Cruel lambing losses cost farmers $14.4m

Farmers have suffered ‘‘devastating’’ lamb losses in eastern and central North Island over the past two weeks with an estimated toll of about 100,000.

At current prices of $144 per mature lamb, the economic hit could be $14.4 million.

By contrast, Otago and Southland farmers are expected to escape lightly from the impact of snow that fell on Monday.

Federated Farmers high country chairman Simon Williamson said lambing would not begin in the areas where most snow had fallen until the beginning of October.

‘‘Even though there’s a bit of snow on the tops, it’s not cold, it’s still 5 degrees [Celsius], and we needed the moisture so it’s not too bad,’’ said Williamson, who farms near Omarama.

AgriHQ analyst Mel Croad described the North Island losses as a devastating blow for farmer morale.

‘‘It’s been a cruel start to the spring for many sheep farmers, the first week delivered cold weather and heavy rain which is a pretty tough environment for new born lambs and couldn’t come at a worse time.’’

She said the losses were a double blow because lamb prices were on a high and were projected to maintain levels through to December. ‘‘It’s tough for those farmers who’ve worked so hard. We’ve actually come through a relatively smooth sailing through winter up until this first week of spring.’’

Ben Crosse, who owns Patoka Station in Hawke’s Bay, said about 750 of his lambs had died – one of the biggest death tolls in his 35 years of farming.

He runs 4000 ewes.

He was just at the end of the first lambing cycle so was optimistic his remaining ewes would deliver healthy offspring.

Some sheep farmers he knew had lost 20 to 30 per cent of their lambs, and dairy farmers had also had their share of calf losses.

Crosse said it was difficult to rescue the lambs, especially if the rain had got to them first.

He had managed to put covers over a number, and threequarters of those had survived.

‘‘But you never know how good your lambing is until the end of the season because anything might happen – we might have an El Nino as well as a big drought.

‘‘We’ve had bigger losses before and we will again. It’s just bad timing, it’s something we can’t control,’’ Crosse said.