Summer heat starts to leave mark on farms
Taranaki dairy farmers are keeping an eye out for rain clouds with the summer heat taking a toll on grass cover.
Favourable growing conditions since spring, following a devastating one in 40-year drought last summer, meant many farmers had good supply of feed to prepare an extended dry period.
‘‘The conditions have been good, in fact fantastic, to date but it is starting to get dry now and we will be looking for some rain by the end of the month,’’ Okato farmer Ray Barron said.
‘‘It would be disappointing to get a dry summer now and all the gains made over the season being lost.’’
Dry conditions in north and coastal Taranaki are highlighted in the latest National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research drought index.
Niwa also recorded drier soil moisture levels than normal around New Plymouth.
Coastal Taranaki farms have borne the brunt of drying westerly winds during the past week, Barron said.
Most farmers had good amounts of silage and hay in, he said.
Compared to the previous summer’s drought, conditions were far better.
‘‘We’re nowhere near as bad as last year but we will need some rain by
February.’’
Low stream levels could pose a problem for irrigation and being unable to draw on consented water take, Barron said.
Tariki farmer, and Federated Farmers Taranaki president Donald McIntyre, said light rain yesterday was more a ‘‘Scotch mist’’.
‘‘It’s a little early to call a drought but farms are drying out,’’ he said.
‘‘Farmers are being cautious and some are still dealing with a certain amount of stress from last year’s drought and dealing with any financial woes.
‘‘Last year the drought happened so early it was hard to deal with, and a lot of money was spent on feed.’’
But McIntyre said Taranaki farmers ‘‘farm for a potentially dry summer’’.
‘‘A fortnight without rain in Taranaki is a drought, and we don’t expect it to rain every week.
‘‘We’ve had excellent growing season right through and it’s been a good year for hay and silage making, many farmers have plenty of supplement feed.’’
Any rain could also bring on facial eczema conditions, he said.
Rural Support Trust Taranaki chairman Mike Green said grass cover was disappearing fast and quality feed supply was low in some areas.
Recent high westerly winds and intense summer heat combined quickly to dry out any grass cover, he said.
Taranaki Regional Council weather data for December showed rainfall low in coastal areas but near normal in central and southern Taranaki.
Principal Rural Fire officer Nigel Dravitzki said conditions were being monitored daily but there was still an open fire season in Taranaki.