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Slow start to South Island spring
Lambing percentages good, though warm days late arriving
In the South Island the main recent focus for the livestock market has been moving on last year’s lambs, and processing spring cattle sales.
On the positive, it has been a good lambing season, featuring strong percentages on most farms and while there have been some cold snaps, their duration has been short with minimal adverse effect on newborn lambs.
However, as the true spring weather has been later to arrive than usual, with a longer, colder and wetter than normal winter, grass growth has not yet taken off, meaning some South Island sales have struggled to generate interest due to the lack of feed available.
After the spring cattle sales, attention will shift to main season activities.
Shane Gerken, PGG Wrightson South Island Livestock Manager
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