On Friday, James Hockey said at least 100mm of rain was needed by May to guarantee a soil profile to plant winter crops.

"We're getting ready for winter planting in May, if it rains," he said. 

"If we get 50mm, it's going to be a punt. We really need 100mm to guarantee a profile. We're basically starting from empty.

"If this winter crop doesn't come up with something decent, I'm sure we won't be the only ones scratching our heads."

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Mr Hockey said his last "profitable" crop was in winter 2016, and the drought was starting to bite hard.

"We're starting to hurt quite a bit, especially if these [winter crops] don't go in," he said.

With a lack of cropping income, Mr Hockey is now forced to cut down on his livestock, and in a fortnight, his herd of 550 breeders will be halved.

"It's not the best feeling but I just can't afford to go through another winter pouring that much money down, so I've just picked my best lines and gone with that," he said.

The remaining cattle will be sustained by sorghum stubble when the much-reduced crop is harvested in the next month.

Unless there is decent rainfall in the coming days, only one-quarter of the 600-hectare crop will be harvested, with the rest likely to be baled as hay.

"As soon as we harvest, [cattle] will go straight on," Mr Hockey said.

The 250 hectares of dryland and irrigated cotton hasn't fared much better and is just weeks away from harvest.

"The dryland, it's certainly struggled. I'm really guessing, between a bale, bale and a half we might get off it," Mr Hockey said.

"[The irrigated cotton] is looking alright [but] it's suffering a bit. We just couldn't get around it quick enough.

"[The rain forecast] looks promising for tonight and tomorrow so fingers crossed."

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