South Island farmers urged to keep up feed supplies

John O'Connor feeds out on his snow-covered farm at Sherwood Downs, near Fairlie, in South Canterbury. Picture / Simon Baker

South Island farmers hit by June's snowstorms have been urged to buy in enough feed to guard against another cold snap before spring.

Another big dump of snow would seriously threaten Canterbury's production figures for the coming season, said Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry regional leader John Greer, who is co-ordinating Government support for those who suffered.

Many farmers had used up their feed stocks since the big snowfalls.

"We know that some farmers are short of feed," he said yesterday. "If there is further snow, these are the farmers who will be in trouble.

"After another snowfall, it may take five to seven days to bring more feed in, which will be potentially disastrous for stock already under stress and struggling to maintain condition after the mid-June snowfall".

Farmers, who had worked hard for the past month to feed snowbound stock and keep their farms running, were becoming "burnt out" and might be failing to plan ahead.

Though stock losses after the mid-June storm were light, another big snowfall with lambing and calving imminent would result in a "much bleaker outcome".

MAF believed there was enough feed in the greater Canterbury area.

But "we strongly advise all farmers to make sure they have enough feed of sufficient quality to take them through lambing or calving", said Mr Greer.

Mr Greer said MAF had talked with bankers who would stand by farming clients worried about spending on additional feed.

- NZPA