The ‘winterless north’ – it’s almost a cliché to describe our region.

While Northland generally has milder winters than other parts of New Zealand, there are still things you need to consider to make sure you and  your stock get through the colder months safe and well.

Shelter against cold, wet, windy weather means your stock don’t have to waste energy keeping warm, which can slow growth. Young lambs and calves have a better survival rate, and stock with proper shelter are less stressed at vulnerable times, such as when they are heavily pregnant or after shearing. Weather has a direct impact on newborn survival, and the weather in the final weeks of pregnancy is as important as the weather during lambing or calving. This is because a heavily pregnant animal already has high metabolic demand, and may reduce her food intake shortly before giving birth. If she’s cold, her body has to shift resources away from her unborn young to maintain her body temperate. Good feeding and shelter during this time are the best guarantee of healthy birth weights and high survival rates.

Bear in mind that some types of stock, such as dairy cows, are not as ‘thick-skinned’ as others, even when mature. You will need to take this into consideration in the shelter you provide.

Mature stock can generally withstand cold or wet weather if they remain well fed and stay in good body condition, so it’s important to have a feed plan  in place. Your feed plan can be as simple as a hand-drawn picture of a paddock, with directions for grazing, transition areas and buffer zones, stepping through what needs to happen and the contingency for wet weather and adverse events. Use tools such as online feeding calculators to estimate stock nutrient demands and compare them to what is supplied in their diet. If you farm with a team, make sure everyone is familiar with the plan.

Planning ahead for winter should take severe bad weather into account. The likelihood of more severe and frequent weather events is high, so be prepared and think about how resilient your farm is to handle those events. Things to consider include:

• access to a back-up power supply during a power cut
• how you can get stock to higher ground quickly if you need to – for low-lying properties, you might need to make an agreement with a neighbour to move your stock onto their property in an emergenc    
• knowing who your neighbours are and how you can help each other in an emergency
• ensuring you have enough food and supplies for your family and your animals to get by for a few days if your access road is cut off. 

Northland’s unique climate also makes winter the best time for planting trees. If you’re planting for shelter, erosion control, or reforestation, do it in winter to give your young trees a chance to establish before the summer dry hits. To get the most from your shelter belt, bear in mind:

• Shelters belts should slow wind, not stop it entirely
• Planning is essential
• A shelter belt must be managed to give good results
• Make it multi-purpose to provide timber, food, bee and stock fodder, wildlife habitat, and more
• Keep stock out
• Think about shading needs in summer

For more information about shelter belts, visit Trees for shelter belts, shade and stock food - Northland Regional Council.