On May 1, Mark Tubbs nearly called a sale barn to arrange selling off his cows and their calves.

After years of drought on his Edgemont area ranch, he had no water and no grass left for his cattle.

That day, it started raining. The big May 1-2 rain and snow storm has been followed since by storm after storm and shower after shower, quenching the thirst of a West River region parched by drought since 2001.

Places like Faith, Bison and McIntosh have received several inches of moisture above their normal averages.

Pastures look lush, and stock ponds are full.

Although the Edgemont area has not received as much as other parts of the West River area, it has been enough moisture to grow grass and at least a partial hay crop. Although Tubbs said he is still short of water in his stock ponds, he has been able to keep his cows.

For a rancher, the cow herd is his factory, producing calves that bring checks that eventually cycle into the West River economy.

In northern Meade County, Glenn Fogelman was in the same boat as Tubbs earlier this spring. Fogelman has ranched in the Opal area for decades but was facing having to sell out. He had already sharply cut his Red Angus herd in 2002, when the drought's grip tightened in his area.

But since April, the Faith area has received about 12 inches of precipitation.

Fogelman said his ranch looks completely different than it did in the parched summer of 2002.

"The dams are full and running over. The grass is growing like mad," he said.

But Fogelman said he does not plan to buy more cattle just yet. He's going to keep the same number of cattle.

"I'm not convinced the drought is over. It sure could be," he said. "But it's entirely possible this is a one-year thing. I'm going to play it close to the chest."

Many area ranchers, while grateful for the moisture, are being cautious like Fogelman about rebuilding cattle herds decimated by drought over this decade, according to Stacy Hadrick, South Dakota State University Extension livestock educator based in Sturgis.

Hadrick said the green grass and plentiful water in the stock ponds will help ranchers hang onto their livestock a little longer.

In recent years, many of them have had to buy expensive hay from other areas and haul water by truck to their cattle. Many spent thousands of dollars drilling wells and running pipelines to their pastures.

Cattle need good water to stay alive, obviously, but also to gain the weight that helps boost those calf checks.

Aside from the financial pinch, ranchers hate to see their livestock thirsty. "People care about their animals," Hadrick said.

Hadrick said she is seeing water in places that she did not realize would hold water. Her own ranch near Vale has had 15 inches of moisture since May 1, she said.

She also is seeing hay fields being cut that haven't produced hay for seven or eight years.

In 2002, Fogelman put up only nine bales of hay.

Now, he said, "Our hay crop looks terrific."

Bryce Sigman, who ranches east of Sturgis, said he isn't sure if he'll keep more of his female calves this year to build up his herd.

Female calves that aren't sold to feedlots for slaughter become replacement heifers on the ranch. They produce more calves.

Sigman said some ranchers who have had to sell down their herds because of drought might start buying back this fall, depending on calf prices and feed prices. "It could be time to get back in," Sigman said.

Dave Kalil, vice president of Farm Credit Services of America based in Rapid City, said some of his ranch customers began holding back heifers last fall. "Now, they've got grass and water."

Kalil and Hadrick say it's too early to tell whether the rains and the improved range conditions will translate into more money for ranchers and the western South Dakota economy.

That's because high corn prices are translating into higher feed costs for feedlot operators, who, in turn, are paying ranchers less for their calves.

"Feedlots are losing money, and they can't pay a premium for these calves," Kalil said.

"Our ranchers have more grass, so they'll have more cows, so next year, they'll have more calves," he said. "But they'll need more calves to have the same revenue."

Along with high feed prices, ranchers are dealing with fuel prices that just keep climbing.

Despite the uncertain financial outlook, ranchers are feeling better and are more optimistic, Kalil says.

"I talked to several producers between April 20 and April 28 who were getting ready to pull the plug on the whole cow herd," he said. "Now, we've got producers looking for cow-calf pairs."

Hadrick agreed about the mental-health benefit of the rains for ranchers. "This was a great way to boost some spirit, to help renew some excitement about being involved in agriculture," she said.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8417 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com