Farmers keep cool in dry spell

Farmers still need more rainfall to keep them happy. Photo / File

The searing temperatures continue to push the mercury skywards, but farmers in the region are not hitting the panic button yet.

The last significant rainfall in the region was around 60mm over four days in mid-December, while 6mm fell in Reporoa on New Year's Day.

Rain forecast for the remainder of the week, after a lengthy dry spell where temperatures have hung around the high 20s, will ease pressure on many farmers, said Federated Farmers Rotorua Taupo president Alan Wills.

"There's no doubt we are in a very hot and dry period but we are not at a crisis point yet on many farms," he said.

"The light land is browning off with the heat and there is not a lot of top soil on the hilly country."

That could change if there was no heavy rainfall before the end of January, he said.

"We need a good amount of rain in the next couple of weeks or else it will become serious."

There was no shortage of feed at this stage after farmers had good harvests in November and December following 80-100mm of rainfall dumped on the region.

There was also a good supply of palm kernel to use.

"The spring and early summer harvest set us up but if the hot weather continues we may have a problem."

There had been no reports as yet of farmers drying off cows.

Reporoa Young Farmers chairman Matthew Fitzgerald said soil moisture on the top layer was beginning to dry out on many farms.

"Those with irrigation can hold off the worst effects but for the guys who don't have water it could be a couple of hard months ahead," he said.

Farms that cannot draw water for irrigation from the Waikato River must rely solely on rainfall, he said.

"Many got silage stored after the phenomenal growth last spring and they are the fortunate ones."

Farms north of Rotorua were not experiencing the same dry conditions, said Paradise Valley sheep and beef farmer Neil Heather.

"It's not too bad here, the soil moisture is good, and we don't normally get the same conditions the farms further south have."

After devastating droughts several years ago, many farmers put in contingency plans, such as feed silos, to be better prepared, he said.