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 7,500 bales of North Island wools on offer this week saw a 97% clearance and a generally dearer market, reports NZWSI marketing executive, Malcolm Ching.
The weighted currency indicator for the main trading currencies eased again compared to the last sale on 27th August, coming down 0.92%, mainly due to the US dollar influence.
Ching says that apart from the finer end of the Fine Crossbred longer shears, which came down 2 to 4%, the balance of this category ranged from 3 to 7% dearer with shorter types benefiting the most.
Coarse Crossbred Fleece were firm to 2.5% firmer with better styles attracting the most support.
Coarse Shears were firm to 4.5% stronger with shorter types in strong demand.
Oddments were firm to 1.5% dearer.
Overall, there was good competition with China, Australasia and Western Europe dominating, supported by the Middle East, United Kingdom and India.
The next sale is scheduled for 10th September and comprises approximately 8,900 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.
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.