9 Sep 2014

Farmers urged to reduce storm impact

7:07 am on 9 September 2014

DairyNZ is urging farmers in Northland hit by storm damage to do what they can to stop the impact lasting into next season.

It said it had been a tough winter for farmers with the region experiencing its wettest winter in decades, all off the back of a drought.

Northland regional leader Tafi Manjala said it was important farmers make those storm experiences a one year event and not a three year catch-up.

"A key priority for farmers is to get as many cows in calf as possible, and we know that with these wet conditions, feed utilisation is quite low and supplements will need to be brought in."

He said farmers could protect pastures by checking them daily and avoiding pugging damage that can halve pasture production for six weeks or more.

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