The livestock-selling market was again put on hold as the country moved into Alert Level 4. This followed confirmation of the covid-19 Delta variant in the community and meant sale yards were not able to open their gates for the rest of the week.
PGG Wrightson North Island livestock manager Matt Langtry says the options are slightly limited this week.
“Under Level 4 all sale yards are closed, however, we will continue to re-evaluate the situation as Government and MPI updates come to hand. As an essential service provider under Level 4, PGG Wrightson agents can operate in private sales (farm-to-farm) and prime (meat processor) consignments, where there needs to be a focus on animal and farmer welfare and feed levels,” Langtry said.
“We are operating under strict MPI protocols, which includes a very transparent traceability and audit process for our team. Through this challenging time, it is imperative we keep communicating with the industry, we are in this together. It’s a bugger of a situation again, but we will pull through.”
Last week played host to several larger spring cattle sales and that helped ease the pressures that the current lockdown could have created. At Stortford Lodge, a moderate tally of 220 cattle had been advertised for Wednesday’s sale due to the first spring fair the week before. Taranaki was also only expecting 320 on the back of a 720-head fair the week prior. However, sheep tallies were higher than expected at Stortford Lodge, as 4750 were advertised and the sale would have featured the biggest yarding of ewes with lambs-at-foot so far this season.
Redshaw Livestock agent Dean Freeman says most vendors have put selling on-hold, at least until the end of the week.
“Most are in wait-and-see mode now, until further announcements are made at the end of the week. Last time we had 50 days out of the yards and the market went into limbo, so unless vendors need to urgently move stock, no one is ready to make any decision on selling just yet,” Freeman said.
During the last nationwide lockdown, sale yards were able to reopen in Level 2, 50 days after they closed. All livestock agents are deemed an essential service and can continue to operate under MPI protocols.
