Livestock Report: Massive challenges for processing stock

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The Country's Jamie Mackay is joined by PGG Wrightson's GM for Livestock, Peter Moore, to chat about livestock around the country in light of the lockdown.

Allocation of processing space to farmers is verging on crisis as it is a massive challenge to get stock prepared for consumption.

Moore said that a four-to-six week delay on cattle was not unusual, with some works operating at fifty per cent capacity, whilst others were closed altogether due to Covid-19.

Dry conditions around the country had not helped the situation and Moore said the industry was gridlocked now more now than ever.

Store stock prices had softened, especially in the cattle market, said Moore.

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Mackay mentioned a previous discussion with Tom Young from AFFCO who said; "There is more to come out of this price wise…there is only a down side in the short term."

Moore agreed, noting it could be more so due to New Zealand's internal processing systems.

On a positive note, Mackay highlighted the online livestock trading system Bidr and how it could change the way we transact or auction livestock.

Bidr was a real opportunity for farmers and buyers to trade online and there was already a lot of interest in it, said Moore.

"I think Bidr is probably a bright light in the business at the moment."