Robert Reid is feeding 100 rolls of hay a week to keep cattle going

It’s the worst autumn Howlong farmer Robert Reid has ever seen in his decades of farming in the area. And he knows that even if it does rain in June, it will be too late. See the video.

It’s the worst autumn that Howlong farmer Robert Reid has ever seen in his decades of farming in the area.

And the southern NSW cattle producer and cropper knows that even if it does rain in June, it will be too late to grow much feed.

Mr Reid and his family are currently feeding out about 100 rolls of lucerne hay a week to his herd of about 1000 Hereford cattle, and some are getting grain too.

He said they were fortunate they had more than 2000 round bales still in storage – enough to get them through another four to five months of feeding, though he hopes the season will turn around before that.

But with weeks of blue skies and unseasonally warm late autumn weather, Mr Reid said this year was a challenge.

“It would be good weather if you wanted to go on a picnic, but it is no picnic being a farmer at the moment,” Mr Reid said.

Robert Reid on his farm near Howlong. Picture: Zoe Phillips

While the operation has sown its canola dry, the wheat is on hold until there is rain and the ability to spray out any weeds that might emerge.

Mr Reid said he was hopeful rain in June might eventuate, which would allow crops to be sown, but would not provide much in terms of pastures.

“Even if we got good rain now, in my experience it would be August before we will see any real amount of feed for the cattle,” he said.

“In March, April and May, we’ve only had about 30mm of rain in scattered falls which adds up to nothing as far as you want a pasture to grow – it just hasn’t happened.”

Mr Reid said it was the driest period he had seen.

“We’ve had droughts before and you usually get a shower of rain but we haven’t even had that at this stage.

“They say we are going to get a bit of rain later on, so hopefully they are right.”