Soil moisture levels in the Bay of Plenty have dropped to just 10 per cent, according to NIWA.

Dry weather has meant soil has dried out to 90 per cent and the region needs at least 60mm of rain to restore pasture growth to normal levels.

The owner of these young stock is using break feeding to preserve pasture rapidly drying out in the summer heat.

DairyNZ regional team leader Craig McBeth says lower than normal soil moisture levels across the North Island, with the exception of Taranaki, means dairy farmers should be looking at options to manage through the current dry conditions.

According to NIWA data, soil moisture available in Te Puke is 10 per cent and in Whangarei and Hamilton just 13 per cent.

A key focus for farmers currently should be looking at ways to keep a core group of cows milking until pasture growth recovers, says Craig.

'Implementing some culling and tallying up supplements are important actions right now. It's also important to manage pasture condition and not over-graze, so when it does rain, pastures are in good shape to respond.”

Tactics to ease the impact on pasture include keeping pasture residuals above six clicks (1400kg DM/ha or 3cm) and maintaining a rotation length as close to 30 days as possible.

'Sixteen hour milking is one way of getting onto a longer rotation – it can be beneficial for protecting paddocks and if it rains, milk production will bounce back,” says Craig.

Reducing the grazing time can also help preserve pasture.

'When cows reach the target grazing residual, take them out and stand them on a feed pad, stand-off area or a shady area with some supplement and water. The key is to have a plan and keep reviewing it, so things don't sneak up on you.”

He urges farmers to communicate the plan to their on-farm staff and to ensure that they are keeping their banker informed of how the farm is tracking financially.

Craig also encourages farmers to remain optimistic about rainfall late in the season and the importance of using different tactics to keep cows milking to exploit the late rain.