News

Giving it a good crack Like father, like son and like many others who trade sheep and cattle, Lars Hardy is a second generation livestock representative. His father Chris originally started as a rep with Wrightsons in Manawatu in 1990, before going farming himself, first on leased properties...

Exponential growth in demand for genetics Poor wool returns over many years, alongside increasing shearing costs, are inevitably leading to strong interest in shedding sheep. Although controversial alongside the history and traditional profitability of growing wool, many farmers are scouting the...

Esk Valley farmers with their own take on an innovative Australian breed. A recently developed Australian shedding sheep is making its first impact in New Zealand, with an on-farm sale scheduled for 16 November at a property that is pioneering the breed. Dean and Antoinette Martin farm 244-hectare...

Taihape farming family fully sold on shedding sheep On behalf of his parents Greg and Jocelyn, Charles Bennett manages his family’s property Waitui, on 343 hectares of hill country at Tiriraukawa, 26 kilometres southwest of Taihape. Faced with the ongoing challenge of minimising costs and maximising...

Record yearling bull sale achieved online bidr® continues to build on its reputation as a powerful force in the livestock market, recognised by buyers for the ease and convenience of procuring stock without leaving home, and providing sellers with a nationwide selling platform broader than...

Purchasers taking a functional approach to their bulls this year This year’s yearling bull sales have delivered good clearances, albeit the values of the bulls offered is down by $300 to $500 per head compared to last year. Dairy farmers have not been prepared to exceed the $3,000 mark with their...

Limited supply of cows means quality lines are selling fast Across the country dairy livestock market activity is heavily focused on quality in milk and close to profit cows. With limited numbers available over the past few weeks, cows that have come forward through the North Island auction system...

Livestock markets moving out of winter mode Overall the livestock market has been in winter mode, with relatively low numbers of sheep and cattle through the saleyards. Looking ahead, there are a number of cattle sales rostered during October. Good early spring rainfall through most of the South...

During winter there's nothing quite as comforting as a hand-knitted woollen garment to keep children snug and warm. The Kiwi Family Trust, an organisation dedicated to providing hand-knitted woollen garments to young children throughout New Zealand, has been tirelessly working to spread warmth and...

South Otago woolhandler Tia Potae returns to Trans-Tasman test-match competition after an absence of 10 years by winning the New Zealand Merino Shears open woolhandling title in Alexandra on Saturday. Potae has competed sparingly at times as she has pursued other interests in the wool industry over...

In a recent chat with Rowena, Grant Edwards, the General Manager for Wool at PGG Wrightson, shared positive developments and challenges in the wool market. Listen to the segment below or read the brief overview: 1. Crossbred Wool Prices on the Rise Throughout the month, crossbred wool prices have...

Over the past few weeks values achieved at New Zealand wool auctions continue to surprise, with strong competition for most good style crossbred wool types. Many of the merino types pouring into South Island woolstores are similarly sought after. Mid-micron wool, measuring from approximately 28...

Nicola and Tom Wylie farm 900 hectares at Lora Valley, on the fringes of the Hokonui Hills east of Winton, a property that has been in Nicola’s family since 1872. Each year they take approximately 27 tonnes of wool off their 6000 ewes. Like many other wool growers, they have pondered how to make the...

Joe Catherwood has been a client of PGG Wrightson Wool throughout his farming career. Joe farms 320 hectares at Charing Cross, Central Canterbury, a property his father purchased in 1953, and which Joe and his brother John took over in 1976. Joe bought John’s share of the farm in 2000. Until a few...

The Wool in Schools programme, a The Campaign for Wool initiative, sponsored by PGG Wrightson, continues to make waves in New Zealand's education sector. This unique program brings the wonders of wool directly to primary and intermediate schools through mobile classrooms known as "Wool Sheds." As we...

An attempt to stop Australia from claiming New Zealand’s top fine wool shearing title, and the selection of a shearer and woolhandler for next month’s Trans-Tasman tests, will be features of the New Zealand Merino Shears in Alexandra on Friday 29 and Saturday 30 September. Last year, the open...

It’s dairy bull sale season and PGG Wrightson’s Taranaki livestock manager/auctioneer, Andrew Gibson is “in the thick of it”. Shadow Downs of Waverley had a Hereford Yearling and 2-year-old sale yesterday and Taranaki’s Mangaotea Blackwell Family is holding its 27th annual bull sale today, Gibson...

Article by: Doug Laing, Media Officer for Shearing Sports New Zealand Entries are now open for the 2023-2024 PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit. The series incorporates the McSkimming Memorial Triple Crown which was first presented after a three-round series in 1972-1973, starting at the...