of hot water temperatures.”

Sink said some lined ponds can lose up to 3 inches of water to evaporation each day.

This ongoing heat and evaporation also concentrates nutrients in the remaining water, promoting harmful algal blooms.

“Many of our producers are having increased issues with harmful algal blooms like cyanobacteria this year, and a couple of ponds have reported losses,” he said.

The loss of even one pond on an aquaculture farm translates to substantial financial loss.

“Think about an 8-acre pond of hybrid striped bass that can hold $600,000 worth of fish,” Sink said. “You lose that one pond, and you’re looking at a half-million-dollar loss.”

When harmful algal blooms are caught in time to prevent large-scale loss, Sink said treatment is still costly.

Ongoing trend of increased production cost

Sink said the recent expenses incurred from seasonal weather are in addition to the broader trend of rising production costs and thinner profit margins, especially for catfish producers.

“Overall, production has been good, so this really hasn’t resulted in any major loss in production volume, but it does increase production costs, which pinches the farmer’s profit and results in increased costs for end consumers,” he said.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Panhandle

Extreme drought continued across the district as heat held and rainfall stayed negligible. Very light rain fell in some areas and small scattered showers reached parts of the district, but not enough to improve conditions. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Corn was 40% mature and 20%-60% dented, with the first fields being chopped for silage. Sorghum was coloring, cotton had essentially finished setting bolls, and winter wheat planting was barely started. Corn was in very poor to poor condition and cotton very poor to fair. Pasture, rangeland and livestock conditions were very poor to good.

South Plains

Another week of extreme heat and drought gripped the district, with temperatures in the 100s and no meaningful rain in most areas. A few fortunate spots picked up 0.5 inches of rain. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were very short to short. Wind and heat browned several crop fields. Cotton, corn and sorghum were all in very poor to fair condition, and peanut conditions were fair. Corn silage chopping continued alongside corn and sorghum grain harvest, with counties reporting that corn was 15%-75% harvested. Cotton bolls continued to open; dryland cotton was lost in some areas, while irrigated fields were progressing. Producers said moisture within 10 days would be critical to fill bolls. Insect pressure increased in parts of the district, though elsewhere cotton aphids declined as beneficial insects moved back in. Boll damage from the few lygus and stinkbugs remaining was low. Winter wheat planting progressed, and preplant irrigation continued was applied to improve the soil moisture profile. Grazing was severely reduced. Livestock producers were scrambling to find hay, and water was scarce enough that some were hauling water. Livestock, pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair.

Rolling Plains

Extreme heat and wind hammered the soil profile for another week. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels were very short to short. A small part of the district caught trace amounts of rain. Forecasts called for mid-90s to 100-degree days and slim rain chances through the third week of September. Corn harvest was complete, but no cotton had been harvested. Cotton was in very poor to poor condition. Some wheat growers who would normally be planting were holding back, while others expected to start planting within 10 days. Pasture and rangeland were very poor to fair, and prospects for additional hay production were very poor. Cattle were being fed cake and hay, but the grazing shortage showed in livestock conditions. Many mature cows were expected to be taken to market with their calves as range conditions deteriorated. Livestock conditions were very poor to good. Wildlife food plots browned out.

North

Another dry week left most of the district in a substantial rainfall deficit, with much of the area having seen no rain since the first of July. Extreme heat occurred for most of the week. Scattered showers crossed parts of the district, with one area measuring 1-4 inches, but most of the district got nothing from Tropical Storm Edouard. Topsoil and subsoil moisture was very short to adequate across the district. A fire ban remained in effect for much of the district. Ponds were losing both water quantity and quality, and pastures suffered badly in terms of quality. Corn harvest was nearly complete with the crop in good to excellent condition, and counties reported the sorghum harvest was 50% complete. Soybeans had dropped leaves and crop conditions were fair to good. Cotton bolls were still opening in some areas while harvest began in other areas. Livestock remained in good shape, though producers described reaching a critical point without rain. Pasture and rangeland were in very poor to good condition, and livestock conditions were poor to good.

East

Tropical Storm Edouard split the district in terms of rain received. Some areas reported 4-5.5 inches in 24 hours and a dramatic improvement in soil moisture, while other areas received nothing at all. Rain was heavy enough in places to saturate soils and cause localized flooding. Wet conditions may temporarily delay hay harvest and other fieldwork. Topsoil moisture was very short to surplus and subsoil conditions were very short to adequate. Conditions for corn, cotton, rice, peanuts and soybeans were all rated good to excellent. Where the rain missed, conditions were described as extremely dry – forage growth stopped, pastures were brown, trees dropped leaves, and ponds, lakes and rivers ran low or were dry. Burn bans stayed in effect as localized fires broke out. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Armyworm infestations continued to be reported. Feral hogs damaged pastures and control measures were underway, and gopher control was also taking place. Producers began feeding hay and supplementing livestock. Many were preparing fall gardens and wildlife food plots. Fall calving started for some producers. Livestock conditions were very poor to excellent. Cattle markets were mixed, with strong demand and a slight price improvement at one market, lower prices at others and sale barns reporting an increase in total sale volume.

Far West

Above-average temperatures and no rain persisted through most of the week, with increased humidity. One area reported temperature highs of 102 degrees with grass yellow and dried up. Topsoil and subsoil moisture was very short in most of the district, and very short to adequate overall. Cotton was in very poor to fair condition, and sorghum conditions were very poor to good. Dryland cotton stayed stressed and wilted 24 hours a day, with a tremendous amount of boll shed reported. Irrigated cotton held up better where water was available, and irrigation was expected to continue as bolls opened. Corn harvest was complete, and sorghum harvest was nearly finished. In the El Paso area, watering allotments slowed. Cotton needed one more irrigation to finish, while alfalfa could be irrigated into November and pecans needed a couple more waterings to finish the crop. Pasture and rangeland were very poor to good with very little green showing and no active growth, and cattle and wildlife were being fed. Livestock conditions were poor to good. Dove season opened.

