The rain at the weekend was badly needed, farmers spoken to yesterday said.
Hillend farmer Allan Roulston said his rain gauge recorded 102mm in the past four days.
‘‘It was a great soaking rain which was badly needed, no doubt about that,'' he said.
Mr Roulston's response was matched throughout the province, with up to 100mm falling in Queenstown Lakes, 30mm in Central Otago and East Otago, up to 20mm in North Otago and 70mm on the Taieri and Dunedin.
Clutha Agricultural Development Board projects manager Malcolm Deverson said it was pleasing to see most areas ‘‘got a bit of a dousing'', especially farms just south of Balclutha in the Warepa areas, which had been very dry.
Had the weekend rains not come, some farmers would have been in ‘‘all sorts of bother'' within a few weeks, he said.
‘‘I think it has really lifted people's spirits. The rain will boost water tables and give everything a good coating.''
The rain came too late for farmers to top up depleted winter supplements, but should provide an autumn boost to pasture and winter feed crops.
AgFirst consultant Bruce McCorkindale said there was little baleage, hay or silage on the market, and what there was, dairy farmers could pay more for than sheep and beef farmers could afford.
‘‘Typically, sheep and beef farmers have only made around 50% of their usual amount of balage or silage,'' he said.