News

The closest job to farming Ever since he was a young lad Shaun Rowe has been a farmer. “At the age of six I started my own flock of half a dozen ewes, taking the lambs to the Stratford saleyards,” he says. Shaun’s parents have a 10 hectare Stratford lifestyle block where they graze dairy heifers. “I...

Setting your own style and being confident in yourself Ben McKerchar grew up on a Winton sheep and beef farm, while his father Ross was a well-known Southland livestock agent. From as far back as he can remember, Ben was constantly in and around the saleyards, developing a strong interest in the...

Scheme has put 1.9 million lambs and 270,000 cattle onto New Zealand farms since 2016 Inverness is a 1600 hectare extensive sheep and beef property on the rolling Cheviot hills. Carrying 9300 stock units, Inverness uses Go-Stock, an innovative solution for the on-farm cash flow challenges that can...

Purchasers react favourably after Covid-related capacity shortfalls overcome North Island livestock sales through April remained at exceptional levels. Earlier concern around stocking rates potentially under pressure due to a backlog of prime stock still on farm, delayed with processors beset by...

Potential $9 schedule keeps buyer interest steady, though stags more popular than hinds April’s weaner deer sales showed renewed confidence in venison after two challenging years brought low returns for breeders and finishers. At the only North Island weaner sale, the Taihape Weaner Fair in Waiouru...

Waikato breeder’s dispersal sale attracts huge interest to break 50 year record An April dairy herd dispersal sale for a Waikato breeder toppled a record that has stood for 50 years when a rising three-year-old in-calf Jersey sold for $55,000 to become New Zealand’s highest priced single dairy cow...

Demand strong throughout the island, though Southland dry mutes enthusiasm Through April calf sales took place somewhere in the South Island approximately every second day. While the region’s drought hampered enthusiasm in the Southland market, elsewhere plenty of feed provided strong motivation for...

Breeders raising the bar on data, expression and integrity of this year’s bull offering This year’s bull sale season starts in mid-May in the North Island, running throughout the country to the end of June, including a wide selection offered on bidr. Bulls this year are of exceptional quality. Most...

Sixty five year legacy of Glengarry Poll Dorset, New Zealand’s number one Poll Dorset stud, to be offered A major dispersal this winter will make available a legacy of the country’s foremost sheep genetics at a scale rarely offered. Held by the Pratt family, which has been farming at Apiti, Manawatu...

Rowena Duncum from The Country touched base with Palle Petersen, general manager for Bloch and Behrens Wool New Zealand Ltd. - the export arm of PGG Wrightson Wool. Rowena was almost afraid to ask how the wool market was looking! Palle assured her that prices had lifted 20 to 30 cents across most...

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 gradually building in existing and new developing markets, and prices are 50 per...

On 28 March, on behalf of Merchiston Angus, we conducted a major on-farm reduction sale. We offered the entire Merchiston-based cow herd: all the stud’s cows that calved during 2021 and were subsequently in-calf again, plus the herd’s in-calf heifers. Merchiston Angus is a stud business northeast of...

Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick catch-up with Barry Fox from PGG Wrightson, 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 that he had...

One of New Zealand’s most enduring charitable relationships – 40 years, $40 million and still going strong This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the IHC Calf and Rural Scheme, which has raised some $40 million in that time. PGG Wrightson Livestock has been a principal sponsor since the...

Jamie Mackay from The Country has just had his monthly catch-up with Grant Edwards from PGG Wrightson Wool to see how the market is faring. As an aside, Mackay offered hearty congratulations to PGG Wrightson for forty years of support for the IHC Calf and Rural Scheme. Edwards agreed that it was a...

Grower advice: Take care to avoid being penalised for over-weight bales. For safety and efficiency, industry standards require that over-weight bales must be reduced. Excess wool will be re-packed into lighter-weight bales within the same line. In the case of several over-weight bales within a...

Grower warning: Do not consign wool in ‘Econopack’ labelled bales. Over the past two years, a line of new wool packs sold to farmers across the country proved unfit for purpose. Although these packs have been banned within the supply chain, they are again appearing in wool stores, likely out of...

Fitness and the great outdoors combine Dave Burridge's passion for adventure racing. During working hours, Dave Burridge is South Island Auction Manager for PGG Wrightson Wool, overseeing all the details for every fortnightly wool auction held in Christchurch. Outside the auction room, Dave is a...