News

Bull sales season starts as predicted with an excellent standard of stock offered to a cautious gallery of buyers. With 130 studs nationwide competing for attention, buyers at this year’s bull sales are taking advantage. Callum Stewart, PGG Wrightson Livestock National Genetics Manager says the...

A dry autumn putting feed under pressure in many South Island districts prompted steady de-stocking, with stock generally finding buyers elsewhere. Widespread dry conditions dominate the winter plans of South Island farmers. Store lambs came off farms at a steady rate during May, generally finding...

Online access to on-farm auctions paying off in convenience and cost for buyers and sellers as New Zealand’s virtual saleyard surpasses 10,000 users. After three weeks of this year’s bull sales, bidr continues to consolidate its role as an increasingly important part of the livestock marketing mix...

At age 16 Hayley MacDonald left school and decided to learn agriculture the practical way – now she has her dream job. Hayley MacDonald is one of PGG Wrightson’s newest staff members, coming into the company as a livestock trainee in early May. Growing up on a lifestyle property in Ohoka, North...

Exclusive to PGG Wrightson Livestock, SkyCount integrates aerial imagery and AI software to conduct livestock audits at a new level of speed, accuracy and efficiency. A revolutionary new way to tally livestock is on display this week at Mystery Creek Fieldays. SkyCount, PGG Wrightson’s innovative...

In a recent interview with Rowena Duncum from The Country, Rachel Shearer, the new Acting General Manager for PGG Wrightson Wool, shared her insights on the current state of the wool market and highlighted notable community support initiatives. Transition to Leadership Rachel Shearer, who has...

Pictured from left to right: Ben Askew - Warehouse Manager, Michael Anderson - Sustainability Manager, Greg Ferguson - Wool Classer, Rachel Shearer - Acting GM of Wool, Richanna Clarke - Wool Classer, Dave Rosson - Wool Handler. With the addition of six new electric fork-trucks at the Christchurch...

Since its launch in 1982, the IHC Calf & Rural Scheme has grown to be one of New Zealand's most successful charitable programs. Through the years, this rural donation scheme has raised over $41 million for IHC, funds that have made a transformative impact on the lives of those it serves. This...

Wairarapa Moana ki Pouākani Incorporation (WMI) was awarded the Ahuwhenua Trophy for Excellence in Māori Dairy Farming on Friday at the Globox Arena in Hamilton, with 850 guests in attendance at the event. Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka announced the winners and congratulated runners-up...

Momentum in the rural property market remains subdued, with farm sales for the calendar year significantly down. PGG Wrightson General Manager of Real Estate, Peter Newbold, put that figure at around 30 per cent. “Some areas are varied, but that’s [representative of] a billion dollars,” Newbold told...

Russell Moloney’s career took a dramatic shift a few years ago, though he reckons it was a logical one, and he hasn’t looked back. From standing in front of a camera with a microphone, to standing in a pen with a mob of hoggets might seem an unusual career shift, though it’s a path that has worked...

Long term relationship to identify appropriate bloodstock guiding bull and ram selections for large King Country sheep and beef enterprise. Farmers increasingly recognise the need for a sound and factually based genetics programme to underpin their stud purchases and maximise revenue. Callum Stewart...

After 50 years in livestock, including 41 with PGG Wrightson, and recognition in 2022 for his contribution to the industry, Ron Schroeder calls it a day. Ron Schroeder loves deer. He farms them, sells them, purchases them, hunts them, dreams them, eats them. “Ron looks like a deer, and even roars...

Turning around a slow start, the pick up in dairy livestock transactions through late summer and autumn shows sector confidence is returning. After a late start the dairy livestock sale season indicates the sector is rebounding. PGG Wrightson Livestock National Dairy Specialist Jamie Cunninghame...

Farmers looking to move stock on sooner than usual has been the major influence on South Island sales of calves and store lambs. Calf and store lamb sales have predominated in the South Island livestock market through late autumn. In both categories widespread dry conditions pushed some to sell...

A big day on the dairy farming calendar is coming up next month, so many Kiwi farmers will be in full swing getting readt, PGG Wrightson’s National Dairy Specialist Jamie Cunningham says. Moving Day, which takes place on June 1, marks the start of the dairy season. It’s when dairy farming families...

PGG Wrightson (PGW) is partnering with A Lighter Touch to support growers in moving to more sustainable crop protection programmes. A Lighter Touch is a $27 million industry and government partnership which is co-funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries, 15 product group partners and three crop...

The wool market has shown some stability this year, with certain types of wool reaching near three-year highs, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. Understanding the challenges the industry faced due to the limited wool scouring capacity after Cyclone Gabrielle's damage 15 months ago is...