HAY BROUGHT IN; SHEEP TAKEN OUT

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32251, 20 March 1970, Page 19

HAY BROUGHT IN; SHEEP TAKEN OUT

The recent drought (which might not even now be broken) has been the worst in memory in the Hawarden district. Hay has bad to be brought in and sheep taken out. Some 130,000 bales of hay have been transported mainly from the Methven, Kaikoura. Oxford and Hororata districts. The price for straw has been up to 20c a bale, and top lucerne hay $l. By comparison, last year straw had no market and lucerne was 50c a bale. About 55,000 sheep have been carted out of the district from the arable farms. Some farmers have removed up to 90 per cent of their flock, mainly to the Methven and Geraldine districts. All this has meant a loss to the farmer at times heavy. They have had to pay 5c to 8c per head per week grazing. Cartage has, of course, been fully subsidised within 300 miles. The drought has also meant that the district has shown a reduction in stock numbers.

Once the effects of the drought have gone, pastures will have to be resown—and grass seed prices are now very high. Farmers of the district say that the life expectancy of ewes has been reduced by at least one year through teeth wear and the general hard conditions. The farmers consider that it will take three normal seasons for their properties to recover from this drought. Last year the average wheat yield was 50 bushels an acre: this year it is 20 to 25 bushels.

Many crops have had stock turned on to them, or have been baled. A large percentage of the wheat has sprouted or has suffered from bug damage. Water has been brought at 30.000 gallons a day from the Hurunui and Waitobf Rivers by means of four pumping stations. Without this scheme the situation would have been hopeless, the farmers say. The lasting effects of the drought include a big risk of footrot in sheep in a district which has been virtually free from the disease. There is also now the beginnings of a nodding thistle infestation caused by this weed being in the imported hay.