Farmers embrace online bidding
When the door slammed shut on New Zealand in March 2020 it also closed the gate to one of the viability fundamentals of the country’s livestock industry – stock auctions.
A record number of farmers took part in the largest service bull sale in New Zealand – many from the comfort of their own homes.
This year’s Huntly bull sale marked 14 years since friends Dave MacKenzie and Greg Straker combined forces to provide farmers with access to quality grade beef and dairy bulls.
MacKenzie recalls that the sale quickly became renowned for bulls which were well grown and provided the breed diversity dairy farmers were after.
“Until this year the NZ Farmers Livestock auction has meant that bidders needed to be ringside – but this year farmers were able to register to bid online via our hybrid auction platform which enables ring-side and online bidding.”
NZ Farmers Livestock general manager Bill Sweeney said the sale was very successful “with return buyers and around 100 registered buyers. Around 440 2yr bulls in outstanding condition and with excellent temperament went under the hammer”.
“The top Herefords realised up to $2,800 with an average of $2,400 while the average for Angus and Jersey was $2,300 and $1,950 respectively – up slightly on the prices achieved last year. Buyers were from as far away as Otago and Whangarei,” Bill Sweeney said.
The opportunity to spend more time on farm while providing a dedicated service for shareholders attracted new environmental manager Ben Howden to work for Waimakariri Irrigation Limited (WIL).
Federated Farmers claims that the Otago Regional Council is charging ahead unnecessarily with piling more regulation on rural communities.
Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.
OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.
Listed Canterbury milk processor Synlait’s shares have been placed in a trading halt.
OPINION: Even before the National-led coalition came into power, India was very much at the fore of its trade agenda.
OPINION: European farmers are going to extreme lengths to have their message heard.
OPINION: The hustle and bustle of one of Bangkok's most popular fast food outlets may feel a world away from…