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Remaining corn harvest halted by snowSouth Dakota A large Christmas snow storm across the state brought the remaining corn harvest to a halt during the last days of December, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, South Dakota Field Office, Jan. 4. The remaining harvest may have to wait until spring to complete. Extreme cold temperatures have presented challenges for livestock producers as access to water has become difficult. Major farm activities include drying and hauling grain, moving snow, and caring for livestock. The Christmas blizzard dominated the weather discussion for December in South Dakota as the state averaged 15.4 inches of snow statewide in the blizzard, according to the State Climate Office of South Dakota. Other storms impacted other parts of the state during the month. These in total produced a very significant snow cover in all but the southwestern areas of the state. This greatly slowed the harvesting of additional corn in the state. Spearfish reported the highest liquid precipitation total for the month at 2.64 inches. Onida reported the lowest at 0.42 inch. The state experienced a very cold December with temperatures statewide averaging in the teens. These range from 2 F below average in the northeast to 8 F below average in the central and southwest. Pickstown reported the highest temperature for the month at 61 F; McIntosh reported the lowest at -25 F. The snow cover insulated the ground and allowed 4 inch-depth soil temperatures to warm slightly in some locations. Aberdeen and Cottonwood were the coolest at 29 F; four stations were the warmest at 32 F. With the amount of snow received in late December the remaining corn harvest came to a halt. The month finished with 7 percent of the corn crop left to be harvested. Both winter wheat and alfalfa have a good snow cover which will help with the cold temperatures throughout the state. Winter wheat condition is rated as 2 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 63 percent good, and 7 percent excellent, and winter wheat snow cover is rated at 3 percent poor, 68 percent adequate, and 29 percent excellent. Alfalfa snow cover is rated as 65 percent adequate and 35 percent excellent. Feed supplies are rated at 92 percent adequate to surplus, slightly down from last year. Stock water supplies are also in good shape with 90 percent in the adequate to surplus categories, down 1 percentage point from last year. Livestock condition continue to remain mostly in the good to excellent range. Cattle are rated 86 percent in good to excellent condition, with fall newborn calf deaths rated 10 percent below average, 87 percent average, and 3 percent above average. Sheep are rated 79 percent in good to excellent condition, with newborn lamb deaths from fall crop rated 12 percent below average, 87 percent average, and 1 percent above average.
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