Record audience at bull sale
A record number of farmers took part in the largest service bull sale in New Zealand – many from the comfort of their own homes.
Tainui Group Holdings’ annual Hangawera Station Hereford sale, one of the largest of its kind in the North Island, will be held on October 5.
In a first for TGH, a sale will also be held at the Taupo saleyards on October 12.
TGH rural operations manager Ian Mathieson says all the bulls have been tested and there are finance plans available for buyers. From the Hangawera sale the firm will deliver the bulls free anywhere in the country.
“Obviously it’s a tough season for a lot of farmers but we’ve worked hard with our selling agents to make strong finance plans available for buyers.”
PGG Wrightson and RD1 Livestock are agents for the Hangawera Station sale and PGG Wrightson and Central Livestock for Taupo.
Mathieson expects about 150 bulls at the Hangawera Station sale and up to 50 at Taupo.
The Hereford bulls on offer are of mixed age, and the herds consist of 18 to 30 month-olds. All bulls are pure bred, undergo fertility testing, and are double vaccinated and tested for bovine viral diarrhoea and enzootic bovine leukosis prior to being put up for sale.
“We supply a guaranteed animal,” Mathieson says. “We test all bulls to make sure they’re fertile, fit and ready for the job.”
Mathieson is a station manager, farm developer and Hereford trader. A Hereford bull from his herd won the reserve champion category at the 2012 Beef Expo, Fielding.
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