Farmers hoping for 'local' warming

The narrow but intense weather system that has brought record snow to Southland and heavy rainfall in the Manawatu, has many farmers hoping for a break in the weather.



“Given its hailing right now, we could really use some ‘local’ warming in Southland,” says Don Nicolson, Federated Farmers President.



“I can honestly say the snow we’ve had is the most I have ever seen in September. After a relatively benign winter, this system has struck at the worst possible time for southern Southland as we’re lambing heavily.



“While our dairy colleagues in Southland have also taken a hit, it’s the region’s sheep farmers that are bearing the full force of this storm. While we’re going to lose lambs my major concern is for the ewes that are yet to lamb.

“As the snow didn’t thaw quickly and we now have bitterly cold driving rain, it puts additional stress on a ewe’s metabolism before labour. Farmers are trying hard to get injectable calcium and magnesium as well as glucose into the more susceptible animals.

“While most farms have good shelters, the sad reality is that there’s little more we can do now but wait for a change in the weather. That’s something, regretfully, which isn’t not on the cards over the next few days as these systems continue to ‘shovel’ in.

”Losing capital stock is never easy to take and it’s a blow to see our improved genetics wasted. Yet having our animal husbandry skills really put to the test is a big part of farming.

“Perhaps in a week we’ll be able to estimate economic loss but I do honestly think it will be large for southern Southland.

“Yet while we’ve been clobbered by snow down here, Gordon McKellar, Federated Farmers Manawatu/Rangitikei provincial president, has joked of converting his farm into rice production, given the volume of rainfall up in the Manawatu.



“One of our members has recorded 688.5 mils of rain since 1 June, with 298 mils since 1 September alone. Then again, a ‘big wet’ often follows widespread drought as many areas continue to be affected by the autumnal drought earlier in the year.



“I can say the South Island has had its fill of bad news, so if the saying holds of bad news coming in threes, what with SCF, the earthquake and now this, I’m optimistic the Ranfurly Shield won’t be heading north on Thursday,” Mr Nicolson concluded.