West Central

A month of 110-degree-plus days carried into the first week of September and pushed the district deeper into drought. Rainfall was minimal, with one area averaging trace amounts and showers elsewhere were very spotty. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were very short to adequate. Warm weather was detrimental to upland cotton, which was mostly in poor to fair condition, and sorghum harvest was nearly complete in most areas. Pecans were filling and needed water.  Small stock ponds were nearly dry, and larger ponds showed significant water loss with muddy edges becoming an issue for livestock producers. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Forages in some areas were extremely dried down, and wildfire danger was high. Burn bans remained in effect, but several small grass fires broke out, including a couple that burned around 10 acres. Livestock still looked fair to good, but many producers were feeding hay, and cattle were eager for protein supplementation.

Central

Hot, dry weather dominated the district, with 100-degree days continuing to worsen drought conditions. Eastern portions were the exception with one receiving more than 2 inches, enough to flood some spots and leave standing water, and another reporting over 5 inches. Topsoil and subsoil moisture ran from very short across most of the district to surplus where the heaviest rain fell. Corn harvest was nearly complete, and yields were strong, with one area projecting an above-normal average near 125 bushels per acre. Elevator capacity was running short, leaving some standing corn in the field until room opened up. Cotton harvest made good progress and reached 80% complete in places, with favorable yields on early planted cotton, including one report of 2.75 bales per acre and some fields expected to exceed 3 bales. Sorghum harvest finished, and yields were strong. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to fair. Pasture mealybug infestation was widespread and expected to impact the hay crop and push hay prices up. A lot of hay was being sold, and supplies remained available for now. Pastures declined rapidly in drier areas, and water levels dropped in rivers and stock tanks. Ranchers planted winter forage for grazing, while declining wheat prices were expected to keep fall wheat planting flat. Livestock stayed in poor to excellent condition on supplemental feed and mineral programs.

Southeast

Rain from the tropical storm reshaped conditions in much of the district last week, with some areas receiving over 10 inches of rainfall and others around 2 inches. Continued rain bands made it difficult to work, and standing water became a concern in low spots. Topsoil moisture ranged from very short to surplus while subsoil conditions were very short to adequate. One burn ban was lifted. Elsewhere conditions remained very dry, with pastures declining and pond levels getting low. Pasture mealybug damage decreased during the August drought, but activity was expected to increase again following the rain. Rice was in good to excellent condition, and harvest was nearly complete in most areas. Corn harvest was wrapping up. Cotton was close to being harvested. Livestock remained in generally good condition, though producers continued watching for heat stress. Pasture and rangeland were in poor to good condition, and livestock conditions were fair to excellent.

Southwest

Hot, dry weather held across the district with temperatures over 100 degrees most of the week and somewhat lower temperatures over the weekend. Trace amounts of rain from light, spotty showers were reported. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were very short to adequate. Fire conditions were critical, and a small grass fire was reported. Corn, sunflower and sorghum harvests were complete or near completion. Many cotton fields carried about 80% open bolls, with a few fully open and ready for defoliation. Some hay fields were cut, and farmers cleared cotton acres and prepared for winter crops. New World screwworm movement restrictions were lifted for some counties. Pasture and rangeland were poor to good, and producers were supplementing livestock again. Livestock conditions were fair to good. Dove numbers were growing.

Coastal Bend

High temperatures and dry weather continued, though parts of the district picked up 1-1.5 inches of rainfall. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were very short to adequate, and soil moisture was described as critical in some areas. Range and pasture conditions kept declining as a result and were very poor to good overall. Corn harvest was complete and finished much better than expected. Yields ranged from poor to excellent depending largely on planting date, helped by strong late spring and early summer moisture. Rice harvest was complete. Cotton harvest continued, and yields ranged from poor to good so far with defoliation continuing. Hay production stalled in the heat, and some producers were forced to begin feeding hay to their herds. Producers were hoping for fall moisture to support a late hay cutting and winter cover crop planting. Pasture mealybugs continued to impact hay fields and pastures. Livestock conditions were very poor to good. Pecan trees shed nuts in the dry weather, and pecan leaf scorch showed up in orchards.

South

Hot, dry and windy conditions persisted, with temperatures above 100 degrees nearly every day. Most of the district received no measurable rainfall. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were very short to adequate. Wind and high temperatures increased evaporation rates in tanks and lakes, and ranchers began hauling water as stock tanks ran low. Standing dry forage elevated fire danger, with several small fires reported and burn bans were issued. Cotton harvest was finished in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, with some late-planted acres still to go in other areas. Corn and grain sorghum harvests were done, and fields were being cleared and plowed under for fall and winter crops. Sesame harvest continued with above-average yields. Citrus and hay producers irrigated where water was available. Irrigated forage fields were harvested and turfgrass was cut. Strawberry producers prepared beds. Pasture and rangeland conditions were very poor to good. Pastures deteriorated daily, and while grass remained in many pastures, it was dry and brittle. Livestock conditions were fair to good. Ranchers supplemented livestock diets with hay, protein, cubes, mineral and molasses tubs, and deer producers fed protein, cottonseed and corn. Pasture mealybug was present in some areas. No New World screwworms were reported, and producers continued monitoring closely. Fall calving was underway and spring-born calves were being marketed. Cattle markets were mixed, holding steady on all classes at some auctions while others reported declining prices. Wildlife remained in good condition, with good turkey and quail production reported. Numerous white-tailed deer fawns were observed, and the dove opener produced strong bird numbers.