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Released: April 9, 2001 -- 3:00 p.m For Week Ending April 8, 2001 SD-CW0901 Volume 50 Issue 14

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    The week ending April 8 brought normal temperatures and wet, thawing condi tions, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included caring for newborn calves and lambs, mending fences, and preparing farm machinery for spring planting season. Wet conditions and muddy lots continue to complicate calving and lambing conditions this spring. Slow greening pastures are contributing to an already short feed supply condition. Producers are anticipating little to no field work for at least the next 10 to 14 days. Statewide, there was only 0.4 day 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:   For the week ending April 8, temperatures averaged 40.9 degrees, 0.7 degree below normal. Statewide precipitation totals since January equal 3.28 inches, which is 0.69 inch below normal. Total precipitation for April averages 1.24 inches. Temperatures ranged from a high of 64 degrees in Vermillion to a low of 20 degrees in Dupree and Webster.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 38.5 degrees, compared to 34.8 degrees the last week of March. Topsoil moisture was reported as 62 percent adequate with 36 percent surplus, up from 18 percent surplus last week. Subsoil moisture is rated as 66 percent adequate, 20 percent surplus, 13 percent short, and 1 percent very short. Some lowland flooding along the James and Big Sioux rivers was noted.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Very little spring field activity was reported, as wet conditions and lack of sunshine push spring planting further back. Winter wheat and winter rye progress are reported as 42 percent and 12 percent breaking winter dormancy, respectively. Winter wheat condition is reported as 75 percent fair to excellent compared to 85 percent last week. Produc ers are anticipating spring fieldwork to begin on April 25, as long as there are warmer temperatures and no significant rainfall. Small grain crops may be diverted to other crops if producers are unable to get them planted soon.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Calving and lambing season is well underway, with 50 percent of the calving and 69 percent of the lambing complete. Feed supplies are rated 9 percent very short, 29 percent short, 59 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Stock water supplies are reported as 78 percent adequate, with 4 percent short and 18 percent rated as surplus. For the week ending April 8, cattle were rated 97 percent in fair to excellent condition, with 3 percent rated in poor condition. Sheep were rated at 79 percent in good to excellent condition and 21 percent poor to fair. Death loss is mostly average or below average. Cool, wet conditions are delaying pastures from greening up and creating sloppy calving and feed lot conditions. As a result of wet calving lots and cool temperatures, some producers report an increased number of calves scouring and leg problems.



             SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                     AS OF APRIL 8, 2001 

                     TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL

                  This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
        RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year
                            Percent
       Very 
       Short       0     0   11     1     1     9
       Short       2     4   36    13    13    36
       Adeq.      62    78   50    66    76    51
       Surplus    36    18    3    20    10     4



       SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING APR. 8, 2001
                      (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      41              Gettysburg   38
Brookings      36              Nisland      42
Caputa         41              Pierre       42
Chamberlain    43              Redfield     33
Cottonwood     43              Watertown    31

                            



           CROP PROGRESS AS OF APRIL 8, 2001   1/
                                                                                     
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded             0      0     21      9
 emerged            0      0      1      0
Spring wheat
 seeded             1      1     41     14
 emerged            0      0      5      1
Oats     
 seeded             0      0     29     11
 emerged            0      0      2      0


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





         CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                   AS OF APR. 8, 2001 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat  12      13     32      38      5
Winter Rye     1       3     29      59      8
Cattle         0       3     21      58     18
Sheep          0       2     19      58     21
Range & 
   Pasture    10      10     33      42      5



