Farming

A Gisborne sheep that evaded capture for five years has finally been shorn, producing a record-breaking fleece. Gizzy Shrek was shorn at the Poverty Bay A & P show this morning, producing a 13kg fleece, said its owner Rob Faulkner. “It’s a hell of a lot of wool to carry around.” It broke the record

Three New Zealand farms are now using electronic cow collars that use sound and vibration to guide and contain individual cows without the need for fences. The collars are designed by the Kiwi agri-tech company Halter. Basil the Friesian cow munches calmly in the paddock. As she moves there’s a quie

Fonterra is raising its forecast farmgate milk price for the current dairy season, driven by improved demand in China. The mid point in the forecast price range is $6.80 per kilogram of milk solids, up from $6.40. The margin on either side is plus or minus 50 cents. Fonterra chief executive Miles Hu

Hundreds of people and plenty of tractors arrived at the Town and Country Hui in Invercargill today. Organised by Federated Farmers and the Southland Chamber of Commerce, the idea was to create a fun community day where people could also learn more about the Government’s new freshwater legislation.

They’ll be coming in their tractors and farm utes to the Town and Country Hui tomorrow, but there will be no placards or protests. Organised by Federated Farmers and the Southland Chamber of Commerce, the idea was to create a fun community day where people could also learn more about the new freshwa

A West Coast farmer was disconcerted to find a farm track on his property listed as a road on Google Maps. Andrew Stewart is a sharemilker at Taramakau, inland from Kumara, on the West Coast. He said the so-called road is in fact a farm race used for herding stock or driving tractors. Upon learning

A National Government will reduce regulatory burden and give farmers confidence for the future. Leader of the National Party Judith Collins and Agriculture spokesperson David Bennett announced National’s Agriculture policy in Gisborne today. You can read National’s Agriculture & Horticulture Policy

Dairy prices rose the first time in two months, increasing an average 3.6 percent to $US3092 a tonne. The rise in the average price at the overnight global dairy auction compared with a 1 percent fall at the last sale two weeks ago. “The result indicates a firming of global demand as buyers who have