Staff profile – Jonty Le Lievre
Feeling proud that you’ve done your best. Jonty Le Lievre is in the fifth generation born on Mangarouhi, the 416 hectare sheep and beef farm just out of Waipukurau that his family settled in 1915. Farming is well and truly in Jonty‘s blood. Previously a shearer for three years, and before that a...
Listen Now! PGG Wrightson Livestock Report on The Country
Callum Stewart is National Genetics Manager for PGG Wrightson and Jamie Mackay caught up with him in Feilding on Friday - sale day - a big day for the local community. Callum reckons sale day brings a lot of money into the township, with farmers supporting local and having a big spend-up!! The...
Jamie Mackay discussed the current state of the wool market with Grant Edwards, GM of Wool at PGG Wrightson.
While the war in Ukraine has potential to impact the market, the bigger issue is lock-downs in China. Grant is particularly concerned about the lock-down of Shanghai, arguably the major port in the world. Stopping the movement of goods through China has a significant effect as a lot of New Zealand...
2022 Ahuwhenua Trophy Finalists Announced
The finalists in the 2022 Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Māori sheep and beef farm have been announced.
Wool Market Update – Prices rise, with significant premiums likely for quality pre-lamb wool.
From mid-April, the market for crossbred wools increased appreciably in both the North and South Islands. Foreign exchange has been the main factor driving this, with the New Zealand dollar at one point dropping below US$0.63. Demand for better quality wools, with good colour and sound preparation...
Wool’s cool at school.
An interactive educational opportunity for students might be the way to help New Zealand with its growing wool crisis. The Wool In Schools programme works with primary, intermediate, and secondary schools. Schools can register for The Wool Shed, filled with interactive tools to educate kids on wool...
Wool Bale Contamination.
Bale contamination is an ongoing issue that can cause significant downstream processing problems. We wish to provide growers, shearing contractors, and wool handlers with a timely reminder to be vigilant in the woolshed. The photo attached to this article has been supplied by WoolWorks New Zealand...
NZFAP Reminder - Wool Specification Sheets.
As many wool growers should now be fully aware, the wool sector is a member of the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP), which has recently refreshed its logo. For PGG Wrightson to market your wool as NZFAP assured, it is essential for growers to know their Assurance Code (e.g. 1000XYZ) /...
New Zealand Wool Classers Association AGM.
PGG Wrightson Wool Otago representative Graeme Bell recently attended the New Zealand Wool Classers Association’s AGM in Mosgiel, which doubled as a Classer Professional Development Day. Included in the association’s annual Classer Awards, PGG Wrightson Wool is the sponsor of the Owner Classer...
Warning: care required if attempting genetic alterations.
Like all farmers, wool growers will always look at options to increase productivity through innovation. With the wool market in a low return phase of its cycle, for some, that possible innovation includes saving money on crutching, dagging and shearing by shifting towards self-shedding breeds...
Staff profile: Tara Marshall – Working with shearers and farmers has helped me grow.
Tara Marshall has been in wool all her life, and then some. She grew up on her grandfather’s 1000 hectare farm in Ohura, north of Taumarunui. Tara started working in shearing gangs at the age of 17, which she did for a couple of years before heading to Hamilton and a year in the SkyCity cashier...
American bedding manufacturers will enable organic growers to maximise returns.
Certified organic wool growers have an opportunity to maximise returns as PGG Wrightson Wool’s international marketing arm Bloch & Behrens seeks wool for exclusive supply to a leading American bedding manufacturer. Having established a lucrative market for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)...
Kiwi wool export success built on the traditional connection between horse and rider.
Californian style is a particular tradition in the western riding scene, not to be mistaken for Texan style. The Californian style goes back centuries, woven into Spanish culture and history, and influenced by Morocco. With Californian style, the connection between horse and rider is key. A mecate...
Time to minimise vegetable matter – and horehound
As we progress towards pre-lamb shearing in the coming months, growers need to prepare to minimise VM in the wool they are set to consign. There are two different classes of VM contaminant: most, the likes of hay, manuka leaf, and grass seed, which is relatively easy to remove, washing out of the...
Bringing a 60-year-old vision to life in the Takitimu foothills.
Gray and Valmai Robertson bought Blackmount Station, 65 kilometres south of Te Anau, in 1963. As they settled in, Gray would regularly suggest to Valmai that their location, on the turn-off to Lake Monowai in the foothills of the Takitimu Mountains, was the perfect spot for tea rooms or a cafeteria...
Leading international fashion brand presents a rewarding opportunity for merino and half-bred growers.
Working with one of the world's leading fashion brands, PGG Wrightson Wool's' international marketing arm Bloch & Behrens has created a rewarding opportunity for merino and half-bred wool growers. General manager of Bloch & Behrens, Palle Petersen, explains: "Establishing a rewarding relationship...
Listen Now! Dairy herd sales going well
Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick chat with Andrew Gibson, Taranaki livestock manager for PGG Wrightson. All the talk has been about the dry in the Waikato. Jamie wonders whether Taranaki has fared any better. Andrew confirmed it has been dry. A couple of big dumpings of rain caused some...
Listen Now! PGG Wrightson Livestock Report on The Country
Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick catch-up with Barry Fox, PGW Livestock Manager - Dairy, live from the Oamaru sale yards. The main topic covered - apart from golf - was the livestock selling season. Barry emphasised that it's a busy time of year for traditional beef calf sales, pointing out...