Drought Update - Northland
Welcome to the weekly update from the Northland drought committee for the dairy, horticulture, sheep and beef sectors.
The drought has been going on for a long time now – up to 5 months for some. It's becoming a real grind for everyone involved. So here is the message:
“Relax. It's just a crisis!” Be aware of stress build up – and take time off. Decisions become easier with a clear head.
This week we highlight the spread of the drought, the slow response of famers to contact their bankers and the implications of these. If you or someone you know needs help and support, call 0800 778 667.
In addition, we introduce case study farms for Dairy, Sheep and Beef, to give real on-farm situations and strategies being adopted to manage through the drought.
Tafi Manjala
Chairman - Extension Sub-Committee
Current Situation:
Soil Moisture Deficit 9am 26 March 2010 . Source: NIWA
The soil moisture deficit map shows that the impact of the drought is reaching southern areas.
Impacts:
- Reduced demand for livestock and lower store prices
- Demand for supplementary feed including PKE is increasing in southern areas. Supplies will come under pressure.
Actions:
Secure supplies of supplementary feed now – contract supply.
- 0 - 7.5mm rainfall accumulated through showers over the last 7 days
- Showers forecast over the next week
- Facial eczema: Spore counts have eased slightly with cooler weather. Go to www.rd1.com or www.meatandwoolnz.com to get the latest spore counts and talk to your vets!
- Water supply: This is seriously low for some. Water levels in dams will reduce more rapidly as surface area decreases. Have a "worst case" plan. Stock have to have access to water. Check stock regularly, especially if grazing off
- Financial: It is estimated that 25% of farmers have had contact with their banks and 1.5% have arranged some restructuring or increased facility. Budget templates have been posted on the NRC website and the DairyNZ website. Financiers are now expecting a rush of requests in June/July/August as overdrafts go up through the winter. There will be insufficient personnel to cope with this and delays will be inevitable. Beat the rush – talk to your banker now! If you need help with cash flows and budgets call the Rural Support Trust on 0800 778 667
- Pasture growth rates are low at 5 - 10kgDM/ha/day. Pasture covers are decreasing.
- Available assistance:
- The RST Ag Recovery Facilitators (now 4 available) provide 1:1 drought visits. To book a visit contact Helen Moodie on 0800 778 667
- Boarding bursaries and grants. For secondary school rural students living away from home. For more information go to www.ruralwomen.org/bursaries.htm
Events:
Let your colleagues and clients know about these drought management events:
Dairy:
Do you have a plan when effective rains start? Book these important dates on your calendar.
Waipu Autumn Calving Workshop
| Date: |
7th April |
| Time: |
6:30pm BBQ. 7:00pm-9:00pm Autumn calving workshop |
| Venue: |
Waipu Fire Brigade, Nova Scotia Drive, Waipu 0510 |
| Topics: |
Managing Nutritional deficits before and after the rain, supplement options and feed budgeting | |
Sheep and Beef:
No new events are planned at this stage but if farmers in any area feel the need for additional support - with feed budgeting, financial budgeting or strategies to recover from the drought - please contact Malcolm McCallum 027 2315680.
For those who did not get to the seminars last week, drought packs with useful information are available.
For other drought strategies visit www.meatandwoolnz.com or Northland Regional Council website.
Key Messages:
Below are key messages to help you manage your way through the drought:
Dairy:
- Milk production is down 2.5% for the season, 39% daily and 26% monthly. Estimated more than 10% of herds dried off
- Dry cows: make sure you offer your dry cows maintenance feed (7.5kgDM eaten for Friesian cows) and extra for condition score gain if intending to put on weight
- For more information visit www.dairynz.co.nz/drought
Case Study Farm - Roger and Jane Hutchings, Okaihau
Farm Situation: Collected 30 March 2010:
| Stocking Rate |
Kg MS/cow |
Kg MS/ha |
APC Kg DM/ha |
Rotation
Length (days) |
Growth rates
Kg DM/ha |
|
1.7 |
1.2 |
2 |
1,700 |
40 |
15 |
Summary:
- Currently milking 390 cows with 75 dries on 230ha (all other stock off the milking platform). Milkers being offered 1.5 kg turnips, 3kg baleage and 6kg PKE, 5kg pasture. Dries being offered 2kg supplements and 7 kg pasture
- Peak cows 700 on 270ha
- Received 3mm rainfall yesterday and will apply nitrogen after next rain of >3mm @35kgN to paddocks grazed in the last 2 weeks. Will follow the cows if moisture allows. Banking on heavy dews
- We have started regrassing and extending the rotation.
Financial decisions:
- We have contacted our bankers and discussed the financial impact of the drought to our business and worked through budgets for next season - 2010/11.
Regrassing:
- This week we started direct drilling 10ha of open pasture @12kg/ha using Ohau AR37 (75% perennial), so we can get more than one season out of the pasture
- We used AR37 for pest resistance. A month ago we sowed 15ha of permanent pasture and it has germinated well. Bealey was direct drilled with Kopu II and Tribute clovers broadcast
- A few crickets about but they are less than the danger levels to require baiting.
Cow condition:
- Dries are an average score of 4. When it rains the dries will be split into fat and light. The lights will get preferential feeding so that we achieve score 5 for calving
- Milkers all at score 4 plus. This week we dried off 20 cows - mainly young cows producing less milk (7l/c/d) at score 3.5 - this week.
Round length:
- Increased round length this week from 30 days to 40 days using a late planted turnip crop. 10 days of turnips left.
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Sheep and Beef:
- Decreasing pasture cover and supplementary feed supplies: prioritise stock mobs again to ration feed, feed productive stock and destock any passengers
- Weakened store market with less demand coming from the south implies lower prices for further stock sales
- Budgets: feed and cash flow - review again as no effective rain forecast for another week at least; extend cash flow budgets out to 12-18 months to identify full financial impact of the drought
- Bank balances: as many farmers have destocked, bank balances are looking better than expected- these funds will be needed to restock – treasure them!
- For more information visit www.meatandwoolnz.com
Case Study Farm - John Blackwell, Dargaville
John Blackwell is running a 320 effective hectare farm at Okahu (south east of Dargaville). The farm is a mixture of high performing breeding ewes and finishing cattle (mostly bulls). The winter stocking rate is typically 12.5 SU/ha with the farm producing around 335 kg/ha of meat and fibre each year. Cattle are wintered on intensive beef systems, shifted daily through the winter. Over the next few weeks we’ll be discussing how the drought has impacted John’s farm and the steps he’s taking to manage this impact.
What’s happening now:
- Bulls, calves and ewes are getting silage. The silage has done a great job, helping keep the bulls growing and the ewes maintaining. Analysis of the silage showed it had an ME of 10.3, so it’s better for growing cattle than the pasture (around 8.5). There’s only 2 – 3 weeks of silage left and some baleage, but having the bulls growing means some bulls can be marketed shortly.
- The 2 tooths are the priority stock class on the farm; they’re being set stocked on the cattle systems getting the pick of the grass and are doing well. The bulls are getting fresh scenery and fresh water every day; with average pasture cover estimated at 1000 kgDM/ha there’s not much fresh feed.
- Calves are getting drenched regularly and zinc is being added to the water for facial eczema control. With low covers and supplement running low, John’s expecting ryegrass staggers will be an issue when the rain finally does come.
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Horticulture:
Useful Links:
- To view the previous Northland drought updates click on the links below:
- To read more about managing the drought in Northland click on the links below:
Contacts:
If you require any further information on the Northland drought, please contact the relevant person below:
    
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