Over the Farm Gate
‘Over The Farm Gate’ is PGG Wrightson’s newly named Livestock Market Update. This is an email sent to subscribers every six weeks, covering NZ livestock market reports, commentary, interviews, PGW staff profiles, industry news and much more.
Latest news
Livestock Report: A green drought, land use changes, and avocados in Northland
Northland is experiencing a bit of a green drought despite recent rainfall, according to PGG Wrightson regional livestock manager, Bernie McGahan. For the uninitiated, a green drought is when there is just enough rain to keep the grass green, but not enough for it to grow. There had been 20-25mm of...
End of an era in Rai Valley, Marlborough
After around 160 years, the Couper family calls it a day with one of the Tasman region’s largest clearing sales in decades. Spectacular weather and a sizeable crowd helped make the Raidale Farm clearing sale on 23 April the Tasman region’s largest event of its kind in decades. Owen and Lina Couper...
North Island store lambs meeting positive market
Heavier male lambs with shorter wool earning a premium – Mid and South Canterbury cropping farmers also weighing in. Store lamb sales in the North Island started in earnest in early May. Month on month, yardings through the Fielding saleyards and paddock to paddock sales are ahead of annual averages...
Buyers’ market as quality to the fore at bull sales
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...
Store lambs coming off South Island farms
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...
Hybrid bidr option gaining traction with bull sales
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...
Focused on showing her own worth
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...
SkyCount debuts at Fieldays: transforming livestock audits with AI
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...
Staff Profile - Russell Moloney - From news to ewes
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...
Ensuring a genetics programme maximises revenue from stud purchases
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...
Momentous deer career coming to an end
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...
Autumn dairy sales positive
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...
Interview, stories and more
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