Farms struggling in dry conditions

Continuing dry conditions are starting to put pressure on farmers in central New Zealand.

Meatworks are coming under pressure to slaughter large numbers of livestock being turned off the rapidly-drying pastures in the Manawatu-Rangitieki, Wairarapa, central Hawke's Bay, Tararua and the east coast of the North Island.

Farmers on the west coast of the North Island said the region was gradually drying out, and they need a significant amount of rain to keep grass growing.

Regional livestock manager for Affco Manawatu Wayne File said pressure was building up for cattle in the Manawatu and could be critical in another two weeks or so if conditions continue.

"The lamb supply is steady, but the pressure is going on beef."

There was generally a two-week wait in getting cattle in to the plant, though this could vary.

Wairarapa Federated Farmers president Jim Weston said the dry was beginning to bite hard. Some farmers had been forced to sell off stock early because there was no water to fill troughs and no new grass growth.

The forced sales had come at a cost. Lamb and ewe weights were well down and did not command good prices.

He said that dairy farmers in the hardest hit areas, particularly around Tararua and Manawatu, had cut back to milking once a day because of a shortage of feed.

But farmers acknowledged that the Manawatu and Rangitikei were faring much better than the more traditionally dry Hawke's Bay and East Coast.

Hawke's Bay Federated Farmers spokesman Jim Haliburton said Central Hawkes Bay, particularly areas west and east of Hastings were very dry.

Some farmers were relying heavily on irrigation, though most were confident they could ride through any prolonged dry period, he said.

"A lot of farmers have probably done their seasonal adjustment and sold lambs and excess ewes and can probably cope with this," he said.

Climate records for February show temperatures were an average of five degrees Celsius higher throughout the southwest of the North Island at a time that rainfall was, on average, half as much.

The highest temperature officially recorded was 33.1C west of Masterton on February 10. The district had just 20mm of rain, compared with the average of 40mm. The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) long-term forecast is for more of the same warm, dry conditions.

- NZPA