Some farmers choose to split their shearing so that all shorn stock can be adequately sheltered if a storm does hit. Mr Barbour says providing effective shelter for animals in the form of wind-netting or large bales on the windward side of the paddock is important. Stock should also be moved to paddocks with effective natural shelter, such as gullies, ditches and scrub. Richard Bishop, a Cromwell veterinarian, says that most farmers take steps to protect their stock from cold stress. When storms hit, tracks are cleared and extra feed is supplied.
Farmers sometimes get food to stock by snow raking which can be hard work.
It means physically clearing tracks in snow to ensure stock have access to feed. In heavy snow helicopters may be used to take food to stock in outlying areas. Stock may be trapped in drifts, sometimes even in the lee of shelter belts, and they can be located by searching for breathing holes in the snow. Dr Bishop says the high country which has some of the coldest and fierce winter storms, has livestock that have evolved to cope with the conditions. Farmers still do, however, move livestock to sheltered areas in winter or in anticipation of bad weather.