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Released: April 12, 1999 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending April 11, 1999 Volume 48 Issue 5

GENERAL
Rain and snow showers around the state halted fieldwork and small grain seeding last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricul tural Statistics Service. The early spring storms brought much needed moisture to many areas of the state, leaving behind wet fields and muddy feedlots. Many producers await drier conditions before continu ing with fieldwork. Statewide, there were 1.4 days suitable for fieldwork.

Based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors and other reporters around the state.

SOIL MOISTURE
Soil conditions across the state are reported to be mostly adequate, with pockets of surplus topsoil and subsoil moisture in the extreme northeast part of the state. The southeast area of the state is also reporting surplus moisture conditions. 



   


 SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - APRIL 9 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
          This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     2    0     0     0     0
Short       2    15    1     3     8     2
Adeq.      68    66   59    70    70    64
Surplus    30    17   40    27    22    34


CROPS
After another week of mixed precipitation, producers are waiting for warmer, drier weather to continue with fieldwork. Spring wheat, at 22 percent seeded, is 5 points ahead of last week; while the oat crop is 25 percent seeded and barley is 13 percent seeded. All are well ahead of the five-year averages. There were a few reports of corn being planted. Winter wheat condition was rated as 28 percent excellent, 54 percent good, 16 percent fair, and 2 percent poor. Winter rye condition was rated as 15 percent excellent, 56 percent good, 28 percent fair, and 1 percent poor. Statewide, 97 percent of the winter wheat and 86 percent of winter rye have broken dormancy. There are reports of cutworms showing up in alfalfa and winter wheat. 




    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - APRIL 11

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       2     16      54     28
Winter Rye     0       1     28      56     15
Cattle         0       0      7      70     23
Sheep          0       0      7      67     26
Range & 
   Pasture     0       4     15      65     16


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
The winter snow showers that hit the western and north central areas of the state, along with heavy rainfalls early in the week, put some stress on newborn calves. Cattle and sheep conditions remain good to excellent, in spite of the cooler weather. Calving and lambing season continues, with 66 percent lambing completed and 53 percent calving completed, compared to last year's 63 and 54 percent, respectively. Newborn calf deaths were 35 percent below average, 64 percent average, and 1 percent above average. Newborn lamb deaths were 28 percent below average, 70 percent average, and 2 percent above average. Reports indicate that some cattle are being moved from lots to small pastures due to the wet, muddy lot conditions. Producers have moved 11 percent of the cattle to pasture. Feed supplies are 5 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus. Stock water supplies are 1 percent short, 72 percent adequate, and 27 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Average temperatures generally ranged from 40 to 52 degrees statewide. Pierre had the highest temperature of 74 degrees. The lowest temperature was 15 degrees at Buffalo. Mitchell received the highest average precipitation for the week with 5.22 inches. inches. 


             



           CROP PROGRESS - APRIL 11
                                                                                 
                This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded          13     10     20      5   
Spring wheat
 seeded          22     17     14      4   
Oats       
 seeded          25     12     11      4   
__________________________________________




             SOIL TEMPERATURES
        FOR WEEK ENDING APRIL 11, 1999
               (4-Inch Depth) 

LOCATION       TEMP           LOCATION    TEMP

Beresford     43.7          Gettysburg    45.7
Brookings     41.3          Nisland       41.0
Caputa        43.6          Pierre        46.2
Chamberlain   47.5          Redfield      43.0
Cottonwood    44.4          Watertown     40.3



                  AIR                          
              TEMPERATURE       PRECIPITATION    	  GROWING
					        	 DEGREE DAYS 
    STATION   AVG DFN  HI LO WKLY  SINCE SINCE DFN  DFN  TOTAL DFN
				   JAN1  APR1  JAN1 APR1                                             
NW   Buffalo   40  -2  63 15  0.25 2.11 0.89  0.54  0.50   0  -6

NC   Aberdeen  46   5  67 31  0.27 2.62 0.83 -0.22  0.17   4  -2
     Leola     46   6  64 32  0.16 3.85 1.83  0.97  1.10   3  -3
     Mobridge  46   5  65 26  0.18 1.13 0.63 -1.46 -0.06   8   2
     Roscoe    42   1  64 24  0.26 3.77 1.85  1.09  1.09   0  -6

NE   Britton   47   6  63 29  0.40 3.58 0.94  1.30  0.37   3  -3
     Sisseton  45   4  65 30  0.74 4.18 1.43  1.02  0.70   4  -2
     Watertown 45   5  64 32  0.33 3.36 0.73  0.49  0.15   4  -2
     Webster   45   4  65 30  0.65 2.53 0.98 -0.72  0.26   2  -4

WC   Faith     45   3  65 28  0.50 1.93 1.03 -0.47  0.44   8   2
     Lead      41   3  57 26  1.30 7.29 2.99  0.76  1.69   0   0
     Philip    46   2  70 23  1.24 2.57 1.51  0.40  0.98  10   3
     Rapid Cit 42   0  68 25  0.39 2.13 1.03 -0.41  0.43   4  -2

C    Chamberla 44  -2  72 23  2.44 4.28 2.51  1.86  1.86   9  -1
     Highmore  47   4  67 27  1.25 2.31 1.31 -0.52  0.55   5  -1
     Huron     48   5  71 30  1.83 2.85 2.02 -0.61  1.31  12   6
     Pierre    48   5  74 30  1.78 3.04 1.94  0.34  1.28  18  12

EC   Brookings 43   3  67 29  2.00 4.22 2.20  1.55  1.51   1  -4
     Madison   44   3  68 33  2.96 3.89 3.13 -0.06  2.29   1  -5
     Mitchell  47   3  70 30  5.22 7.66 5.29  4.21  4.47  10   3
     Sioux Fal 46   3  70 32  3.39 5.26 3.46  1.62  2.61   4  -2

SW   Custer    40   2  60 22  0.50 1.83 1.03 -0.59  0.49   2   2
     Hot Sprin 46   2  68 25  1.43 3.92 2.34  1.96  1.87   5  -7
     Porcupine 43   2  71 27  2.08 4.16 2.41  2.18  1.91   3  -3

SC   Bonesteel 45   3  72 24  2.43 6.30 2.48  2.66  1.60   8   2
     Mission   44   3  68 28  2.43 3.99 2.52  1.38  1.93   6   0
     Murdo     44   2  68 29  1.59 4.84 1.75  1.84  1.01   6   0
     Winner    46   0  69 32  3.03 4.71 3.15  1.01  2.28  13   1

SE   Armour    48   3  71 33  3.55 5.57 3.71  1.92  2.94  16   4
     Vermillio 52   4  73 36  3.78 4.80 3.78  1.40  3.01  17   1
     Yankton   49   6  73 31  3.06 4.69 3.21  1.52  2.55  12   3
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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