Released: February 2, 2004 -- 3:00 pm CST For Month ending January 31, 2004 SD-CW0504 Volume 53 Issue 5

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    January started with above-normal temperatures and below-normal snowfall, with temperatures dropping and snow falling toward the end of the month, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included marketing grain, tending to livestock, calving, and repairing machinery. In general, the county and township roads are open for travel with little or no difficulty. 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 -24 degrees in Britton and Clear Lake, to 62 degrees in Spearfish. Temperatures aver aged slightly above normal for the state in Janu ary, with precipitation slightly below normal. Yankton received the greatest amount of mois ture, with 0.74 inch reported. The average snow depth for the state was 4.2 inches.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil temperatures from report ing stations averaged 23.6 degrees for the past week, down 5.3 degrees from last month. Nisland had the average high, at 30.1 degrees, while Beresford had the average low, at 17.0 degrees. Soil temperatures averaged 3.3 degrees cooler than normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Lack of snow cover continues to be a concern for winter wheat and alfalfa producers. With much of the state lacking any snow cover for the majority of the month, many are unsure of this winter's affect on fall seedings. Winter wheat condition improved slightly from last month, with snow cover rated at 80 percent poor and 20 percent adequate. Alfalfa snow cover is rated at 51 percent poor, 44 percent adequate, and 5 percent excellent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    January was a fairly mild month for livestock, however, snowfall toward the end prevented some accessibility of feed and stock water supplies. The lack of snow cover has provided maximum utilization of corn stalks, resulting in less use of forage supplies. Feed supplies were reported at 2 percent very short, 17 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Stock water supplies are rated at 24 percent very short, 19 percent short, and 57 percent adequate. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly fair to excellent condition. Livestock death losses are mostly below normal to normal. Calf deaths in January were rated at 25 percent below average, 74 percent average, and 1 percent above average. Cattle deaths for January were similar with 31 percent below normal, 67 percent normal, and 2 percent above normal. Lamb deaths for January were rated at 28 percent below average, 71 percent average, and 1 percent above average.

               SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING FEBRUARY 1, 2004
                               (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      17              Gettysburg   22
Brookings      23              Nisland      30
Caputa         27              Pierre       22
Chamberlain    22              Redfield     24
Cottonwood     22              Watertown    23
   
                         
                       CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                        AS OF February 1, 2004      

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat  10      22     38      26      4
Cattle         0       1     22      61     16
Sheep          0       1     16      65     18



                                     

                    FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                          AS OF February 1, 2004 

              FEED          STOCK WATER
             SUPPLIES        SUPPLIES
         This   Last   5-Yr. This   Last  5-Yr.
RATING    Year   Year   Ave.  Year   Year  Ave.
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      2    18    NA     24     21    NA
Short      17    28    NA     19     28    NA
Adeq.      75    51    NA     57     49    NA
Surplus     6     3    NA      0      2    NA

                                                     

	TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
        Month Ending January 31, 2004
                                     
                 AIR        January 2004
             TEMPERATURE    PRECIPITATION
STATION     HI  LO AVG DFN  TOTAL    DFN
-------     --  --  --  --  -----   ----
Bison       46 -22  16  -1   0.53  +0.17
Buffalo     45 -19  18  +1   0.04  -0.25
Dupree      45 -21  15  -2   0.53  +0.29
Mc_Intosh   40 -22  10  -3   0.53  +0.24
Newell      51 -12  19  +2   0.21  -0.11
Timber_Lake 44 -20  13  -2   0.54  +0.22
Aberdeen    41 -21  12  +2   0.46  +0.09
Eureka      44 -21  12  +4   0.09  -0.18
Faulkton    50 -20  13  +3   0.37  +0.09
Mobridge    49 -21  15  +2   0.08  -0.26
Roscoe      45 -22   9  -3   0.38  +0.02
Britton     40 -24  10  +1   0.17  -0.28
Clear_Lake  46 -24  10  -2   0.46  -0.14
Sisseton    43 -22  11  +0   0.51  -0.02
Webster     41 -23   9  -1   0.45  -0.13
Watertown   45 -22  12  +2   0.26  -0.28
Faith       45 -15  17  +0   0.06  -0.21
Milesville  48 -16  18  +0   0.39  +0.07
Long_Valley 58 -14  24  +2   0.28  +0.03
Philip      52 -10  22  +3   0.14  -0.12
Rapid_City  55 -16  24  +3   0.03  -0.36
Spearfish   62  -9  27  +4   0.28  -0.28
Chamberlain 53 -12  18  +1   0.37  +0.15
Highmore    45 -22  14  +0   0.09  -0.24
Huron       52 -23  16  +4   0.19  -0.22
Onida       48 -18  14  -1   0.27  -0.18
Pierre      52 -12  18  +2   0.17  -0.26
Brookings   48 -23  11  +3   0.29  -0.03
Madison     52 -21  13  +3   0.24  -0.28
Mitchell    53 -17  15  +2   0.27  -0.15
Sioux_Falls 54 -17  17  +4   0.38  -0.13
Custer      53 -15  27  +5   0.20  -0.16
Hot_Springs 56 -11  27  +2   0.22  -0.08
Oelrichs    53 -13  25  +3   0.15  -0.25
Porcupine   56 -21  24  +4   0.43  +0.20
Murdo       56 -13  19  +2   0.20  -0.13
Winner      55 -10  23  +2   0.29  -0.22
Armour      57 -15  20  +3   0.04  -0.48
Centerville 54 -16  16  +3   0.62  +0.18
Marion      53 -17  15  +3   0.37  -0.17
Pickstown   58 -12  20  +2   0.16  -0.24
Vermillion  58 -15  20  +3   0.57  +0.18
Yankton     59 -14  17  +2   0.74  +0.36


Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.
Growing Degree Day values calculated using standard corn formula with no temperature caps.