HEAVY STOCK LOSS IN OTAGO

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 262, 3 August 1939, Page 11

HEAVY STOCK LOSS IN OTAGO

Most Severe Storms In Fifty Years THOUSANDS OF SHEEP BURIED IN SNOW Dominion Special Service. DUNEDIN, August 2. Though they are believed to be heavy, it is too early yet to obtain any definite information about losses of sheep and stock in the Otago district as a result of the phenomenal falls of snow experienced last month. As far inland as Lawrence farmers all tell the same story—that the storms have been the most severe for 50 years at least, and high country settlers must have suffered severe losses. Speaking to a Lawrence runholder today, a reporter learnt that losses on the higher levels are estimated at approximately 50 per cent. Vast tracts of snow have cut off all feed, and sheep not buried will be unable to find a blade of grass anywhere. As a result of fine weather experienced in the earlier part of the winter all stock was in very good condition when the succession of storms broke, and, because this was so, it is believed that stock would weather heavy snow better than if it had come earlier. This is about the only bright side to an otherwise gloomy picture in all this high country. Thousands of sheep are buried under deep snow. While the snow remained open, that is before the surface became frozen, there was hope for many of these buried sheep, but the last few nights have been marked by heavy frosts and the surface of the snow is now caked, cutting off the passage of air to the sheep. These conditions are known to prevail as far south as Heriot. The only inland area which appears to have escaped in any way lightly is near Beaumont, where the fall was nothing out of the way, and in some parts was actually slight. It will not be till the thaw sets in that anything other than a rough estimate as to the actual losses can be advanced. The possibility of a quick thaw is now remote, for the barometer has reached its highest level for months past, and this in itself indicates a series of severe frosts, which can only tend to make the situation considerably worse than it is at present.

Farmers on the lower levels are not so seriously situated, for their stock can be helped out with hand-feeding, and today chaff, hay and turnips are being fed to stock.