Friday, March 29, 2024

Milkers are still hanging on

Avatar photo
Sharemilkers and farm owners are in the same boat when it comes to the operational challenges dairy farmers are facing as the drought bites deeper.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

But the difference between the two, especially for first year sharemilkers, was the equity that ultimately determined their ability to manage through the dry.

With no available water for irrigation from the Opuha Dam and many other schemes on significant restrictions as rivers ran desperately low, South Canterbury farmers had been forced to open the Plan B management toolbox.

Irrigation from the Opuha Dam ended on February 26, with irrigators warned to prepare for a lengthy period without irrigation, possibly right through March.

For sharemilkers, particularly those in their first year, the outlook was grim.

“We just have to keep talking – talking to everyone and anyone,” South Canterbury Federated Farmers sharemilkers’ spokesman Ben Jaunay said.

“For sharemilkers particularly it is a real struggle.”

Jaunay is surrounded by milkers reliant on stored water, which given the dry season had not been as reliant as was planned.

“It’s going to be tough for those guys relying on scheme (stored) water. 

“The Rangitata South, due to less than the normal weather pattern this season, has not delivered as reliably as hoped. And there’s Opuha, farmers down there would be the worst hit. 

“I am not so badly off as on bore water I am still growing grass – just,” he said.

“As dairy farmers we are all in the same boat.

“But sharemilkers don’t have the equity that the farm owners do. First year milkers don’t even have the retention from the good payout last season.

“The best thing to do is get talking, talk to the bankers, accountants, friends, neighbours, consultants, anyone who may have experience to offer and advice to follow,” Jaunay said.

Getting through the winter was going to be the “biggie”.

“I encourage people to get on and buy in the feed now. There’s not going to be a better time.

“There’s a long way to go before anyone will see money in the bank. It comes back to planning. Do a feed budget and keep checking it. If you see a shortfall coming book in feed now.

“There’s talk around that Southland isn’t doing that flash so that may not be the option we thought we had for wintering cows.”

Jaunay said some South Canterbury farmers were drying off now in preparation to winter the cows on their own farms. 

“Barr trucking to the North Island, which isn’t an economic option, we may well have to be planning to keep our own cows on.”

Morale was “hanging in there, just,” Jaunay said.

“It’s not easy. Some farmers are close to the end of the tether. It’s very easy to get stuck in your own day-to-day.”

Reaching out beyond the farmgate was important to help keep things in perspective, Jaunay said.

As stock feed became scarce Federated Farmers was encouraging farmers to get a feed plan and budget under way for the rest of the year.

“The dry conditions and reduced payout have left many farmers not only short of feed now but facing a shortage for the rest of the year,” Feds adverse events spokeswoman Katie Milne said.

“Farmers may have already done this but given this is a pretty stressful time we want to remind them to keep it up to date.”

Farmers feeding palm kernel should decide how much they need and get their contract signed with their supplier to ensure it was available when needed.

“When doing a feed budget in times of drought or other periods when feed supplies are tight, farmers should remember that other issues can arise that need to be well managed to avoid potential problems, such as stock transitioning to a new feed, stock not meeting target weights and a massive surge in worm burden when the rain does come, especially for calves and lambs.”

At any time of year changing stock from one diet to another has to be done gradually over timeframes of up to a month to avoid animal health issues, Milne said.

Farmers should also look at what alternative feed sources were available to them. 

The Feds Feed Line was a place farmers could look to find feed available.

“Any feed budget that is developed also needs to be reviewed at suitable intervals so that it can remain useful, as and when circumstances change.

“Secure your finances. Secure your feed supply. Make sure you have the feed guaranteed for delivery by contracting feed now. Get it before the prices go up any further,” Milne said.

Rural Support Trust services were available to advise farmers on ways to farm through until next spring without compromising animal welfare.

Related story: Farming out of the drought 

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading