Article Summary: New Zealand’s dry summer has left many paddocks struggling to recover, but rain is on the way in most regions. To ease out of drought stress, resist grazing fresh growth too soon, continue providing supplements, and let key pastures build root reserves. Plan your autumn feed budget carefully, prioritise the needs of high-demand livestock, and slow your rotations to rebuild pasture covers. Stay alert for heavy rain events or cyclone remnants, using on-off grazing to reduce pugging. By managing regrowth wisely and preparing for changing weather, you will help your pastures rebound and set up for a stronger winter season.
Introduction
Many New Zealand regions endured a dry summer this year (over 2024/25), with below-normal rainfall in parts of the North and South Islands. By early autumn, drought conditions had been officially declared in several areas, emphasising how challenging grazing can become when soil moisture levels drop.
Thankfully, autumn’s rainfall outlook suggests gradual relief.
This article explores how farmers can transition from parched paddocks to improved conditions, while still preparing for the cooler months ahead.
A drier-than-usual summer not only reduces pasture productivity but also depletes soil moisture levels deeper in the profile. As moderate rain arrives, soils can remain hydrophobic in places, causing runoff rather than effective absorption. Observing how quickly paddocks rehydrate helps fine-tune grazing and fertiliser strategies in early autumn.
Easing Out of Dryness
Understand Rainfall Patterns
Climate reports indicate near-normal rainfall in many regions. While western zones may remain on the drier side, some eastern areas could see above-normal rainfall. Although new green shoots can appear with early rain, it is crucial to resist the temptation to graze these fresh growths too soon. Allowing paddocks time to recover helps preserve both root systems and long-term performance.
When assessing your local rainfall, consider previous soil moisture deficits. Even if the total rainfall is near normal, the dry period that preceded it means pastures might need extra time to restore root depth and nutrient uptake.
Slow Recovery Tactics
When paddocks do begin to rebound, continue using supplements such as hay or silage. This ensures you are not forced to graze recovering pastures prematurely. It is also wise to protect your most productive paddocks, giving them extra rest to build stronger root reserves and rebound more effectively.
Including a light fertiliser application (such as nitrogen or potassium) on recovering paddocks can speed regrowth, provided that soil moisture has sufficiently improved. Monitoring leaf stages in key paddocks ensures grazing only occurs once the plants have reached optimal regrowth, typically two to three leaves for ryegrass.
Balancing Feed Supply and Livestock Demand
Autumn Feed Budget
It is important to project autumn growth rates carefully, as soils might still be slow to recover from drought-induced stress. Allocate the best forage to those stock classes with higher nutrient demands, such as heavy-lactating animals and young replacements that require priority feeding.
Keeping a simple feed budget spreadsheet (yes we know this sounds old rather than an app like Pasture.io, but a spreadsheet allows for quick custom edits) with weekly updates on pasture covers and stock requirements can highlight shortfalls early. This proactive approach prevents over-reliance on stored feed and helps plan supplementary purchases if needed.
Rotation Management
A gradual slowing of the grazing rotation helps rebuild pasture covers. Aim for post-grazing residuals of at least 1500 kg DM/ha (approximately 3.5–4 cm). Overgrazing at this stage risks undermining regrowth potential and can delay overall pasture recovery.
To maintain consistent pasture quality, identify paddocks that have regrown slowly due to the recent dryness and consider them for priority rotation. This gives the farm a more even pasture cover profile and avoids the pitfall of continuously hammering already stressed paddocks.
Looking Ahead to Autumn Rains and Possible Cyclones
Chance of Heavy Rain Events
Late summer to early autumn can bring remnants of tropical cyclones that may cause sudden, heavy downpours. It is wise to plan for these events by identifying paddocks that can handle excess moisture or by preparing a feed pad. Standing stock off vulnerable paddocks during intense rainfall can reduce damage.
Ensuring drains and culverts are clear before heavy rain arrives can minimise runoff damage. Temporary fencing can also be used to restrict animals to higher ground if a sudden downpour floods low-lying areas.
Combatting Pugging
Pugging and soil compaction become serious risks when paddocks are wet. Consider on-off grazing strategies, allowing animals short grazing periods before moving them to drier ground or a feed pad. Minimising soil damage now ensures stronger future yields and healthier pasture conditions.
On-off grazing can be supplemented with portable troughs or water sources, keeping livestock hydration steady without forcing them to wander over muddy, vulnerable paddocks. This small extra step helps protect root structures from compaction in high-traffic zones.
Final Thoughts
Emerging from a hot, dry summer calls for careful balancing acts. Farmers must protect regrowth as the rain returns, avoiding the pitfall of grazing too hard too soon. By extending rotations, using supplements thoughtfully, and planning for possible weather extremes, you can guide your parched pastures towards a robust comeback. Transitioning from summer dryness to a more forgiving autumn climate is an opportunity to set your farm up for winter and beyond.
Regularly revisiting your farm’s grazing plan—especially as weather conditions change—helps maintain healthy pasture covers. The lessons learned from this season’s dry spell can guide proactive measures in the future, such as sowing drought-tolerant pasture species or refining soil-management practices.
Until we meet again, Happy Grazing!
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2025-03-11