Cold snap a shock for farmers and stock

After the great August and September weather, last week's southerly cold snap came as a shock to farmers and their stock. It meant farmers were busy picking up cold, wet lambs and, for a few, snow-covered lambs reports The Manawatu Standard. The snow hit the hills of Manawatu, Hawke's Bay and Tararua last Thursday. It had been a kind August and September weatherwise and, until last week, most lambs had survived. At least the storm was short-lived, with temperatures warming up again just one day after the cold weather swept through. Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers meat and fibre chairman Tony Gray said his in-lamb ewes in the area generally carried more lamb foetuses this year. "Not only did we have a good scanning, but the survival rate has been pretty good." He said farmers he had talked to had reported more bearings (vaginal prolapses) in their ewes this year, but that was not surprising given the number of multiples (triplets and quads) that ewes were carrying this spring. Spring pasture growth was apparent now, Mr Gray said. "Although we spread our ewes out early because we didn't have enough for another rotation, the ewes are in pretty good condition and the pasture covers are adequate." Mr Gray said beef cows on his Pohangina Valley farm were due to start calving in early October. He said the cows are being fed baleage and chou stalks and were certainly in better condition than last year. "I have talked to a couple of meat company representatives recently and the common theme was that $4.30 a kilogram for lamb could be the low for the season but only time will tell." In the Hunterville hills, lambing has been pretty much in full swing over the last week.