Dependability and cashflow ease persuade Manawatū dairy farmer to come back year on year

One Manawatū dairy farmer swears by Defer-A-Bull. 

Ben McKelvie owns two Oroua Downs dairy farms, one milking 250 cows once a day and the other milking 600 twice a day. Both calve in spring.

For the past eight years, Ben has used Defer-A-Bull, the PGG Wrightson product that enables dairy farmers to buy bulls in spring then sell them on in autumn, without straining cashflow.

“With no cash up front, it’s easy. You sign your name and the bulls turn up,” he says. 

Over the years Ben has increased the number of bulls he’s used within the programme.

“Previously we used bulls bought privately. Now, with PGG Wrightson behind it, you can be quite sure what you’ve bought. For example, the vaccinations and testing are up-to-date, and the bulls have been well handled. Defer-A-Bull means you can be confident with what you’re getting.”

Most important, Defer-A-Bull bulls are dependable.

“The bulls do a great job at getting the cows in calf. With them we’ve gone down to single digit empty rates, not like it was back in the day when we couldn’t depend so heavily on the bulls we were using,” says Ben.

Established more than 15 years ago, Defer-A-Bull aims to help at the times when cashflow is most critical. Flexible terms, ranging up to 12 months, can be customised to suit specific needs, and no repayment is required until all bulls are sold. Around 85 per cent of clients opt to come back to Defer-A-Bull year-on-year.

It’s win-win, with ease of cashflow the big plus, reckons Ben McKelvie.

“You are conscious every year that you’re subject to the market. Effectively, you agree on a price at the start and then at the end of the season. In other words, you let the market decide. However, that’s relative. If you’re buying the bulls yourself, the equation is no different,” he says.

In the end, Defer-A-Bull delivers confidence and assurance.

“Once you sign the contract with PGG Wrightson, the whole job is done. They take care of the rest” 

For more information, talk to your PGG Wrightson Livestock Rep.

Links to: 

https://www.pggwrightson.co.nz/our-services/livestock/buy-sell-livestock/defer-bull