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Released: April 20, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending April 19, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 6

GENERAL
High winds the first part of the week aided in drying soils, allowing many producers to continue or begin fieldwork, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide, average date on which fieldwork started was April 14, compared to May 1 last year. Even though late week rains halted fieldwork in some areas of the state, major activities consisted of small grain seeding, spreading fertilizer, fixing fence, calving, lambing, branding, and moving cattle. Statewide, there were four days suitable for fieldwork.

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      0     0     0     0     0     0
Short       7     1     0     3     2     0
Adeq.      74    59    36    74    64    36
Surplus    19    40    64    23    34    64


CROPS
Before the late week rains, producers made significant progress seeding small grains. Spring wheat is 38 percent planted, oats 28, and barley 26 percent, well ahead of last year and the five-year average. However, four out of the last five years have been extremely late for planting small grains. Topsoil conditions were rated as 19 percent surplus, 74 percent adequate, and 7 percent short, while subsoil was 23 percent surplus, 74 percent adequate, and 3 percent short. Winter wheat condition is reported at 90 percent good to excellent. Statewide, 96 percent of the winter wheat acreage has broken dormancy, along with 98 percent of the winter rye acreage. Severe army cutworm infestation is being reported in winter wheat and alfalfa across the state. 

CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS       
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat  0       1      9     58     32
Winter Rye    0       0     11     69     20
Livestock     0       0      7     67     26
Range &  
    Pasture   0       3     15     63     19


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Livestock are in good to excellent condition, with 21 percent of the cattle moved to pasture. Many producers are waiting for pastures to green-up before moving the majority of cattle to pasture. Lambing is 70 percent complete and calving 66 percent complete, with the warmer, drier weather aiding conditions for newborn calves. Calf deaths were rated 30 percent below normal, 68 percent normal, and 2 percent above normal. Lamb deaths were rated 33 percent below normal, 66 percent normal, and 1 percent above normal. Feed supplies were 96 percent adequate to surplus, with stock water supplies 99 percent adequate to surplus.

WEATHER
Average temperatures generally ranged from 31 to 51 degrees statewide over the last week. Sioux City had the highest temperature of 63 degrees. The lowest temperature was 21 degrees at Deerfield. There was light to moderate rainfall across the state, with Pickstown and Sioux City receiving the highest average precipitation for the week, with 1.86 and 1.63 inches respectively. 

CROP PROGRESS 
              This   Last   Last    5-Yr.
ITEM          Week   Week   Year    Ave
                        Percent
Barley  
 seeded         26     23      0      6   
Spring wheat
 seeded         38     16      1      9 
Oats       
 seeded         28     12      1      9   

AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES
(FOR WEEK ENDING APRIL 19, 1998)
(4-inch Depth)
LOCATION       TEMP         LOCATION      TEMP 
Beresford        48         Gettysburg      47
Brookings        45         Nisland         48
Caputa           43         Pierre          48
Chamberlain      48         Redfield        45
Cottonwood       47         Watertown       45

AGRICULTURAL DATA FOR THE PAST WEEK ENDING SUNDAY

STATION      AVERAGE   AVERAGE    AVERAGE     PRECIPITATION   GROWING
              HIGH       LOW     TEMPERATURE                DEGREE DAYS

SIOUX FALLS    58         35         46            0.95          0
SIOUX CITY     63         39         51            1.63          1
MITCHELL       61         37         49            0.43          0
PICKSTOWN      60         37         48            1.86          0
YANKTON        61         37         49            0.83          0
WINNER         58         35         46            0.36          0
HURON          61         39         50            0.73          0
BROOKINGS      59         33         46            0.09          0
WATERTOWN      57         34         46            0.40          0
KENNEBEC       60         34         47            0.58          0
MURDO          55         32         44            0.47          0
PIERRE         62         37         50            0.15          0
COTTONWOOD     56         28         42            0.20          0
OELRICHS       54         31         42            0.11          0
RAPID CITY     52         30         41            0.02          0
DEEFIELD       41         21         31            0.27          0
HOT SPRINGS    54         28         41            0.42          0
LEAD           42         26         34            0.51          0
ABERDEEN       58         33         46            0.28          0
MILBANK        60         40         50                          0
WAUBAY         57         36         46            0.07          0
MOBRIDGE       59         32         46            0.01          0
FAULKTON       61         33         47            0.00          0
CAMP CROOK     48         27         38            0.07          0
MILESVILLE     55         32         44            0.32          0
LEMMON         54         29         42            0.06          0

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

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