Helicopter delivered bales of hay to stranded cattle in the Lower Hunter during the July 2022 flood

A helicopter, affectionately known by locals as the 'hay helicopter', made 42 drops across the Lower Hunter including to areas such as Gillieston Heights, Millers Forest and Hinton.

Staff at the NSW Department of Primary Industries teamed up with Local Land Services to work together under the banner of the Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area.

Livestock owners in need could make a call to organise a drop, after answering a series of questions and providing their property's PIC code.

Some of the animals were stranded on mounds above the flood level, while others were stranded on a small section of the paddock that had not been submerged.

The emergency fodder was designed to give the animals enough hay to last three days.

Some animals were evacuated before the flood cut access roads and were taken to various safe places in the area.

"More than 800 other animals that were able to be evacuated by owners before the floods hit, were cared for in Animal Safe Places including the Maitland Showground and saleyards and Hunter Region Livestock Exchange at Singleton," Hunter Local Land Services' agricultural production and protection manager Simon Turpin said.

"Other producers utilised local Travelling Stock Reserves such as at Whittingham, to safely agist their stock on higher ground while the floodwaters passed."

As the flood emergency has now passed, and the water has receded, the transition now turns to recovery.

"Hunter Local Land Services staff are here to offer expert advice and support for your needs," Mr Turpin said.

"We encourage all landholders to contact their LLS office and speak with one of our specialist staff whether it relates to animal health, primary production or one of the many other services we offer."

Landholders and primary producers who have been affected by the flood are encouraged to complete the Primary Industries Natural Disaster Damage Survey at www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/damage.

To access LLS support phone 1300 795 299 or go to www.lls.nsw.gov.au/floods.

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