News

Although Kurt Houghton started building around 20 years ago, he and his wife Alisa also farm the 427 hectare Aria, Waitomo property that has been in the Houghton family since 1905. As a sheep farmer, and a builder, Kurt is strongly motivated to put as much wool as possible in the local houses he...

Based on initial results from the first few auctions of the 2022/23 wool sale season, demand and confidence has lifted. When better style pre-lamb crossbred wools have come forward to the auction room, the market has responded with enthusiasm, resulting in prices appreciably above comparable levels...

University of Waikato Master’s student, Cathleen Schriber-Hannah, is on a mission to understand how the coping strategies and unwinding activities of NZ farmers impact stress and wellbeing. Growing up on her parent’s farm in Te Aroha, Cathleen knows firsthand the impact that farmer wellbeing can...

The big question is how much of a premium can you get if you go organic? Palle says PGG Wrightson is probably the only organic wool exporter in the country. They've been working on organics for probably ten years and have a good customer in the US manufacturing bedding. They're currently offering $5...

Jamie Mackay from The Country has had his monthly chat with Peter Newbold, GM of real estate at PGG Wrightson. We all know winter's here - but is it the off-season for real estate sales? Peter says it's an interesting time. They've just come off a high with strong trading and they're now in...

The Southland Charity Hospital Trust was established in 2019 following Blair’s highly-publicised battle with terminal bowel cancer. After his diagnosis in 2018, Blair was told he had weeks to live, but chronic under-resourcing of the health service in Southland meant he was unlikely to see a...

PGW has teamed up with Spark and we will be the first company in the country to conduct a trial of Spark’s 5G mmWave technology rurally. ‘Check out Spark’s media release here

Bull selling season is underway. What were the results like in Northland? Bernie points out that the season is almost at its end, with a good result so far. There's still a Hereford sale and an Angus sale to come toward the end of July. They've seen about an 80% clearance - from Angus through to...

Second annual online semen sale will showcase elite beef genetics Trans-Tasman. PGG Wrightson’s second annual online bull semen sale is scheduled for 24 August 2022. This is an excellent opportunity for the country’s premier stud businesses to showcase their elite genetics to the Trans-Tasman market...

Right at home in Waikato North Waikato is home for Stephen Hickey. Not only did he grow up on his parents’ 250 hectare, 650 cow Te Kauwhata dairy farm, he sharemilked the property for them for 25 years. Then he became a livestock representative for PGG Wrightson in 2017, initially for two and a half...

Taking off your business hat and becoming a friend Before he went into livestock, Paul Anthony spent 25 years bringing machinery and cars to New Zealand from all around the world, which taught him a few lessons, and left him with a public health warning attached. “Dealing with different people in...

High demand from motivated gallery results in excellent competition and notable prices This year’s Temuka in-lamb ewe fair, on 6 July, attracted plenty of interest, with high demand from a motivated buying gallery. As a result the better ewes in each class sold well. Compared to the 2021 sale...

Good demand for both store and finished stock As the availability of processing space for cattle became easier to obtain, the South Island market for store cattle has lifted. Finishers are paying premiums for cattle that can be finished in the spring. Due to raising schedules premiums are being paid...

Store markets, bull sales season and dairy calf prospects all solid through the winter Variable North Island weather in June reinforced that winter is here, accompanied by a rapid decline in grass and a battle against the mud. Inevitably, stock flowing to market through June was inconsistent, though...

Good year to sell bulls, even better for buyers This year’s two year old bull sales season started in May Overall it has been a good year to sell bulls, though an even better season for buyers. PGG Wrightson Livestock conducted 110 bull sales in 2022, and the quality of this year’s offering...

Vendors and purchasers urged to plan now, or miss out later Early July signals the first in-milk cows coming to the market. Based on projections for the dairy payout, demand for quality cows is trending to the positive. However, farmers looking to increase herd size in the spring need to realise...

Rearers need on-sell commitment now on probable margins before taking calves to carry through to 100 kilograms Northern feeder calf sales started relatively well in early July, and will progress through the rest of the country to reach Southland by mid-August. While the early well-bred calves will...

Recently we were on-farm at Orari Gorge Station in the beautiful province of Geraldine to film the 58 th annual Orari Gorge Herefords sale. Orari Gorge Station is a 4000-hectare farm in the South Canterbury foothills. Managed by fifth-generation owner Robert Peacock, in June Orari Gorge Station ran...