Last weekend falls of up to 50mm were recorded in the Northern Tablelands putting smiles on faces and bringing some hope to farmers struggling to feed stock.
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Dundee grazier Malcolm Weir said while there was good general rain, the totals were quite variable.
“We were thrilled to bits,” he told the Country Leader. “We received between 30mm and 47mm at different rain gauges on the farms.
“It’s still reasonably warm here and were haven’t had any severe frosts so if we get some follow-up rain it could be worthwhile.”
Mr Weir, who stopped in the middle of feeding sheep for the interview, said there was enough rain for some dams to collect some run off and it also put water in the house tank.
“We’ve been carting water to the house from the standpipe at the Glen Innes Sale Yards,” he said.
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Around Armidale there was also some variations in rainfall totals.
Chris Clonan from Alfoxton Merinos near Armidale said they received 40mm of rain at the house and 46mm up the back.
“Armidale didn’t get as much as us, but over towards Rocky River, someone told me they had 50mm,” Mr Clonan said.
Around Kentucky, Rob Drew “Glenroy” said there was 25mm.
“It was lovely,” he said. “It put some water in the tanks and there was a little bit of run off in some dams.
The rain gave us some optimism that it can still rain – it just makes you feel better.
- Robert Drew
“The rain gave us some optimism that it can still rain – it just makes you feel better.”
Figures from the Bureau of Meteorology show totals for the first few days of July at:
- Armidale 33.6mm
- Barraba 4.2mm
- Collarenebri 1.2mm
- Glen Innes 48.8mm
- Gunnedah 0
- Guyra 43.0mm
- Inverell 37.6mm
- Moree 15.6mm
- Narrabri 0.6mm
- Tamworth 0.2mm
- Tenterfield 42.6mm
- Woolbrook 16.7mm
Not too late for winter forage crops
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services officer Glen Uebergang said there was enough rain that some people might consider planting a late forage crop like oats, barley, triticale or ryegrass.
But, there’s less time for growth this late in the season.
“Triticale will be the quickest to first grazing when planted at this time of year with barley slightly later by about 2-3 weeks, followed by oats and then winter wheats,” he said.
“Early maturing grazing varieties are quicker to grazing than late maturing grazing varieties. Sowing rates will also influence speed to first grazing.
“The advantage of the late season varieties though, is that they can be grazed much later in the year with triticale and barley running to head early in mid to late October whereas late maturing oats and winter wheats will provide feed through to roughly mid-December.”
He also suggested extending grazing by planting an annual ryegrass in a mix with forage oats, triticale or barley to extend the grazing value of paddocks later into the season.
Awns on triticale and barley at heading can reduce grazing potential.