Education offer for lifestylers

FARMING: Carterton lifestyle block owner Marnie Rutherford says people who want to live the good life need to understand their animals need care. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Livestock could be suffering on many Wairarapa lifestyle blocks because of some owners' ignorance but there is help at hand.

Wairarapa Smallholders group member Marnie Rutherford, who has been a lifestyle farmer in the region for the past decade, said last summer's drought had highlighted the need for education geared at lifestyle block owners.

"There have been many cases of serious stock issues like starving stock, particularly during the very dry summer months ... feed is low but these farmers need to know how much feed they are going to need to get them through," she said.

The root cause of the problem was a lack of knowledge but animals were suffering needlessly, Ms Rutherford said.

"We need to educate these owners how to best look after their stock ... it's all preventable."

It was all good and well wanting to live the "good life" down on the farm, but stock couldn't be left to fend for themselves, Ms Rutherford said.

"You can't just bring these animals home and plonk them in a paddock and forget about them."

From buying stock to animal husbandry, handling, transport, feeding and disposal, including culling, selling or homekilling stock, it could all be an issue.

It wasn't easy asking for help, but sometimes people just needed to, Ms Rutherford said.

She knows first hand - having to ask a neighbouring farmer to help her a few times.

"You feel such an idiot if you go to a farmer to ask. You feel like a fool." From purchasing to feeding - there was a lot to learn, she said.

Wairarapa Smallholders has approached Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre which is prepared to offer farmskills courses and the Wairarapa Smallholders group is planning workshops for lifestyle block owners.

Ms Rutherford said they were also making up flyers to give to buyers at stock sales and for those buying from Trade Me or through feed suppliers, veterinarians and SPCA.

"We'd like people to be given the information at point-of-sale attached to invoices," she said.

The group will also provide snippets of information through columns in Times-Age Rural and its monthly newsletter.

If you are interested in joining the Wairarapa Smallholders group email wairarapasmallholders@outlook.co.nz.

If you are interested in part-time weekend or evening courses through Taratahi such as animal health or chainsaw use for small block owners contact Kerry Dunning on (06) 378 2116 or email farmskills@taratahi.ac.nz.

If you have any health concerns about stock contact SPCA, Lloyd Warren (06) 377 1912.