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.
The combined North and South Island sale comprising 14,100 bales saw a 91.2% clearance with an overall firm market tone, says NZ Wool Services International Ltd's general manager, John Dawson.
The weighted indicator for the main trading currencies increased by 0.42% compared to last sale on November 29 with little impact in most areas.
Dawson says recent renewed activity from China has helped stimulate the finer sector of the market with carpet types generally holding their ground.
Mid micron fleece strengthened 1.5 to 5%. Fine crossbred full fleece ranged from firm to 5% stronger. Fine crossbred shears 2 to 4 inches to 3 to 5 inches were generally 2 to 5% dearer with only the shorter types decreasing by up to 3%.
Coarse crossbred fleece and shears were generally firm to buyers favour. First lambs fleece were firm to 2% dearer.
Long oddments were buyers favour with shorter types firm to 4% stronger.
China dominated the market with limited support by Western Europe, Middle East, United Kingdom, India and Australasia.
The next sale on December 13 comprises about 7200 bales from the North 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.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.
OPINION: In the same way that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, economists sometimes get it right.
OPINION: The proposed RMA reforms took a while to drop but were well signaled after the election.