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Released: April 6, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending April 5, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 4

GENERAL
A late month storm brought snow to a majority of the state last week, delaying fieldwork in some areas and causing stress to newborn livestock, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. In spite of the storm, producers are busy preparing machinery and seed for fieldwork. Producers believe that fieldwork will begin in a week and a half, except in some isolated areas of the state where spring wheat planting and fertilizer broadcasting is already underway. Other major activities include calving, lambing and general maintenance.

This report is based on information from county agents and other reporters around the state. 

SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               TOPSOIL          SUBSOIL
          This  Last  Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week  Year  Week  Week  Year
                        Percent
Very 
 Short      O    NA    0     1    NA     0
Short       3    NA    2     5    NA     1
Adeq.      57    NA   34    66    NA    37
Surplus    40    NA   64    28    NA    62


CROPS
Winter wheat condition was rated 4 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 20 percent excellent. Statewide, 81 percent of the winter wheat acreage has broken dormancy, along with 46 percent of the winter rye acreage. Producers report winter wheat is greening up, with very little to no winterkill. Winter rye crops were rated mostly fair to good, with 18 percent excellent. Spring wheat planting has started in some isolated areas of the state and most producers expect to start fieldwork around the middle of next week. With the latest storm contributing, topsoil conditions were rated as 40 percent surplus, 57 percent adequate, and 3 percent short, while subsoil was 28 percent surplus, 66 percent adequate, 5 percent short, and 1 percent very short. 

CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS       
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       4     16     60      20
Winter Rye     0       1     19     62      18
Livestock      0       1      8     66      25
Range &  
    Pasture    6       4     16     60      14


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Livestock are in good to excellent condition despite the early week snow storms and cold temperatures. Calving and lambing season are well underway, with lambing 54 percent complete and calving 43 percent complete. Calf deaths were rated 24 percent below normal, 71 percent normal, and 5 percent above normal. Lamb deaths were rated 21 percent below normal, 77 percent normal, and 2 percent above normal. With the mild winter weather, producers have been able to capitalize on open grazing, allowing them to use less of their feed stocks. Producers have moved 18 percent of the cattle to pasture. Feed supplies were rated 4 percent short, 86 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus. Stock water supplies were 2 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Average temperatures generally ranged from 30 to 44 degrees statewide over the last week. Hot Springs and Lemmon had the highest temperature of 56 degrees. The lowest temperature was 14 degrees at Deerfield. An early week snowstorm struck the state, producing heavy snow and raising the precipitation levels for many areas of the state. Aberdeen and Sioux Falls received the highest average precipitation for the week with 1.44 and 1.43 inches, respectively. 

CROP PROGRESS 
AS OF SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 1998  
               This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM           Week   Week   Year   Ave
                       Percent
Barley  
 seeded           1     NA      0     0   
Spring wheat
 seeded           3     NA      1     1 
Oats       
 seeded           2     NA      1     0   

1/ Crop development percents represent all acreage in or
beyond each stage.  NA = Not available


AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES
FOR WEEK ENDING APRIL 5, 1998
(4-inch Depth)
LOCATION       TEMP        LOCATION        TEMP 
Brookings        36        Nisland           44
Beresford        42        Pierre            41
Caputa           39        Presho            43
Cottonwood       42        Redfield          36
Gettysburg       40        South Shore       36


STATION      AVERAGE   AVERAGE    AVERAGE     PRECIPITATION   GROWING
              HIGH       LOW     TEMPERATURE                DEGREE DAYS

SIOUX FALLS    46         31         38            1.43          0
SIOUX CITY     54         34         44            0.56          0
MITCHELL       45         29         37            0.17          0
PICKSTOWN      46         30         38            1.23          0
YANKTON        50         32         41            1.01          0
WINNER         50         31         40            0.33          0
HURON          45         31         38            0.07          0
BROOKINGS      42         30         36            0.23          0
WATERTOWN      42         28         35            0.23          0
KENNEBEC       52         29         40            0.10          0
MURDO          52         32         42            0.54          0
PIERRE         54         32         43            0.85          0
COTTONWOOD     52         27         40            0.84          0
OELRICHS       53         27         40            0.32          0
RAPID CITY     50         28         39            0.28          0
DEEFIELD       45         14         30                          0
HOT SPRINGS    56         24         40            0.51          0
LEAD           46         26         36            0.77          0
ABERDEEN       48         30         39            1.44          0
MILBANK        45         29         37            0.25          0
WAUBAY         43         28         36            1.03          0
MOBRIDGE       53         29         41            0.03          0
FAULKTON       49         30         40            0.59          0
CAMP CROOK     52         25         38            0.03          0
MILESVILLE     52         30         41            0.62          0
LEMMON         56         28         42            0.00          0