Wet and cold weather in Southland means farmers have had to implement winter management plans earlier than anticipated.
Hokonui Hills dairy farmer Nigel Johnston said it has been a “rough couple of weeks” and that he had to dry off more than a week earlier than planned.
Johnston said the weather conditions are likely normal for Southland in May, but the region “had been blessed with fantastic autumns” over the past few years.
Adequate rainfall meant there was enough feed around, he said.
The region has been in the spotlight because of grazing practices, which means farmers have been implementing winter grazing plans, and are as a result prepared for wet weather, he said.
Concerns about what the general public thinks and how farms “look from the road” means most farmers have stepped up their winter grazing practices.
Rainfall data supplied by Metservice from four weather stations across Southland showed the total average rainfall between January and the end of May 2024 was 76mm higher compared to last year.
It was also 183.7mm more than the same period in 2022, 147.4mm higher than 2021 and 182mm higher than 2020.
In May, extreme minimum temperatures were as low as -5.7degC in Manapouri, -4.3degC in Lumsden and -3.3degC in Gore.
Woodlands dairy farmer Hannes du Plessis said he had not seen such a wet May in many years.
As a result of wet and cold conditions, and low pasture growth from mid-April, Du Plessis dried off a week earlier than usual.
He had planned to milk into June.
Du Plessis said besides a milk production loss there are other financial implications from an early dry-off.
“Most cows are only sent to grazers on 1 June. You still need to feed them once they’re dried off. On a 600-cow mob you’d have to feed out an extra 30 to 40 bales a day,” he said.
Du Plessis said there are financial and animal health risks to drying off in these conditions.
His cows were dried off and teat-sealed a week ago but then had to spend time in muddy paddocks.
This could not only lead to mastitis, but the teat seal costs money.
“Suddenly there’s water in places where you’d not normally have water. Cow management becomes important.
“Feed utilisation drops significantly. In winter, 80% to 90% feed utilisation would be good; in these conditions it drops to 60%,” he said.
“You have to have a plan B in place for wet and winter management. Depending on slope there are runoff concerns. Some farms in Southland can’t winter cows because of soil conditions and slope,” he said.
Du Plessis said DairyNZ’s website will have information that is especially helpful for new producers, and that a Google search for “wet weather management DairyNZ” will take them to the right information.
Environment Southland resource management manager Donna Ferguson said Southland is wet during winter and farmers should have a Plan B.
Compliance monitoring began at the start of the season, which runs from May 1 to September 30, Ferguson said.
“For winter grazing in 2024, there are both local and national rules in play. While the government has indicated it will be repealing the rules around winter grazing, they remain in place for the 2024 season, we are required to ensure they are adhered to.
“While those rules look likely to be removed by the 2025 winter grazing season, rules for winter grazing activities are still in place under the Southland Water and Land Plan.”
Ferguson said in both the local plan and the national regulations, farmers in Southland are required to have winter grazing plans in place that include:
• Using no greater than 50 hectares, or 10% of the area of the farm (whichever is greater) for winter grazing; the slope of land for winter grazing crops needs to be 10 degrees or less over 20 metres.
• Critical source areas must not be cropped in winter forage crops and cannot be grazed during the season.
• Stock must be kept at least 5m away from the bed of any river, lake, wetland or drain.
Environment Southland staff are available to help with understanding the rules, she said.
