A Northland farming consultant says farms in the region are so waterlogged that paddocks have turned into mud.
Flooding from recent storms has added to the effects of a very wet winter in the north.
FarmWise consultant Neil Smith says the ground is so saturated that it's difficult to get pasture to grow.
He says next month will be a critical period for feeding cows and says it's getting to the point where farmers are considering taking milking cows off paddocks to conserve grass for later on.
Mr Smith says a number of farmers have considered the option of milking once a day or reduce the number of cows.
In the meantime, he advises them to keep cattle off the pasture to give it a chance to recover.
He says farmers also need to look at buying supplementary feed such as palm kernel now, to ensure the animals' health and body condition are maintained.
