Record audience at bull sale
A record number of farmers took part in the largest service bull sale in New Zealand – many from the comfort of their own homes.
Tainui Group Holdings' annual Hereford sale at Hangawera Station this month was a sellout; all 159 bulls were sold for an average $2800 per head.
Prices were markedly up on last year's sale and bids reached as high as $3200.
Rural operations manager Ian Mathieson says the bidders were eager.
"We had 60 registered buyers at the station Monday and we sold all the Herefords presented. The weather was fine and it was a family day out for many, given that it was school holidays."
Mathieson says its finance plans were a magnet for would-be buyers.
"We had some positive feedback on the finance plans available this year. It's been a tough season, particularly for dairy, but we worked hard with our agents PGG Wrightson and RD1 Livestock.
"Months of preparation went into this day and it was great to see it go really well," he says.
All the Herefords sold were purebred, aged 18-30 months. They were fertility tested and double vaccinated and tested for bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL).
Brett Wotton, an Eastern Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and harvest contractor, has won the 2025 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for his work to support lifting fruit quality across the industry.
Academic Dr Mike Joy and his employer, Victoria University of Wellington have apologised for his comments suggesting that dairy industry CEOs should be hanged for contributing towards nitrate poisoning of waterways.
Environment Southland's catchment improvement funding is once again available for innovative landowners in need of a boost to get their project going.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
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