While the province looked green, farmers in some areas say feed was short and extra rain was needed to top up depleted soil moisture levels.
Some farmers in inland North Otago were considering quitting stock due to the hot, dry weather, while those in South Otago were still finely balanced, with another two dry weeks potentially forcing some to consider quitting some lambs in store condition.
North Otago Federated Farmers president Robert Borst said rain before Christmas had been welcomed and boosted the province, but heat and wind since had made its value short-lived.
Mr Borst said while it was not unusual for North Otago to dry out at this time of the year, dryland farmers did not have the bulk of feed they needed to get them through.
Many sheep farmers were down on stock numbers because of last summer's dry weather, and had hoped to finish lambs to higher-paying heavy weights, but the weather could preclude that.
"Farmers are talking that they are getting quite concerned."
Winter supplements and crops on dryland have also been poor because it had not rained at the key times.
The Kakanui River was only just above its minimum flow level, below which irrigators cannot take water, and Mr Borst said more rain was needed in the headwaters in the next week or two to avoid restrictions.
Parts of South Otago were also getting dry and the region was teetering on the edge of reasonably serious dry conditions but, equally, timely rain could salvage an average summer.
Te Houka farmer John Bennett said last year the average monthly rainfall between September and December was 54mm.
This year, over the same period, it was 45mm and has generally fallen when needed up till the last few weeks.
Mr Bennett said recent heat had evaporated much of the benefit of rain last week, and he said another substantial fall of rain was needed in the next week or so.
He was close to selling some of his lambs as store to reduce grazing pressure and had already sent ewes to grazing for two weeks.
Otago Federated Farmers meat and fibre section chairman Rob Lawson said while East Otago looked green, last year it dried out from late summer.
He expected farmers to be able to finish all their lambs and said winter crops looked promising.
Wanaka farmer and the federation's Otago president Richard Burdon said there had been plenty of rain in the upper Clutha, and recent hot weather had hardened up the feed.
With lamb and venison prices holding up, Mr Burdon said there was some optimism.
However, dairy farmers were slow in committing to winter grazing contracts, something which Central Otago farmers were usually finalising at this time of the year, he said.
Uncertainty about the milk payout has created the delay.