A South Canterbury farmer is trialling an early lamb breeding season this year to avoid complications with poor winter weather.
Brendan Matthews had the first of his lambs born over the weekend, with the rest of 100 perendale and poll dorset cross ewes planned to give birth over the coming weeks.
"You always have poor weather this time of the year so you've got to keep an eye on them," Mr Matthews told the Timaru Herald.
Despite Mr Matthews' lambing season falling in August for 23 years, this June and July he will try to avoid the threat of snowfall killing off his animals.
The Canterbury farmer will be housing these early lambs at a lease block Pleasant Point, but his primary farm is on the highway between Geraldine and Fairlie.
In addition to reducing the risk of snow, Mr Matthews' early lambing season means more grass for his sheep to eat, and less need to put food aside.
Ultimately for Mr Matthews, it's a financial strategy.
"The early lambs always bring good money so I thought I'd try it," he said.
Federated Farmers South Canterbury branch president Jason Grant said he didn't think there had been an increase in the number of farmers early lambing this year.
"It suits some farms and it doesn't suit others," he said.
SHARE ME