Released: April 4, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending April 3, 2005 SD-CW1405 Volume 54 Issue 14

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    South Dakota had above normal temperatures and below normal rainfall for the majority of the state, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included machinery repair and maintenance, spring tillage, planting, hauling grain, fertilizing, fixing fence, and tending to livestock. Statewide there were 5.0 days reported suitable for fieldwork. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

WEATHER INFORMATION:   Temperatures averaged above normal last week. Eureka and Spearfish averaged 12 degrees above normal. Vermillion had the high for the week, at 80 degrees; while Highmore had the low, at 17 degrees. Of the 43 reporting weather stations, 15 stations received precipitation last week, with Yankton receiving the most, at 1.1 inches.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil and subsoil moisture improved slightly last week. Topsoil moisture is currently rated at 61 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the previous week's 57 percent. Subsoil moisture is currently rated at 56 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the previous week's 52 percent. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 40.2 degrees for the week, 3.5 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Seeding of small grains is getting started around the state. Barley seeded is underway with 4 percent planted, 2 points behind last year at this time. Oats and spring wheat seeded rose 5 points from last week. Oats planted is 10 percent complete, 1 point behind last year but 3 points ahead of the five-year average. Spring wheat is at 11 percent planted, 6 points behind last year and 1 point ahead of the five-year average. One percent of the spring wheat is emerged, the same as last year. The majority of winter wheat remains in fair to excellent condition, with 83 percent breaking dormancy.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Last week's mild weather was welcomed by farmers and ranchers, with calving now rated at 46 percent and lambing at 61 percent complete. Calf death losses are rated at 99 percent average or below average, the same as a week earlier. Cattle condition shifted slightly from last week, with 87 percent rated in good to excellent condition. Sheep condition decreased slightly, with 90 percent in the good to excellent category, down from 94 percent the week before. Range and pasture improved from the previous week, increasing from 54 percent to 63 percent in fair to excellent condition. Stock water supplies are rated at 53 percent adequate to surplus, up from 51 percent a week ago.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF APRIL 3, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     12     6    NA     19     29   NA
Short      16    21    NA     28     24   NA
Adeq.      65    70    NA     53     47   NA
Surplus     7     3    NA      0      0   NA



        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF APRIL 3, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      8    11    10     13     16    31
Short      31    32    26     31     32    35
Adeq.      59    54    60     55     51    32
Surplus     2     3     4      1      1     2


          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF APRIL 3, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat   1       5     28      56     10
Cattle         0       0     13      67     20
Sheep          0       0     10      67     23
Range &                                        
  Pasture     15      22     31     29      3      



      CROP PROGRESS AS OF APRIL 3, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded               4      0      6       4
 emerged              0      0      1       0
Spring wheat 
 seeded              11      6     17      10
 emerged              1      0      1       1
Oats        
 seeded              10      5     11       7
 emerged              0      0      2       1

1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 
          




     SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING APRIL 3, 2005
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      46              Gettysburg   36
Brookings      32              Nisland      48
Caputa         43              Pierre       39
Chamberlain    46              Redfield     35
Cottonwood     47              Watertown    32

                                                     

	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  MONTH ENDING APRIL 3, 2005
                                     

