Tuesday, 21 January 2025 08:55

Farmers faring well amid summer heat

Written by  Jessica Marshall
DairyNZ head of regional teams, Claire Bekhuis. DairyNZ head of regional teams, Claire Bekhuis.

Dairy farmers are faring well despite data showing above average temperatures for most of the country.

DairyNZ head of regional teams, Claire Bekhuis, says that dairy farmers are doing well although the weather has varied from region to region.

“The Waikato and Bay of Plenty have experienced some summer rain combined with good growth conditions, season to date, meaning there is lots of feed available as well as supplementary feed on hand,” Bekhuis says.

She says that patches in the South Taranaki and Northland regions are experiencing relatively dry conditions, impacting pasture growth and day-to-day operations.

She says these regions are being watched and regularly assessed to see whether or not conditions worsen.

The rest of the lower North Island is experiencing relatively normal summer temperatures and has seen some rain in recent weeks, meaning that while those regions are slightly dry, it is not at a concerning level.

Bekhuis says in the South Island, conditions are similar, with Canterbury experiencing recent rain and Southland seeing consistent grass growth in the past month. However, the latter is still impacted by the extreme wet conditions that hit the region in the spring.

“While conditions are comfortable for most dairy farms right now, we are only halfway through summer, and conditions may change in the coming weeks,” she says.

“It is key for farmers to constantly assess and monitor their situation, and plan on how to handle feed, reduce stress and minimise the impacts on next season.

“This could include JESSICA MARSHALL DairyNZ head of regional teams, Claire Bekhuis. “While conditions are comfortable for most dairy farms right now, we are only halfway through summer, and conditions may change in the coming weeks.” considering different flexible milking options to reduce pressure on cows, demand on feed and people,” she says.

According to recent data from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), 2024 marked New Zealand’s 10th warmest year on record.

According to NIWA’s 2024 Annual Climate Summary, annual temperatures were above average for much of Northland, northern Waikato, Bay of Plenty, coastal Hawke’s Bay, southern Taranaki, Whanganui, eastern and southern Wairarapa, Tasman, inland northern Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, and eastern Otago.

More like this

Bridging the gap with rural New Zealand

OPINION: One thing I keep hearing from rural New Zealanders is the importance of relationships. Strong relationships don’t just happen - they take trust, consistency, and time.

Featured

LIC Space folds for good

Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.

Editorial: Time for common sense

OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).

National

DairyNZ Farmers Forum underway

Over 300 farmers and rural professionals have gathered in Hamilton for the first DairyNZ Farmers Forum for this year.

Machinery & Products

Shearing legend hooked on CanAm

Sir David Fagan, world-renowned competitive sheep shearer with 642 shearing titles worldwide and a knighthood to his name, now runs…

50 years of tractor pull

This year, the Fieldays Tractor Pull, in association with PTS Logistics, mark a major milestone – 50 years of crowd-thrilling…

The Wrangler's birthday bash

It's the Wrangler Limited’s 30th birthday and to celebrate the milestone a prototype of the E Series Wrangler - a…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Free speech

OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.

Drug survey

OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter