Word around the pub leaner had farmers in the region more than pleased with the amount of rain their parched paddocks received after weeks of little-to-no rain.
Sheep and beef farmer Ben Graham said his farm was in desperate need of some moisture and it came as a welcome relief.
Mr Graham, who farms the 3500ha Hartfield property near Hyde, usually winters 6300 ewes, 3300 merino lambs, and about 250 cattle and 210 calves.
‘‘It’s great to see the dams get a top up. That, and the stock water too.
‘‘The winter crops were also gasping for a drink,’’ he said.
Mr Graham still had about 800 cull ewes on the farm to ‘‘think about’’ which would have typically been sent to the processor by now. He has held on to them after a major downturn in mutton prices had stifled any cull plans due to the coronavirus outbreak in China, where the majority of New Zealand mutton is exported.
But he was not getting too excited.
‘‘February is usually pretty hot and dry. In three weeks’ time it’s possible we will all wonder where the moisture has gone and we’ll be back to being dry again,’’ he said.
-By Alice Scott
