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 North Island wool auction this week remained mostly firm except for the higher volume of shorter shears, which eased, compared to last week.
New Zealand Wool Services International Limited's marketing executive, Paul Steel reports that the weighted indicator for the main trading currencies eased slightly by 0.4% compared to the last sale on 7th May.
Of the 5,500 bales on offer, 98% sold.
Steel says that continued requirement for China saw the Fine Crossbred Shears range from firm to 2.5% dearer. Coarse Crossbred Full Fleece were firm to 2% stronger.
Longer Coarse Shears were 1 to 2.5% firmer with shorter shears, which made up over 50% of the offering, ranging from firm to 2% cheaper.
Long First Lambs fleece remained steady with shorter lamb's wool 1.5 to 2% easier.
Good colour short oddments were 1% cheaper with poor styles firm to 5% lower.
China dominated the auction, supported by Australasia, India, Western Europe and the Middle East.
The next sale on 21st May in the South Island is for approximately 10,000 bales, 4,000 bales above roster. The small volume of previous passed in wools held back by growers is coming forward for sale, attracted by recent improved local price levels.
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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