Sheep and Cattle
Below, you will find advice and resources for sheep and cattle affected by Cyclone Gabrielle and the recent flooding in the upper North Island. We also have specific resources for:
Emergency contacts
- Email: awem@mpi.govt.nz
- Phone: 04 894 0132
A free helpline has been set up for people in the Hawke's Bay who have been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. Call the helpline if you need to access any welfare services, including mental health, accommodation, ongoing food, household goods and services support, animal welfare and rural support.
- Phone: 0800 117 672
The number will operate from 8am to 8pm on weekdays and from 8am to 4.15pm on weekends.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is working with farm supply companies and veterinarians in Hawke's Bay and Tairāwhiti to ensure critical supplies can get to communities that have no road access.
Farmers with no road access to their farms can order necessary supplies from their usual farm goods suppliers and veterinarians and arrangements will be made to deliver them by air or Unimog.
Critical supplies are:
- water reticulation materials
- temporary boundary fencing materials
- animal health supplies and veterinary medicines.
This support is only available for farms with no road access for deliveries.
For more information, including how to place an order, see the below factsheets:
Resources for veterinary professionals
| Restricted Veterinary Medicines and Authorisation During Major Disruptive Events and Emergencies - Official advice from the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) |
| Disrupted milking after an adverse event - Advice from the Dairy Cattle Veterinarians (DCV) branch of the NZVA |
| Effect of an extended milking interval on recovery of milk yield and somatic cell count in dairy cows - Paper from the New Zealand Society of Animal Production online archive |
General resources and advice
| Animals affected by flood - Advice from MPI for livestock, lifestyle block, horse and pet owners |
| Crisis Priority Checklist - Advice from DairyNZ |
| Dairy Floods Checklist - Booklet from DairyNZ |
| Flood support - Information from Beef + Lamb NZ about preparing for and responding to floods |
| Cyclone response - Advice, tools and resources from DairyNZ about dealing with cyclone response |
| Livestock health after prolonged wet conditions and flooding - Advice from MPI for farmers, whenua Māori entities and lifestyle block owners |
| Missed milkings - Advice from DairyNZ |
Movement of livestock in Hawke's Bay
| Droving stock following Cyclone Gabrielle - Flyer from MPI about droving stock after Cyclone Gabrielle |
| Transporting stock following Cyclone Gabrielle - Flyer from MPI about transporting stock after Cyclone Gabrielle |
| Cyclone Gabrielle: Movement of livestock - Fact sheet from MPI for cut-off areas including Puketitiri, Puketapu, Pātoka, Rissington and Dartmoor |
| Cyclone Gabrielle: Movement of livestock to meatworks and saleyards - Fact sheet from MPI for farms around State Highway 2 area north of Tangoio Marae and south of Waikare Gorge |
Support and funding available
| Delivery of critical farm supplies to isolated communities in Hawke's Bay - Fact sheet from MPI |
| Delivery of critical farm supplies to isolated communities in Tairāwhiti - Fact sheet from MPI |
| Cyclone Gabrielle recovery - Fact sheet from MPI for farmers, growers, rural businesses and Māori landowners |
