Beef cattle continue to increase
The number of beef cattle increased for the fourth year in a row in 2020, while the national dairy herd and sheep flock have both continued to fall in recent years, Stats NZ said.
ORGANISER OF the annual Prime Cattle competition, John Honeybone from Rural Livestock says that he has not seen such high prices and quality cattle since he started running the competition in the mid 1990's.
"All yard records for price per head and per kilo were broken during the sale. All cattle sent for sale were judged and the quality of the yarding was a credit to the vendors, " says Honeybone.
Supreme Champion of the show went to a steer from Tony Partridge, which later sold for 319 cents per kilo. Partridge, who also won first prize in the Best Pair of Steer's class, was presented with a trophy and prize ribbon from Canterbury A&P Association president, Richard Parkes.
A Charolais steer weighing 1260 kilogram, from John and Jack McDrury, won heaviest steer. The steer sold for $3276 dollars. The same vendors also picked up best single class and best single local trade class.
Complete Prime Cattle Competition Results:
Heaviest Steer
1st J&J McDrury
2nd Delpot Angus
3rd Warwick Seaton
Best Single Steer
1st A T Partridge
2nd B&A Fisher
3rd Karen Winter
Best Pair Steers
1st A T Partridge
2nd D & S Hight
3rd Rockford Farm
Best Single Heifer
1st J&J McDrury
2nd E J & GG Smith
3rd Geo Timperley
Best Pair Heifers
1st B&A Fisher
2nd J & J McDrury
3rd Geo Timperley
Best Single Local Trade
1st J & J McDrury
2nd and 3rd Sheat & Wilson
Best Pair Local Trade
1st D&S Hight
2nd Stony Bay Farm
3rd Sheat & Wilson
This is the last prime cattle sale before the annual Canterbury A&P Show. Work has now started on preparing the saleyards for the influx of livestock who will call the Vero Livestock Pavilion home for the three days of the Show.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.