News

Merchiston Angus offering 170 mixed age cattle with genetics established over 66 years A major dispersal sale at Merchiston Angus, north east of Marton, on 28 March will offer approximately 170 mixed age cattle, comprising the entire Merchiston-based cow herd. Merchiston was founded in 1955 on a...

PGG Wrightson Wool representative leads successful fund-raiser Otago based PGG Wrightson Wool representative Jared Manihera brought off an enormous mission last month, organising a 24-hour shearathon that raised over $200,000, for the Southland Charity Hospital. Four shearers, Eru Weeds, Cole Wells...

Sometimes it’s more than buying or selling livestock PGG Wrightson National Dairy Genetics Co-Ordinator Andrew Reyland has always been an animal person. As a third-generation dairy farmer, which he did before shifting to a livestock role, he was in his natural element. Andrew says his father, Basil...

Scheme has put 1.8 million lambs and 255,000 cattle onto New Zealand farms since 2016 Peter Dodd farms sheep and trading cattle at Tapui, 30 kilometres west of Oamaru. He is one of many farmers throughout the country who take advantage of Go-Stock, PGG Wrightson’s answer for on-farm cash flow. Go...

Plenty of feed and favourable outlook keeping livestock market positive Excellent feed conditions and strong demand for livestock characterises the early autumn in most South Island farm districts. Ewe fairs, store lambs and on-farm clearing sales have dominated the calendar recently. Through all...

Tallies and values solid in early trade at annual fairs When this year’s beef weaner fair season commenced in early March the high number of older cattle still on hand caused concern that demand may not be at usual levels. However, the tallies coming forward and the values have been solid. In the...

Good growing conditions in most districts keeps demand for stock positive Comparing year on year, in early 2022 sheep and cattle volumes have traded back slightly, partly due to land use change, although reduced meat processor staffing has created a sizeable backlog resulting in less appetite and...

Schedule at $8, plus Asian demand for velvet fuels confidence for upcoming sales Venison is good news for deer farmers this year with the schedule sitting around $8 per kilogram. Following better than expected demand during the chilled venison season confidence is returning to the sector, demand is...

Excellent payout and future prospects giving farmers the confidence to invest in stock This season’s market for dairy herds is particularly buoyant. Enquiry is as strong as it has been in a few years. As farmers sit on one of the highest ever payouts, while also anticipating equivalent prosperity...

A rare opportunity to buy foundation females, a stock family that goes back 70 years. Merchiston Angus is a stud business north east of Marton. It was established in 1955 on a property held in the same family through four generations. In addition to the Angus stud, Merchiston has sheep and...

Recently we were on-farm at Orari Gorge Station to film a video about their big sale day. Orari Gorge Stn is a 4000 hectare farm in the South Canterbury foothills. Managed by fifth generation owner Robert Peacock, in January Orari Gorge Station ran its annual on-farm lamb sale. Joe Higgins and Rod...

Interview with Grant Edwards Jamie Mackay from The Country spoke with Grant Edwards GM of Wool for PGG Wrightson and started with a topic on everybody’s mind right now: Russia. Now that New Zealand has joined with other western countries in imposing sanctions on Russia, will it make it difficult for...

We are very fortunate Johnny and Geraldine Duncan had us on Craigneuk Station in the Maniototo where they run sheep, beef and deer. Some great footage of a successful ram sale, for those of you who were unable to be there, or for those keen to take a second look. Their annual January on-farm ram...

Dorset Downs and Dorset Down/Southdown X rams well received by enthusiastic following at popular annual Central Otago sale One of Central Otago’s most significant annual ram sales, at Craigneuk Farm, Maniototo took place in mid-January. Craigneuk rams comprise Dorset Downs alongside Dorset Down...

Young Waikato dairy, sheep and beef rep looking long term Brook Cushion has quiet confidence. “For a livestock rep, the nature of the job is doing as we promise and as our clients expect, keeping our ducks in a row to make any deal as smooth as possible. Seeing the end results, whether buying or...

Positive trends for velvet and venison evident in recent sire stag and elk wapiti bull sales Challenging conditions over the past two years, particularly for venison returns, seem to have been overcome, leaving deer farmers with an increasingly positive outlook. A series of recent livestock sales...

Acquisition of bulls and lambs made easy at Waihemo Downs, Dunback Go-Stock is PGG Wrightson’s easy solution for on-farm cashflow. For farmers who have other uses for capital, Go-Stock means no need to spend cash up front. Scott Tomlinson, Waihemo Downs, Dunback, East Otago uses Go-Stock to assist...

Favourable weather and encouraging schedules stimulate livestock market activity Late November and early December rain across much of the North Island maintained good feed levels through December and into early new year. However, as January progressed sustained warm weather coupled with a solid...