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Heartbreaking photo captures the devastating toll on drought-stricken farmers
Alf King, 83, was feeding bulls on his property when he knelt down and prayed
Drought forced he and his daughter to sell 27 steers for cotton seed recently
Just two dams on the 2,000 acre cattle farm in north-west NSW have water

By Kylie Stevens For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 09:24 EST, 14 November 2018 | Updated: 09:27 EST, 14 November 2018

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A powerful photo has captured the moment an elderly farmer desperately prayed for rain.

Farmer and Australian army veteran Rhonda King was helping her dad Alf feed the bulls on their cattle farm near Bingara, in north-west New South Wales, on Sunday when he felt the sudden urge to stop.

With an eye patch covering one eye, the ailing and almost blind farmer knelt down on the barren earth in an empty dam and clasped his hands together as he made a plea for some much-needed rain.

His daughter, 59, later shared the image on social media.

Rhonda King took this photo of her father Alf, 83, desperately praying for the heavens to open

'The effects of drought. This morning I found my 83 year old father in the middle of a dry dam, praying for rain,' Ms King wrote.

The photo has since attracted almost 600 shares.

'Heartbreaking picture so hard to take after a lifetime of hard work,' one woman commented.

Another added: 'Hope he now has his prayers answered and you now get the act of god to make it rain, fill the dam and green up the parched paddocks! Plus follow up rain to keep things green and replenish your faith.'

Just two of the 35 dams on the 2,000 acre cattle farm now contain water.

'Four generations have toiled hard on this land. Never seen before, first time without water,' Ms King posted.

It's now just her and her dad on the farm.

'He comes and helps me bag out all the feed and water and he helps me do everything,' Ms King told Yahoo 7.

She said the drought 'snuck up' on the family several years ago.

Despite being almost blind, Alf (pictured) still helps out on the fourth generation 2,000 acre cattle farm

Because she is a military veteran, they aren't not entitled to farming assistance from the government.

The family only have 50 cows left after they were forced to sell 27 steers to pay for cotton seed.

'If we've got to sell animals then it's not a very good day,' Ms King told Yahoo 7.

'We just know that we've got to keep going and that if we can't provide the food and water to keep our animals healthy, then we've got to make the sacrifice and sell them.'

Roughly 99 per cent of New South Wales is in severe drought.