Released: February 3, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Month ending January 31, 2005 SD-CW0605 Volume 54 Issue 06

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    The year 2005 started with temperatures slightly above average, with below normal snowfall for much of the state, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. With minimal snowfall received, many producers worry that the lack of snow cover on winter wheat may cause serious problems when temperatures turn colder. Having little snow to contend with, farmers and ranchers have kept busy with routine chores, hauling and marketing grain, tending to livestock, and repairing machinery. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

WEATHER INFORMATION:   January temperatures ranged from 2 degrees below normal to 5 degrees above normal for the state. The average tempera ture was 17 degrees. Long Valley reported the high for the month at 71 degrees. The low for the month was -34 degrees, reported in Aberdeen. Precipitation was scattered, with one reporting station, Buffalo, reporting no precipitation. Rapid City received the most precipitation in January, with 1.26 inches received. As of February 6th, the average snow depth for the state was 0.10 inch. Both county and township roads were 100 percent open at month's end.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 32.2 degrees for the past week. Soil temperatures last week averaged 4.6 degrees above normal for the state. Beresford's soil tempera ture was 9.8 degrees above normal, while Redfield's soil temperature was 0.5 degree above normal for the past week.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    The lack of snow cover on winter wheat and alfalfa remains a concern for many producers across the state. Winter wheat is rated at 3 percent poor, 51 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 11 percent excellent with snow cover for winter wheat rated at 98 percent poor and 2 percent adequate. Alfalfa snow cover is currently rated at 93 percent poor and 7 percent adequate.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Minimal snowfall throughout the state has allowed for extended use of field residue for grazing, prolonging feed supplies in several areas. Feed supplies are rated at 76 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the 71 percent adequate to surplus rating in December. Stock water supplies remain similar to last month, at 63 percent adequate to surplus. With little snowfall to contend with, feed supplies were 96 percent readily accessible, with stock water supplies 92 percent readily accessible. January's cattle condition is similar to the rating in December, at 82 percent good to excellent. Cattle death losses for January were rated at 30 percent below normal, 68 percent normal, and 2 percent above normal. January's sheep condition was rated at 75 percent good to excellent. Deaths in January for calves and lambs have been low, with calf deaths rated 99 percent at or below average and sheep and lamb deaths 100 percent at or below average.

     SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING FEB. 6, 2005
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      35              Gettysburg   31
Brookings      31              Nisland      35
Caputa         33              Pierre       32
Chamberlain    32              Redfield     31
Cottonwood     35              Watertown    30
   
                         
        CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
            AS OF February 6, 2005      

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       3     51      35     11
Cattle         0       2     16      66     16
Sheep          0       7     18      60     15


                                     

        FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
             AS OF February 6, 2005 

              FEED          STOCK WATER
             SUPPLIES        SUPPLIES
         This   Last   5-Yr. This   Last  5-Yr.
RATING    Year   Year   Ave.  Year   Year  Ave.
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     13     2    NA     21     24    NA
Short      11    17    NA     16     19    NA
Adeq.      68    75    NA     62     57    NA
Surplus     8     6    NA      1      0    NA

                                                     

	 TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
         Month Ending January 31, 2005
                                     
                                     
                TEMPERATURE  ---PRECIPITATION---   
             ---------------           CURR  
             CURRENT   MONTH    CURR  MONTH 
STATION     AVG  DFN  HI   LO  MONTH   DFN   
-------     --   --   --   --   ----- ----- 
Bison       18    2   63  -24   0.11  -0.25
Buffalo     21    4   65  -21	0.00  -0.29
Dupree      18    2   63  -29	0.13  -0.11
Mc Intosh   15    3   54  -29	0.11  -0.18
Newell      19    2   69  -23	0.08  -0.24
Timber Lake 15    2   60  -27	0.23  -0.09				
Aberdeen    12    3   47  -34	0.42   0.05
Eureka      14    5   49  -30	0.30   0.03
Faulkton    13    2   51  -28	0.40   0.12
Mobridge    15    3   52  -32	0.33  -0.01
Roscoe      10   -1   47  -29	0.50   0.14						
Britton     12    3   42  -29	0.33  -0.12
Clear Lake  11   -2   43  -26	1.14   0.54
Sisseton    13    2   43  -20	0.74   0.21
Webster     12    3   41  -25	0.43  -0.15
Watertown   13    2   43  -28	0.52  -0.02				
Faith       19    3   65  -22	0.25  -0.02
Milesville  19    2   66  -22	0.40   0.08
Long Valley 23    1   71  -17	0.58   0.33
Philip      21    2   66  -21	0.17  -0.09
Rapid City  23    1   69  -15	1.26   0.87
Spearfish   25    2   67  -11	0.66   0.10						
Chamberlain 17    0   60  -16	0.58   0.36
Highmore    17    3   54  -25	0.21  -0.12
Huron       16    4   56  -25	0.14  -0.27
Onida       17    4   57  -20	0.20  -0.25
Pierre      19    2   60  -21	0.03  -0.40						
Brookings   12    3   48  -24	0.39   0.07
Madison     13    3   50  -20	0.30  -0.22
Mitchell    15    1   53  -18	0.45   0.03
Sioux Falls 17    4   53  -18	0.45  -0.06						
Custer      26    3   62  -9	0.43   0.07
Hot Springs 26    2   64  -12	0.74   0.44
Oelrichs    23   -1   60  -15	0.40   0.00
Porcupine   21    2   65  -23	0.62   0.39						
Murdo       19    2   65  -14	0.50   0.17
Winner      23    2   69  -11	0.38  -0.13						
Armour      18    1   56  -17	0.38  -0.14
Centerville 15    2   55  -20	0.30  -0.14
Marion      15    3   53  -17	0.39  -0.15
Pickstown   19    1   63  -15	0.50   0.10
Vermillion  19    2   56  -15	0.49   0.10
Yankton     17    2   57  -17	0.29  -0.09

Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.