Drought has trumped Covid-19 as the major issue for North Island farmers

Covid-19 is not the immediate enemy, Mangamahu farmer Paul Crothers is more concerned about drought and the ability to feed his stock.

The impact of Covid-19 has been secondary to the misery drought has dumped on many New Zealand farmers.

For Paul Crothers and wife June the global Covid-19 pandemic has been more of a niggling nuisance on their Mangamahu sheep and beef farm compared to the very real hardships drought has delivered.

This latest dry hit the North Island in December and many older farmers are calling it the worst in more than 50 years, especially in Hawke's Bay.

The drought is unrelenting, hay supplies have been exhausted in the North Island, 50 per cent of the region is under TB movement control, dramatically-slowed killing capacity at the freezing works and sale yards are closed. Some farms also have M. bovis.

To be fair Covid-19 has largely been to blame for the slowed killing capacity with companies struggling to meet social distancing regulations by reducing staffing levels.

Capacity, however, was already compromised before lockdown with short working weeks through the Christmas/New Year break quickly followed by Wellington Anniversary Weekend, Waitangi Day and Anzac Day.

"Covid hasn't posed a bigger problem than the drought at this stage anyway," Paul Crothers said.

"We are dealing with far larger problems finding feed for our stock still on farm. The saleyards are closed, it's difficult to secure killing space at the works and even if you can, it's difficult to get the stock up to killing weights."

Crothers is moving more toward developing his commercial Charolais cattle stud these days.

He has built up his stud herd over the past five years with most now purebreds after culling the non-Charolais cattle. He was initially impressed by their growth rates and high meat yields if done right.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website

He now runs around 110 weaners, 60 purebred stock and the remainder crossbreds.

Crothers still carries 700 ewes though with his lambs all finished at home. Traditionally they are gone by March, but not this season. Instead of buying in replacements, Crothers will use the stock he has been forced to keep this season.

"We had to wean the cattle early this year because there was nothing in the hills to feed them – it's heartbreaking. We've been forced to feed them grain and a bit of baleage.

"We had to do this once before and while it works okay, it's expensive and time consuming and certainly takes the shine off the last few good years we have enjoyed in the livestock markets.

"We also had bad luck with a failed crop we would normally have had to feed out. It just didn't grow because of the drought.

"Covid hasn't been the problem for us, drought has. As farmers we are naturally isolated, so that hasn't been an issue, but I guess the world economy will be put under pressure because of it and when that happens commodity prices tend to drop."