Federated Farmers says its members in South Canterbury have been shedding stock since before Christmas in anticipation of a serious drought.
South Canterbury president Ivon Hurst said experience told him one was coming, and farmers were already heeding that message and selling off excess stock.
Mr Hurst said the positive thing was that at least there was a good market for the stock.
"It's not like the old droughts of the 70s, 80s and 90s when there was ne feed and no market, that was disastrous, at least we have a market to sell into."