While the break of the season is not, on average, until May an exceptionally dry summer has meant little feed for stock.

John Richardson, farm consultant with Reed Richardson and Associates, believes this summer to be in the lowest 10 per cent in terms of rainfall.

“Arguably we’ve been spoilt in the last few years with good rains in April,” he said.

“The feed situation is pretty tight – especially north and east of Esperance.”

Mr Richardson said that while there are isolated farmers who have commenced their seeding programs, particularly west of Esperance, the majority of areas were still waiting for some definitive rains.

For cattle farmer Kim Beale, who runs 260 breeders on his 1000 acre property, rain is needed by the end of the week to capitalise on the little that has already fallen.

“We’ve had about 22mm with a couple of showers since – most people haven’t even received that,” Mr Beale said.

“But it’s really only advantageous if it rains by the end of the week – otherwise we will lose about 50 per cent of the pasture germination.”

Mr Beale has been feeding out 40 rolls, or 20 tonnes, of hay weekly – a costly enterprise with hay costing at least $100 a tonne and beef prices at an almost all-time low.

“Demand for hay is high and there’s nothing locally – not even straw,” he said.

Mr Beale has recently sourced his hay from Arthur River, but at $100 a tonne plus freight costs of an additional 60 per cent, he believes that it is time to start reducing numbers and looking for agistment.

“Even if it starts raining now, we’d still have to feed stock for another six weeks,” he lamented.

Like beef producers, the shortage of feed in Esperance is hurting prime lamb producers – particularly those who have elected to lamb in May.

Mandy Curnow, Lifetimewool officer with the Department of Agriculture and Food WA, said that lambing at this time of year was like walking a tightrope, especially with a lack of green pasture and increasing feed costs.

“The condition of the ewe before lambing is the biggest factor in lambing rates,” she said.

“A poorly conditioned ewe affects the birth weight of the lamb, which then affects survival.”

Speddingup farmer Brad Lewis, who is in the middle of lambing, said that considering the season his lambing rates had been surprisingly good – a fact that he attributed to the substantial amount of hand feeding he had been doing.

“We’ve been feeding now for about six to eight weeks but the feed is starting to run out,” Mr Lewis said.

“We’ve got enough until the end of the month and then I guess we’ll have to go looking for more.”

Mr Lewis said that he heard from many farmers that Esperance’s feed stocks, particularly hay, were depleted.

“It starts to get pretty expensive when you’ve got to go great distances to chase feed for your stock, so we’re absolutely desperate for some rain.”

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the dry spell may be set to continue, with no significant rains events expected within the next week.

While there is a front approaching Esperance tomorrow, it is expected that there will be no showers on Saturday and only one or two on Sunday as the front is slowing down considerably.