Released: March 7, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Month ending February 28, 2005 SD-CW1005 Volume 54 Issue 10

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    The month of February brought a few cold and snowy days, but was predominantly a mild month for much of the state, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. With minimal snowfall received again this month, many producers worry that the lack of snow cover on winter wheat, as well as the unseasonably warm temperatures, may cause serious problems if 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, calving and lambing, 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:   February temperatures ranged from 5 to 11 degrees above normal for the state. The average temperature for the state was 30 degrees. Dupree reported the low for the month, at -9 degrees. The high for the month was 74 degrees, reported in both Newell and Winner. Precipitation totals varied throughout the state, with totals ranging from 0.09 inch received in Philip, Oelrichs, and Long Valley, to 1.12 inches received in Sioux Falls. As of March 6, the average snow depth for the state was 0.20 inch. Both county and township roads were 100 percent open at month's end.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 32.9 degrees for the past week. Soil temperatures last week averaged 3.1 degrees above normal for the state. Beresford's soil temperature was 7.6 degrees above normal at 37.3 degrees, while Redfield's soil temperature was 2.5 degrees below normal, at 28.1 degrees for the past week.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    The lack of snow cover on winter wheat and alfalfa continues to remain an issue for many producers across the state. Many producers are concerned about the effects of mild February temperatures and minimal precipitation on winter crops, as well as problems that may arise for crops this spring due to low soil moisture levels. The winter wheat crop is rated at 10 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 12 percent excellent, with snow cover for winter wheat rated at 100 percent poor. Alfalfa snow cover is rated at 95 percent poor and 5 percent adequate.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Another month with little snowfall has helped to prolong feed supplies in several areas. Feed supplies were rated at 74 percent adequate to surplus for the month of February. Stock water supplies have fallen slightly to 61 percent adequate, with no surplus, compared to the previous month's 63 percent adequate to surplus. With minimal snow cover, feed supplies and stock water supplies were rated at 96 percent and 90 percent readily available, respectively. February's cattle condition, rated at 85 percent good to excellent, is slightly higher than January's 82 percent good to excellent. Cattle death losses for February were rated at 41 percent below normal, 57 percent normal, and 2 percent above normal. February's sheep condition also showed a slight improvement over January, with 79 percent rated good to excellent. Calving and lambing are off to a good start for the state, with calving 11 percent complete and lambing 26 percent complete. Deaths in February for calves and lambs remained low, with calf deaths rated 96 percent at or below average and lamb deaths rated at 97 percent at or below average.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF MARCH 6, 2005 

       FEED SUPPLIES      STOCK WATER
        This  Last 5-Yr.   This  Last  5-Yr.
RATING   Week  Year  Ave.   Week  Year   Ave.

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      8     4    NA     19     29   NA
Short      18    19    NA     20     19   NA
Adeq.      64    74    NA     61     51   NA
Surplus    10     3    NA      0      1   NA




         CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
             AS OF MARCH 6, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0      10     36      42     12
Cattle         0       1     14      64     21
Sheep          0       5     16      52     27


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

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      37              Gettysburg   30
Brookings      29              Nisland      38
Caputa         35              Pierre       32
Chamberlain    36              Redfield     28
Cottonwood     38              Watertown    28

                                                     

	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  MONTH ENDING March 6, 2005
                                     

             TEMPERATURE   -----  PRECIPITATION -----    
             -----------                 SINCE  SINCE  
            CURRENT WEEK    CURR   CURR   JAN 1  JAN 1  
STATION     AVG DFN HI  LO  MONTH  DFN    TOTAL    DFN  
-------     --  --  --  --  -----  -----  -----  -----  
Bison       31  10  71   1  0.10   -0.36   0.21  -0.61
Buffalo     32  10  72   5  0.19   -0.11   0.19  -0.40
Dupree      29   8  69  -9  0.42    0.01   0.55  -0.10
Mc Intosh   28  10  67  -4  0.33   -0.03   0.44  -0.21
Newell      31   8  74  -3  0.26   -0.12   0.34  -0.36
Timber Lake 28   9  68  -5  0.55    0.08   0.78  -0.01								
Aberdeen    24   8  58  -8  0.64    0.17   1.06   0.22
Eureka      26  10  57  -6  0.36    0.01   0.66   0.04
Faulkton    27	11  70  -5  0.56    0.06   0.96   0.18
Mobridge    28  10  61  -5  0.44    0.02   0.77   0.01
Roscoe      24   7  61  -4  0.37   -0.03   0.87   0.11								
Britton     24   9  52  -1  0.75    0.31   1.08   0.19
Clear Lake  24   7  60  -2  0.55   -0.08   1.69   0.46
Sisseton    24   8  53  -2  0.62    0.05   1.36   0.26
Webster     23   8  55  -3  0.46   -0.13   0.89  -0.28
Watertown   25   9  59   0  0.46   -0.12   0.98  -0.14								
Faith       31   9  69   2  0.38   -0.10   0.63  -0.12
Milesville  31   9  72  -1  0.23   -0.24   0.63  -0.16
Long Valley 34   8  71   6  0.09   -0.28   0.67   0.05
Philip      33   9  71   2  0.09   -0.28   0.26  -0.37
Rapid City  34   8  73  -1  0.27   -0.25   1.53   0.62
Spearfish   35   9  68   2  0.47   -0.26   1.13  -0.16								
Chamberlain 32   9  71  -2  0.62    0.25   1.20   0.61
Highmore    30  10  70  -3  0.43   -0.06   0.64  -0.18
Huron       29  10  63  -7  0.39   -0.29   0.53  -0.56
Onida       30  10  67  -2  0.21   -0.37   0.41  -0.62
Pierre      32  10  66  -3  0.11   -0.37   0.14  -0.77								
Brookings   24  10  62  -4  0.66    0.24   1.05   0.31
Madison     26  10  62  -2  0.58   -1.17   0.88  -0.39
Mitchell    29   9  65  -3  0.63    0.03   1.08   0.06
Sioux Falls 30  11  61  -1  1.12    0.48   1.57   0.42								
Custer      32   8  59   7  0.22   -0.34   0.65  -0.27
Hot Springs 35   6  64   7  0.17   -0.23   0.91   0.21
Oelrichs    34   6  64   8  0.09   -0.39   0.49  -0.39
Porcupine   33   9  68   3  0.16   -0.18   0.78   0.21							
Murdo       32  10  70   1  0.37   -0.05   0.87   0.12
Winner      36  10  74   7  0.65    0.03   1.03  -0.10								
Armour      33   9  66  -6  0.52   -0.17   0.90  -0.31
Centerville 30  10  67  -4  1.02    0.22   1.32   0.08
Marion      29  10  63  -2  0.80    0.12   1.19  -0.03
Pickstown   33  10  71  -2  0.50   -0.02   1.00   0.08
Vermillion  34  10  68  -3  0.98    0.46   1.47   0.56
Yankton     31  10  64  -6  0.87    0.39   1.16   0.30

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