Farmers were reluctant to reveal the extent of stock losses in the past month, but said they were higher than normal as new-born calves and stressed cows succumbed to a month of extreme wet and bitter temperatures.
Sheep farmers were also struggling with the conditions, but with the official start to lambing still some weeks away, they were hopeful of a return to warmer, more settled weather.
Dairy farm paddocks green with lush winter-saved pasture are being turned into bogs as soon as cows are turned out, forcing farmers who could, to utilise specially-made stand-off pads where feed was taken to them.
But even these were becoming bogs due to the wet and heavy use.
Farmers said winter had been kind up to late July, but had then turned cold and wet with no respite for the past month.
The low-lying Taieri Plains appeared the hardest hit.
"Anywhere the cows go it pugs up quite quickly. Looking forward, it will affect the regrowth," said Dairy Farmers of New Zealand Otago chairman, and Henley dairy farmer, David Wilson.
Cows lacked energy because of the constant cold and were reluctant to eat said Mr Wilson, and new-born calves were dying from a combination of the wet soil, rain and cold conditions.
A flood would have been better than a month of 5mm-10mm of rain and cold temperatures each day, said one farmer, who asked not to be named.
"We've got a silent killer rather than a flood," he said.
Dairy New Zealand consultant and Milton dairy farmer Caroline Hadley said farmers generally had enough supplementary feed, but the problem was getting it to cows and getting them to eat it without pugging paddocks or stock trampling it into the ground.
Farmers and their staff were under enormous pressure, but doing their best.
"It is soul-destroying, but there is nothing they can do."
She said farmers were giving cows as much room as they could on paddocks, or they were standing them in dairy shed yards for a time to prevent pasture damage.
Mrs Hadley said she was successfully feeding cows palm kernel in troughs along fence lines to boost their condition.
Hindon sheep farmer Graham White said it was as wet as he could ever remember, but a welcome change to four years of dry weather.
It had snowed regularly for the past two weeks, but the soil was wet so it quickly disappeared.
He sheared his ewes pre-lamb, a process that weather delays meant took a month this year, instead of the normal four and a-half days.
Shearers used special equipment which left a protective cover of wool.
South Otago sheep farmer David Botting said it was a stressful time as farmers prepared for lambing two to three weeks away.
In North Otago and East Otago the cold weather has slowed growth but with current moisture levels and given some warm weather, conditions should be ideal for lambing.