The Hawke’s Bay was so dry in early January that grass fires were appearing throughout the region. A turn-around in weather conditions brought multiple bouts of heavy rainfall during the following fortnight causing a rapid improvement in onfarm conditions.
This was near identical to what was witnessed in the East Coast.
AgriHQ’s Dairy Pasture Growth Indicator, a measure of potential pasture growth based on temperature, rainfall and sunlight hours, showed a PGI value for the Hawke’s Bay that was 43% more than its ten-year average for February.
Source: AgriHQ
The lift in moisture levels has brought Hawke’s Bay farmers back into the store market, helping to support stronger prices at the saleyards.
Lower and western North Island also recorded one of the better Februarys for grass growth. Taranaki, Manawatu and Wairarapa received consistent rainfall that was matched by warm temperatures common for late summer. February is typically the driest month of the year for these regions, but conditions this year have much improved on a year ago when a particularly dry period was setting in. The PGI value for Manawatu during February was 626% higher than it was a year ago.
Plenty of pasture in this region is also stoking the store markets, slowing the run of animals sent to slaughter as producers hold onto them longer to add more weight.
The upper and central North Island revealed a slightly wetter than normal February. Bay of Plenty received the largest downpours, but other areas received enough rainfall to ease anxieties about pasture and moisture levels.
This has meant Northland has improved from its predicament in January, although still sits in drought status. Northland has been hit by several severe droughts in the past decade, but its February PGI value was still 2% below the 10-year-average. Compared to the 5-year average the February PGI value was actually 19% higher, indicative of the droughts that the region has been faced with.
Canterbury is in the midst of a dry spell. No rain of any significance has come to the majority of the region for more than a month now and more are beginning to act on this situation, offloading stock and buying in extra feed.
Northern and central regions are the worst affected, though more moisture would be welcomed in South Canterbury too. North Canterbury’s PGI value for February was 68% lower than its ten-year average.
Other South Island regions are faring relatively well. Rainfall and temperatures have found a balance that has left many satisfied given how kind the majority of the summer was to the South Island.
There are parts of North Otago which could benefit from a period of warmer and drier weather as the grass there, while in abundance, is lacking in substance. Otago and Southland were 39-42% above their decade average PGI value for February.
