MANAGEMENT DURING THE SNOWS
Farmers reacted in different ways to the snows and actions varied according to the type of country being farmed. A total of sixty eight responses/actions taken in response to the snows were recorded which indicated the diversity of approach (Table 27).
Table 27: Major Actions Taken in Response to the Snows (* Best actions taken)
High Country (N=20)
| Response | ||
| (%) | ||
| Fed supplements - hay, silage, grain, feed blocks | 100 | |
| Dozed access roads, tracks and feed area | 75 * | |
| Helicopter to locate and feed stock, transport snow rakers | 60 * | |
| Shifted sheep to low altitude, sunny faces and to good access | 30 | |
| Snowraked livestock | 25 | |
| Purchased supplements | 15 | |
| Sought assistance as soon as possible | 10 |
The use of dozers and helicopters were seen as the two best things high country farmers did. Spending excessive time with small mobs and waiting to the snow to thaw were actions taken that some would not repeat.
Hill Country (N=37)
| Fed supplements - hay, silage, grain, nuts, kale | 100 * | |
| Dozed access tracks | 62 * | |
| Snow raked livestock | 51 | |
| Helicopter to locate and feed stock and transport snowrakers | 27 | |
| Shifted sheep to low altitude, near tracks, good access | 27 | |
| Shifted sheep to shelter, covered yards | 13 | |
| Purchased supplements | 13 | |
| Sought assistance | 11 | |
| Grazed out sheep after the snows | 5 |
Actions taken by hill country farmers were similar to the high country, although helicopters were not used as extensively. More use was made of planted shelter and covered yards and supplements included more silage and sheep nuts in addition to hay. Some hill country farmers fed hay twice daily and others fed radiata pine branches where alternative feed was not available. As with high country farmers the need to take prompt action was seen as important i.e. start and keep going. Other actions taken included talking the problem over with neighbours, assessing the situation and setting priorities. Best actions included the feeding of supplements and use of dozers to open up tracks. Actions that would not be repeated included leaving stock at high altitude in the event of a snow warning, trying to revive sleepy sickness ewes and waiting for the snow to thaw.
Banks Peninsula (N=12)
| Fed supplements - hay | 58 * | |
| Helicopter to locate stock, transport snowrakers and feed cattle | 50 * | |
| Dozed access tracks | 33 | |
| Shifted stock to low altitude/sunny country, shorn sheep to covered yards | 33 | |
| Purchase supplementary feed | 16 | |
| Sought assistance | 16 | |
| Drench weak ewes with glucose | 16 | |
| Take gates off hinges for easy access | 8 |
Fewer Banks Peninsula farmers fed supplements (mainly hay) to livestock than hill and high country farmers, but the use of helicopters to locate stock, transport labour and feed livestock was similar to the high country. Best actions taken included feeding hay and the use of helicopters. The use of inexperienced snowrakers was identified as a weakness in the recovery operation by one Banks Peninsula farmer.
Downs farms (N=31)
| Fed supplements - hay, silage, grain, haylage | 100 * | |
| Dozed and snowploughed access tracks | 38 * | |
| Shifted sheep to low altitude, sunny faces, shelter, covered yards | 38 | |
| Snowploughed grass, turnips, greenfeed for livestock | 23 | |
| Purchased supplementary feed | 23 | |
| Snowraked livestock | 13 | |
| Ewes and lambs, weak sheep to empty haybam | 10 | |
| Sought assistance | 6 |
Feeding supplements was the most frequent response taken by downs farmers with silage/haylage forming a greater proportion of the supplements fed than either hill or high country farmers. The use of a dozer for clearing access tracks and a snowplough for opening up grass paddocks and winter feed were also used to advantage. Obtaining suitable 4-wheel drive vehicles and talking the situation through with neighbours were identified as lesser but important actions taken, Supplementary feeding and the use of a dozer were identified as the two best actions taken. Reviving sleepy sickness ewes and the growing of winter feed at the too higher altitudes were identified as factors which would not be repeated by downs farmers.
Plains farms (N=33)
| Fed supplements - hay, silage, grain | 85 * | |
| Shifted sheep before snow got too deep | 36 | |
| Snowploughed grass, hay pads, turnips, greenfeed | 33 * | |
| Shifted sheep to shelter | 21 | |
| Snowploughed access tracks | 18 | |
| Shifted shorn sheep into covered yards | 15 | |
| Purchased supplementary feed | 12 | |
| Sought assistance | 9 | |
| Shifted sheep to tracks, good access | 6 | |
| Grazed out sheep after the snow | 6 |
As with downs farms, feeding of supplements was the most frequent response but there was more emphasis on the use of grass and winter feed crops in addition to hay and silage. This was achieved by the use of snowploughs and grader blades. The snowplough replaced the dozer on the plains which together with supplements were the two best actions taken. Shifting sheep to shelter was an action taken by many but did not always achieve the desired effect.
Contact for Enquiries
North Island
Phil Journeaux
Manager
North Island Regions
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 7 957 8314
Fax: +64 7 957 8315
South Island
John Greer
Regional Team Leader
Natural Resources Group
MAF Policy
PO Box 20 280
Christchurch
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 3 943 1703
Fax: +64 3 943 1757
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