News

Certified organic wool growers have an opportunity to maximise returns as PGG Wrightson Wool’s international marketing arm Bloch & Behrens seeks wool for exclusive supply to a leading American bedding manufacturer. Having established a lucrative market for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)...

Californian style is a particular tradition in the western riding scene, not to be mistaken for Texan style. The Californian style goes back centuries, woven into Spanish culture and history, and influenced by Morocco. With Californian style, the connection between horse and rider is key. A mecate...

As we progress towards pre-lamb shearing in the coming months, growers need to prepare to minimise VM in the wool they are set to consign. There are two different classes of VM contaminant: most, the likes of hay, manuka leaf, and grass seed, which is relatively easy to remove, washing out of the...

Gray and Valmai Robertson bought Blackmount Station, 65 kilometres south of Te Anau, in 1963. As they settled in, Gray would regularly suggest to Valmai that their location, on the turn-off to Lake Monowai in the foothills of the Takitimu Mountains, was the perfect spot for tea rooms or a cafeteria...

Working with one of the world's leading fashion brands, PGG Wrightson Wool's' international marketing arm Bloch & Behrens has created a rewarding opportunity for merino and half-bred wool growers. General manager of Bloch & Behrens, Palle Petersen, explains: "Establishing a rewarding relationship...

Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick chat with Andrew Gibson, Taranaki Livestock Manager for PGG Wrightson. All the talk has been about the dry in the Waikato. Jamie wonders whether Taranaki has fared any better. Andrew confirmed it has been dry. A couple of big dumpings of rain caused some...

Jamie Mackay from The Country had a quick catch-up with Barry Fox, PGW Livestock Manager - Dairy, 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...

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...