Getting sheep shape at Pyramid Farm
The vineyards at Pyramid Farm in Marlborough’s Avon Valley have never been run of the mill, with plantings that follow the natural contours of the land, 250 metres above sea level.
Hecton Products, whose name is familiar to many New Zealand sheep farmers, has a new product — Mobile Stock Worker.
This versatile handling unit is designed for easy transport around the farm or between properties, helping to make short work of sheep handling jobs.
Set up or take down is easily achieved in 15 minutes. This is done by simply reversing up to the yard or holding pen, removing the transport wheels and then getting on with the job at hand.
It has a reversible clamp frame to suit left or right handed users. Once the sheep are clamped, the operator is hands free to go about the work.
The dagging race is available left or right handed, and has two anti-backing wings to increase stock flow.
Ideal for drafting, weighing, dagging, mouthing, tagging and inoculations, the units can handle ewes and lambs at the same time without any adjustment.
With the addition of weighing equipment the unit becomes indispensible for monitoring lamb weights then drafting off finished animals.
Southland farmer Nigel King has used a Stock Worker for 12 months and says he is very impressed.
“It’s easy to use, stress free for ewes and lambs and importantly people,” he explains.
“You name it, we’ve done it. Weighing, mouthing, uddering, drenching, ear tagging and even a cheeky wee crutching at the same time.”
DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she first started out in the dairy sector, with around one-third of dairy farmers now women.
Castle Ridge Station has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The South Island Dairy Event has announced Jessica Findlay as the recipient of the BrightSIDE Scholarship Programme, recognising her commitment to furthering her education and future career in the New Zealand dairy industry.
New Zealand and Chile have signed a new arrangement designed to boost agricultural cooperation and drive sector success.
New DairyNZ research will help farmers mitigate the impacts of heat stress on herds in high-risk regions of the country.
Budou are being picked now in Bridge Pā, the most intense and exciting time of the year for the Greencollar team – and the harvest of the finest eating grapes is weeks earlier than expected.

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