A farm consultant lays out a strategy for getting through the dry.
Drought-stricken farmers must face up to uncomfortable truths if they are to manage their way through this situation, Total Ag farm consultant Rob Macnab says.
Ignoring it and treating it a “typical dry” and not adjusting farm management practices are the worst things farmers can do, he said during a seminar at Huntly organised by Beef + Lamb New Zealand on surviving the dry.
Farmers need to own the situation because it is happening and livestock condition is already starting to be impacted.
“Everyone in this room is heavily invested in the welfare of their animals and unfortunately, stock welfare is beginning to suffer.”
“They are going through all of this, the same as you are. Talking to one another will give you a lot more fortitude to carry through.”
Farmers also need to make sure they take time out for themselves and their family.
“What you do when it rains will set you up not only for this year, but the following year and the years after that.”
No one ever regretted making an early drought decision, he said.
“Act early and it’s never too late.”
When the grass supply stops growing, the only way to act is to either increase supply by bringing in feed or to lower demand – and that meant allocation or removal of stock and prioritising stock for next year’s production. For sheep and beef farmers, this is their ewes and beef cows.
That means running a hand down the animal’s back when condition scoring rather than just visually judging them.
“Be tough on what your best return on feed is. Make sure you are feeding the small amount of feed available to the stock that’s going to return something as long as it adds to next year’s production.”
He also recommended updating the budget and showing it to the bank manager.
Farmers will also be paid back if they leave feed behind – so avoid overgrazing and never set stock on a paddock because when it does rain, the pasture recovery lag will be much longer.
He suggested making a list of options and writing them down. This gives farmers the chance to review, plan and share that list.
Never let a good drought go to waste, he said.
“Farmers learn from adversity, so put some things in the bank from this spell that you can take into the next dry spell.”
Macnab said farmers should plan now for when the drought ends.
Farms will be in a feed deficit and building up feed reserves for lambing once pastures recover is one of the most important things farmers can do.
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