The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

The Country's Best Bits 2020: Top animal stories of the year

The Country
7 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Photo / File

Photo / File

It goes without saying that farmers love their animals, and this was reflected in the popularity of stories concerning our four-legged friends last year.

However, it wasn't just animals of the bovine or ovine variety that made it to the top five tales in 2020.

In fact, one of the most read stories was about an animal that doesn't exist anymore.

Check out The Country's most popular animal stories of 2020 below:

Top dog goes for $13,200 at Mid Canterbury

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Coming in at number one was this story about a dog called Spring, who went for $13,200 at the 64th PGG Wrightson annual sheep and cattle dog sale at the Mayfield A&P showgrounds.

Good girl Spring!

Read all about it here: Top dog goes for $13,200 at Mid Canterbury

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Bull sells for $60,000

Impressive animal sales always go well on The Country, but a bull commanding this kind of price, despite a global pandemic, was a stand out for our audience - and the second most read animal story of 2020.

Sudeley 18101 sold for $60,000 at the annual on-farm Sudeley Angus bull sale in Canterbury last June.

Read all about it here: Bull sells for $60,000

Discover more

The Country's Best Bits 2020: Most popular stories of the year

31 Dec 08:15 PM

The Country's Best Bits 2020: Top political interviews

29 Dec 08:15 PM

Boris back after 13 years in the wilderness

12 Jul 09:09 PM

The Country's Best Bits 2020: Top opinion pieces of the year

03 Jan 04:00 PM

Whanganui Tasmanian tiger pelt provides DNA of extinct marsupial

Number three on the list was a bit of a curve ball. A Tasmanian tiger pelt found in New Zealand caused excitement in Australia as it revealed new information about their coats and also provided some surviving DNA.

This yarn was so popular we've added it to the top animal list, even though Tasmanian tigers are extinct.

Find out more about this discovery here: Whanganui Tasmanian tiger pelt provides DNA of extinct marsupial

Boris the wandering steer

Things get back to rural business with our fourth most popular tale.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A "crazy big" Angus steer returned home after wandering the mountainous Hurunui back country for nearly 13 years.

His name is Boris and you can read about him here: Wandering steer Boris back after 13 years in the Canterbury wilderness

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

NorthTec cuts 58 roles in restructure to stay financially viable

31 Oct 04:46 PM
The Country

'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off

31 Oct 04:05 PM
The Country

This community garden is cultivating more than just plants

31 Oct 04:00 PM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

NorthTec cuts 58 roles in restructure to stay financially viable
The Country

NorthTec cuts 58 roles in restructure to stay financially viable

‘You’re going to lose the heart of NorthTec’: Staff fear support stripped back.

31 Oct 04:46 PM
'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off
The Country

'Neighbours thought I was a bit abnormal': Farmer's planting idea pays off

31 Oct 04:05 PM
This community garden is cultivating more than just plants
The Country

This community garden is cultivating more than just plants

31 Oct 04:00 PM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP