Cold weather and Rain in parts of Australia

[Australian Cattleman]

Here in our state of New South Wales in the past week we have had floods and snow and big frosts. The Hunter Valley and the central coast (an area just north of Sydney has been the hardest hit) We had falls of snow overnight last Friday. It didn't settle at our place but it did on the mountains to our south and west. We have had a couple of monster frosts with frozen taps etc. Yesterday at 10 am it was still white in the shade. These cold facts would mean little to the US and Canadians on the board but they are severe for us.
Our cattle are starting to get woolly now. We are feeding out hay because of our poor rain supply for late Autumn. Up until the last week we had very mild temps but alas winter is here.
Colin

 

[Jogeephus]

Seems like wherever you are, there is always some obstacle you have to tackle in this business. Good luck and hope it warms a bit for you.

 

[KNERSIE]

we also had heavy frost the last two mornings.

Australian Cattlemen, is the drought broken now?

I tried to buy some Aurora alfalfa seed (or do you also call it lucerne), but there is absolutely no aurora available due to the drought in Australia. Apparently it gets imported and not multiplied locally.

Honestly didn't expect a drought 24 hours on a plain away from me to have an effect on my farm.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

no the drought is far from broken many many areas have not received any worthwhile rain. Its down to 1c outside at 8pm at night. The garden hose had just started to freeze. Lots of Queensland state is still in drought as is our state of New South Wales. Many cropping areas of our state did have good rain.During the last week of rain and snow. It snowed in an area that is only 300 metres above sea level. Never has happened before. many people in the flooded areas are on edge tonight and tomorrow as there are predictions of up to 200 mls forecast again. Many properties are still flooded.
Colin

 

[Keren]

Yes, at the moment it seems like we really are living in the proverbial land of 'droughts and flooding rains'. The images coming from the Hunter are amazing - hopefully things will be resolved soon. We are lucky enough that our area is not prone to such weather extremes, but then again a small part of that water would have been welcome! Seems like the weather just can't get right, can it. Its either drought or flood. And the agronomists here are talking about this year being the year for floods.

Knersie, the drought is being really strange lately. Some areas have had the break. A few properties just half an hour from us look like they will have a ripper winter crop. On the other hand, we have had a bit of rain here so that at least we are not buying water anymore, but its certainly not the break we've been hoping for.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

We started the year off really well then we had a period of warmish weather for about 6 weeks in March April without much rain to build on the good earlier falls.Our area looks just like it usually does in Winter here,brown,dry and short of grass. We've been feeding round bales and small ones and some grain for the past month now and maybe still have about 3 or 4 to go unless we have late Winter rains like we did last year. Our cattle are all starting to calve. All OK so far.Lots of heifers,20 stud SDs so far (19 heifers 1 very good bull calf) the sire we have been using in the stud herd has produced in in the past three years 150 calves. 110 of theses have been heifers and the rest male calves. He's not a good bull producer,but when he does produce a calf worthy of being kept as a bull they are very good.Enough bull,frosty morning here this morning only down to minus 3c. No minus 13/15 yet.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Been darn cold here still. Yesterday got down to minus ten celcius.Blew one pipe. More sleety/snowy whether on the way. Been heavy snow in low parts of Victoria today.
Colin