                  TEMPERATURE  |    -----  PRECIPITATION -----   |GROWING DEGREE 
                  -----------  |       SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE|    DAYS
                 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            40  +1  55  26| 1.06   2.17   1.06  -0.30  +0.55|     0    -6
Buffalo_AP       40  +0  55  27| 1.59   2.23   1.59  +0.78  +1.32|     0    -8
Dupree           39  -2  58  20| 0.90   2.35   0.90  +0.25  +0.49|     0    -8
Mc_Intosh        38  -2  55  21| 1.74   2.35   1.74  +0.47  +1.33|     0    -5
Newell           41  +0  59  27| 0.90   2.45   0.90  +0.62  +0.57|     0    -8
Timber_Lake      39  -1  56  23| 1.27   2.95   1.27  +0.52  +0.80|     0    -8
Aberdeen         38  -3  50  28| 1.61   3.46   1.61  +0.80  +1.13|     0    -8
Eureka           40  +1  53  25| 1.28   2.23   1.28  +0.21  +0.84|     0    -3
Faulkton         39  +0  53  28| 1.50   4.46   1.50  +1.87  +1.01|     0    -4
Mobridge         41  +1  57  24| 1.05   1.60   1.05  -0.78  +0.57|     0    -8
Roscoe           36  -4  49  25| 1.12   2.58   1.12  +0.12  +0.58|     0    -8
Britton          39  -3  50  26| 1.51   3.00   1.51  +0.90  +1.12|     0    -8
Clear_Lake       35  -6  44  25| 1.93   5.53   1.93  +2.06  +1.37|     0    -4
Sisseton_AP      36  -5  45  27| 1.55   2.68   1.55  -0.27  +1.03|     0    -8
Webster          36  -4  46  20| 1.59   2.71   1.59  +0.02  +1.19|     0    -7
Watertown_SD     36  -4  43  29| 2.40   3.38   2.40  +0.34  +1.89|     0    -4
Faith_AP         41  -1  56  25| 0.34   0.89   0.34  -1.33  -0.07|     0    -8
Milesville       41  -2  53  26| 0.75   2.66   0.75  +0.34  +0.35|     0    -8
Long_Valley      45  +2  61  23| 1.30   3.90   1.30  +1.55  +0.82|     0    -8
Philip_AP        44  +2  61  25| 0.59   1.05   0.59  -0.97  +0.21|     0    -8
Rapid_City       42  +2  61  30| 0.52   1.36   0.52  -1.00  +0.10|     0    -6
Spearfish        42  +2  52  27| 1.01   3.78   1.01  +0.38  +0.40|     0    -8
Chamberlain_Ag   41  -3  57  26| 2.31   5.22   2.31  +2.98  +1.84|     0    -9
Highmore         41  -1  52  26| 1.36   2.48   1.36  -0.13  +0.82|     0    -8
Huron            38  -5  45  26| 2.52   6.08   2.52  +2.83  +2.02|     0    -8
Onida            41  -2  53  23| 1.00   2.92   1.00  +0.11  +0.52|     0    -8
Pierre           44  +2  57  26| 1.16   3.85   1.16  +1.34  +0.69|     0    -8
Brookings_Ag     38  -1  51  30| 1.11   3.15   1.11  +0.69  +0.63|     0    -2
Madison_Resrch_  39  -1  49  28| 0.86   2.93   0.86  -0.78  +0.26|     0    -5
Mitchell_Ag      41  -3  52  25| 1.70   5.22   1.70  +2.01  +1.12|     0    -8
Sioux_Falls      44  +2  61  25| 0.55   3.51   0.55  +0.11  -0.06|     2    -6
Custer           40  +4  53  25| 0.78   2.42   0.78  +0.16  +0.40|     0    +0
Hot_Springs      47  +4  61  27| 1.00   2.86   1.00  +1.05  +0.68|     0   -11
Oelrichs         45  +3  62  24| 0.60   3.32   0.60  +0.99  +0.19|     4    -4
Porcupine        44  +3  62  25| 0.81   3.60   0.81  +1.77  +0.46|     0    -6
Murdo            42  +2  59  26| 1.34   3.45   1.34  +0.66  +0.81|     0    -5
Winner           44  -2  56  28| 2.02   4.82   2.02  +1.37  +1.40|     0   -15
Armour           44  -2  58  28| 1.77   4.87   1.77  +1.43  +1.21|     0   -14
Centerville      42  -1  57  25| 0.94   3.46   0.94  +0.16  +0.42|     0    -8
Marion           41  -2  52  25| 1.18   4.65   1.18  +1.02  +0.54|     0    -8
Pickstown        43  -1  59  29| 2.31   5.90   2.31  +2.82  +1.72|     0    -8
Vermillion       46  -1  64  26| 0.61   2.87   0.61  -0.32  +0.05|     3   -14
Yankton          44  +0  63  23| 0.20   3.87   0.20  +0.88  -0.28|     0    -8                                   
    
 


Map to weather reporting stations

bar chart showing crop progress compared to the last 10 years


 
 
 
South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture South Dakota county map showing subsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

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