             TEMPERATURE       -----  PRECIPITATION -----     GDD BASE 50F
             -----------          SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  ------------
            CURRENT WEEK    CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1 SINCE APRIL 1
STATION     AVG DFN HI  LO  WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN  TOTAL   DFN
-------     --  --  --  -- -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  ----
Bison       48 +11  73  25| 0.00   0.77   0.00  -1.37  -0.18|     4    +3
Buffalo     48 +11  73  24| 0.00   0.23   0.00  -1.04  -0.09|     3    +0
Dupree      48 +10  74  23| 0.00   1.12   0.00  -0.72  -0.15|     6    +3
Mc Intosh   47 +11  71  21| 0.00   0.78   0.00  -0.84  -0.15|     5    +5
Newell      48 +10  73  20| 0.00   0.91   0.00  -0.71  -0.12|     6    +3
Timber Lake 47 +10  71  21| 0.00   1.61   0.00  -0.52  -0.17|     4    +1
Aberdeen    46  +9  72  22| 0.00   1.23   0.00  -1.13  -0.18|     0    -3
Eureka      48 +12  73  21| 0.00   0.84   0.00  -0.89  -0.15|     3    +3
Faulkton    47 +11  72  25| 0.00   1.30   0.00  -0.98  -0.18|     0    +0
Mobridge    48 +11  72  21| 0.00   1.13   0.00  -0.95  -0.18|     3    +0
Roscoe      45  +8  72  21| 0.00   1.04   0.00  -1.07  -0.19|     0    -3
Britton     47 +11  71  20| 0.00   1.08   0.00  -0.77  -0.14|     0    -3
Clear Lake  46  +9  69  27| 0.12   2.20   0.00  -0.92  -0.21|     0    +0
Sisseton    47  +9  72  27| 0.00   1.43   0.00  -1.18  -0.18|     0    -3
Webster     45 +10  69  26| 0.00   0.89   0.00  -1.55  -0.15|     0    -2
Watertown   46  +9  70  25| 0.00   1.06   0.00  -1.65  -0.18|     0    +0
Faith       48 +10  71  28| 0.00   1.25   0.00  -0.71  -0.15|     1    -2
Milesville  49 +10  77  23| 0.00   1.63   0.00  -0.44  -0.15|     5    +2
Long Valley 51 +11  78  28| 0.02   1.83   0.00  -0.22  -0.18|    11    +8
Philip      49  +9  75  25| 0.00   1.03   0.00  -0.74  -0.13|     0    -3
Rapid City  49 +11  75  23| 0.00   2.31   0.00  +0.22  -0.15|     3    +2
Spearfish   51 +12  72  29| 0.00   1.89   0.00  -1.11  -0.21|    13   +10
Chamberlain 49  +8  74  26| 0.00   2.25   0.00  +0.31  -0.17|     1    -2
Highmore    48 +10  74  17| 0.00   1.02   0.00  -1.24  -0.19|     2    -1
Huron       48  +9  74  21| 0.00   0.80   0.00  -2.13  -0.18|     0    -3
Onida       49 +11  76  24| 0.00   0.80   0.00  -1.71  -0.18|     5    +2
Pierre      50 +10  77  27| 0.00   0.52   0.00  -1.69  -0.17|     0    -3
Brookings   44  +8  70  21| 0.38   1.65   0.00  -0.51  -0.18|     0    +0
Madison     45  +9  69  24| 0.49   1.82   0.00  -1.50  -0.21|     0    +0
Mitchell    47  +7  73  26| 0.43   2.12   0.00  -0.72  -0.21|     0    -3
Sioux Falls 48  +9  74  24| 0.45   2.87   0.00  -0.13  -0.21|     0    -3
Custer      41  +5  61  20| 0.20   1.31   0.00  -0.70  -0.13|     0    +0
Hot Springs 49  +7  75  20| 0.10   1.51   0.00  -0.10  -0.12|     4    +1
Oelrichs    47  +7  74  22| 0.13   1.23   0.12  -0.84  -0.03|     2    -1
Porcupine   48 +10  74  18| 0.00   1.87   0.00  +0.27  -0.12|     4    +3
Murdo       48 +10  75  29| 0.00   2.07   0.00  -0.37  -0.18|     0    +0
Winner      50  +7  75  24| 0.00   2.43   0.00  -0.62  -0.22|     5    +0
Armour      50  +9  75  26| 0.40   2.12   0.00  -0.97  -0.21|     2    -2
Centerville 47  +8  74  25| 0.54   2.40   0.00  -0.56  -0.18|     0    -3
Marion      47  +9  73  25| 0.52   2.29   0.00  -0.94  -0.24|     0    -3
Pickstown   51 +11  78  28| 0.87   2.39   0.00  -0.31  -0.21|     4    +1
Vermillion  52  +9  80  25| 0.60   2.68   0.00  -0.16  -0.21|     2    -4
Yankton     48  +8  78  23| 1.10   3.00   0.00  +0.31  -0.18|     0    -3 



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