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 high volume of short second shears eased slightly at the latest NZ Wool Services International's auction compared to the last North Island auction on May 12, says chief executive John Dawson.
Apart from that there were minimal changes.Of the 8,600 bales on offer 88% sold. Currency had minimal impact with the weighted indicator for the main trading currencies down only 0.47% week on week.
Dawson says the listed volumes of fine crossbred longer shears were 1 to 2% dearer with the shorter types firm to 2% easier.
Coarse crossbred fleece were firm to 2.5% dearer. Longer coarse shears were firm to 2% firmer with the high volumes of short shears on offer 1 to 2% easier.
Fine first lambs were firm to 3% dearer with coarse lambs 3 to 4% cheaper. Oddments were firm to 5% easier.
There are now quite disparate price levels between the limited type selection and styles in the North Island and the more varied offering from the South Island making direct comparisons difficult.
There was good competition with Australasia, Western Europe and United Kingdom principal, supported by Middle East, India and China.
The next sale on June 2 comprises about 6,500 bales from the South Island.
Farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown is winding down the operations of its agritech subsidiary C-Dax following a long decline in sales.
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
A Research programme supported by Beef+Lamb NZ is investigating the potential of ‘accelerometer’ sensors for early detection of conditions such as facial eczema (FE) in sheep.
In the past year, the Farmer Time for Schools programme which seeks to connect New Zealand school students with farmers, has experienced further growth.
Fresh Carriers Co. Ltd (FCC) and Zespri have completed the first ever kiwifruit charter powered by a low-emissions fuel.
New Zealand lingerie brand Rose & Thorne is expanding its virtual bra fitting service in an effort to provide rural women in with better access to specialised advice.
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