Winter weather during February presented challenges for South Dakota ranchers.

The Agriculture Department says in its monthly crop report that warm mid-month temperatures melted snow and created muddy feedlots as calving began, and a snowstorm late in the month dropped as much as a foot of snow in southern areas.

Cattle and calf conditions statewide are still rated 76 percent good to excellent. Sheep and lamb conditions are 71 percent in those categories. Death losses are rated mostly average to light.

Calving progress is at ten percent and lambing progress at 20 percent.

Hay supplies are rated 80 percent adequate to surplus, and stock water supplies are 89 percent in those categories.

The condition of the state's winter wheat crop is rated 97 percent fair to good.

Sources: USDA, Associated Press

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