“There’s still so much positivity in that market, and it’s good to see there’s grass everywhere.
“The guys are buying with confidence, and it looks like we could be in for another couple of years of this shortage.”
Gibson said dairy beef cattle were attracting strong interest and prices from the South Island as well.
“We’re selling a fair few of the R1 dairy cattle down to the South Island… It’s not far off the same sort of money.”
He said the wider cattle market remained firm across all classes, including finisher sales.
“Finishers are selling their cattle for good money, and they’re just climbing back in on the same sort of market.”
The sheep market is also looking positive, with a big sale coming up next week.
Gibson said Ratapiko Dorpers will hold a large reduction sale on February 20, streamed on PGG Wrightson’s bidr platform.
A reduction sale is when a breeder or farmer sells a portion of their herd or flock to reduce overall stock numbers, rather than closing down entirely.
“Boyd [Young], he’s got to an age where he just wants to cut the numbers back, so he’s going to put up 275 Dorpers, in that there’s black Dorpers as well, which are pretty uncommon,” Gibson explained.
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Dorpers are self-shedding sheep, which, along with Wiltshires, have been enjoying increased interest–especially since the wool market has struggled in recent years.
Mackay noted the irony of purchasing these sheep now that strong wool prices appeared to be lifting again.
“It’s always hard to know what’s going to happen in a market,” Gibson said.
“But they’ve had plenty of time to get that wool right, and guys are going the other way now, but supply and demand, if there’s no wool around, it’s always going to jump up a bit.”
He said Dorpers were “good meaty sheep,” which added to their appeal.
“The strength in the meat in those Dorpers has really surprised me; they’ve got some really good figures behind them.”
As strong seasonal conditions and tight supply continue to underpin the livestock market, having the right advice on the ground makes all the difference.
PGG Wrightson’s Livestock specialists combine local knowledge with their nationwide reach, supporting farmers across dairy, beef, store stock, genetics and more.
Explore more market insights, sale updates and expert commentary across the sector by visiting the PGG Wrightson Livestock Hub.
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