Harsh drought brings stock losses, worry

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 18

Harsh drought brings stock losses, worry

By

JOHN HARFORD

Michael Oliver almost breathes a sigh of relief when a twin lamb dies. It means one less mouth to feed and a better chance for its mother and twin to survive a potentially severe drought.

From March to August his sheep and cropping farm on the south bank of the Rangitata River had 188.8 mm of rain. The average for that time of year is 376.2 mm. It is the worst dry autumn, winter, and spring that his father, Angus, has known in the area since he started farming there more than 30 years ago.

Michael Oliver has no irrigation scheme to alleviate the effects of the dry weather. The cost of financing the purchase of equipment and then running it, could have posed a different set of problems.

The dry weather began in March. Rainfall in South Canterbury during January and February had been “reasonable.” The autumn rainfall between March and May of just 70.8 mm was one-third of the average 211.5 mm received by the farm. Fertiliser that was put on in March could still be seen lying on the ground in May.

The lack of rain meant there was no autumn growth of pasture and, therefore, no reserves for the winter.

“I knew it had been dry but ! didn’t realise it had been that severe until I started comparing the figures,” said Mr Oliver. Winter rainfall levels had been a little better, but much of the moisture had come in snow falls. One snow fall was 10cm deep. Soil temperatures plummeted, preventing any pasture growth.

After the snow came 12 degree frosts, ending any chance of pasture growth during the winter.

The benefit from the 21mm of rain on the farm in August was taken by nor-west winds and frosts. A feed budget prepared

by M.A.F. staff earlier in the year had predicted a surplus of 100,000 kg of dry matter for the farm, given normal growing conditions.

“On those figures I could have had 20 per cent more sheep on the land. But we farm for a drought and deliberately understock just in case it does get dry. “We try to get more out of each stock unit rather than just get more stock units.”

The surplus assumed that half of Mr Oliver’s hay reserves would be used as supplementary feed. He has used threequarters of his supply, leaving only very inferior quality hay left. Some of the surplus in previous years has been used to take in an extra 600 sheep for grazing. That was not possible this year.

The surplus should also have been for making hay for the farm or for sale. Without substantial rain soon, there will be no hay for next winter.

In spite of a predicted surplus, virtually all feed reserves have been depleted. About 17ha that should have been shut up for grass seed production has already been grazed for the third time this year.

A paddock next to Mr Oliver’s house that should have at least 10 to 12cm of lush spring growth by now barely has a 1 to 2cm covering. Other paddocks have much less growth. The winter rainfalls have left enough moisture in the soil to keep pasture alive and allow his recently sown barley crop to strike, but there is not enough to provide muchneeded growth.

To make matters worse, grass grub damage this year is much greater than

normal. The populations seemed to be higher and they were feeding one to two months longer than usual. Large bare patches have been left in most paddocks with about 30ha showing severe damage.

The health of his stock has been affected by the dry weather. The ewes went into tupping in good order but have “gone down hill ever since” and many were now in poor condition.

Lambing losses have increased by 50 per cent,

without any problems of cold weather. Most of the losses have been one lamb from a set of twins. Many ewes simply did not have enough milk for two lambs. Others were just looking after themselves and could not look after a lamb. A large number of lambs have been orphaned. The lambs that have survived will soon need green feed but precious little is available. A small trial number of

lambs born in May fared better.

Mr Oliver believes the dry weather has cost his farm $34,500 gross, or a net figure of about $25,000. The losses come from a drop in lambing percentage (from 125 per cent last year to about 105 per cent this year), higher rates of death among ewes and lambs, the loss of grass seed that has had to be used as pasture, and the inability to take on an extra 600 sheep for grazing.