The herd of 640 Ayrshire cows went on to once-a-day milking on January 10 and was now getting up to two-thirds of feed intake from supplementary sources, Hutchings said.
No significant rain had fallen since the end of October, he told Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy on February 3.
Guy visited the Hutchings’ farm to declare a medium-scale adverse event in Northland because of drought.
Hutchings said he wouldn’t benefit from the declaration personally but would get through the fifth drought in the past eight years.
“Our stored feed is just about out. No more bag silage is available in the north and we are hanging on until a tropical rain event.
“Summer crops went in late because of the challenging spring conditions and the maize has dried off well below its optimum yield.”
Guy said irrigation development had great potential in the north and the findings of a $200,000 study showed 90,000ha could be irrigated.
“It would safeguard farming and unlock growth for iwi after their treaty settlements,” he said.
