The Maori trust that owns large farms in the King Country says the rain this week will make the grass green, but warm weather is also needed to get it growing.
Tiroa and Te Hape Trusts have 11,000 hectares of land and about 120,000 sheep and beef cattle.
Chair of the trusts Hardie Peni says the rain is welcomed, following severe drought conditions.
He says it had been a good steady fall, which had allowed a lot of soakage to go right through to the roots on the grass.
However, Mr Peni says it has effectively come too late, because winter programmes are getting underway and the weather needs to continue to be warm for grass to grow.
He says one problem the rain might bring, given it has been dry so long, is an increased spore count which could cause facial eczema in livestock.
