Wool pellets to boost gardens
With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.
Comparative market reporting based on the radically disparate volumes and types on offer between alternate weeks offerings of North and South Island wools is becoming increasingly difficult, says New Zealand Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson.
There are wide price ranges between the selling centres, he says
Compared to the last sale on June 14 the weighted indicator for the main trading currencies is up 2.29% accounting for most of the softer market week last week with 65% of the offering selling.
Dawson reports that last week's South Island offering compared to the week before's North Island sale was generally firm to 4% easier. Longer Fine Crossbred Shears were firm to 3% softer with the shorter types resisting the trends and firming up to 4%.
Coarse Crossbred Fleece was also firm to 4% down. Coarse Shears 2/4 and longer ranged from 2 to 5% easier with the shorter types 1.5% dearer.
First Lambs were 2 to 5% down. Coarse Oddments were 3 to 4% cheaper.
When compared to the previous South Island offering on June 7, levels range from firm to 6% cheaper, however the price wool is trading at internationally is relative to the North Island market movement and currency impact.
Limited competition with China, United Kingdom and Western Europe principals, supported by India, Middle East and Australasia.
Next sale on June 28 comprises about 13,600 bales from the North Island and 6,200 bales from the South Island.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
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