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Fat raindrops slap the windscreen. After a record-dry May, Invercargill has entered winter with a wet and windy roar. Not that the rain or near freezing temperatures slows anyone down, especially not PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative (TFR) Megan Shirley who is in shorts.
Georgia Ward joins Megan on the trip out to the Morton Mains farm. She is a PGG Wrightson Customer Sales Representative (CSR) and part of the 2026 PGW Academy Programme. Georgia knows the farm better than most. Not only is she doing her Academy dissertation on the farm’s Hereford heifers, but she grew up here. Her parents, Graham and Vicki, run sheep and beef on this 370-hectare property, along with a recent addition of 780-hectares in Mossburn.
“I am the third generation here; my daughters are the fourth. Though she’s full-time at Wrightson’s, Georgia is a fine labourer on the weekends,” Graham teases.
“Actually, she is probably the number one saleswoman in Southland with all she sells me.”
Graham's eldest daughter, Hannah, works in Agri-finance. His youngest, Lottie, is here for the winter season, but is soon heading to their new Mossburn farm to train as a junior shepherd.
Winter ready
It has been a big morning of scanning at the woolshed. Graham, Lottie, and Chris spent the morning separating out the 1,250 Romney ewes into mobs. The empty mob are identified by the orange paint on their heads. Their restless bleats disappearing as they leap out the door to a grassy paddock.
The pregnant ewes are quiet and calm, appearing to be quite comfortable staying out of the rain. The singles mob are ready for a maintenance diet and will stay on winter crops, until the end of July when they will go on pasture. The multiples, with their higher energy and protein demands, have pasture and sheep nuts in their future.
A good year
“This season is the best season we have ever had. Last year was the worst. We have gone from zero to hero. Seasons can be like that, but now that farmers are actually making money from their clips, we need to give it the best go," says Graham.
It is not just wool experiencing a resurgence, farm-gate prices for lamb are up $2 per kg year-on-year, and cattle is averaging $7.59 per kg/CW according to Beef + Lamb NZ.
"We run a lot of beef. In addition to our 4,600 ewes in Mossburn, we have 150 breeding mixed-aged, and 18 in-calf heifers, and around 760 bulls," Graham explains.
Megan and Georgia work closely with Graham to ensure he making the most of a very good year.
Up the hill
Up the hill, overlooking the shearing shed, are the Ward’s 98 Friesian yearlings. They are wintered here before joining the rest of their herd.
"Jersey calves are easier," he laughs.
Bulls and cows are separated in different pens, but all are contentedly grazing on baleage. Yearlings require high-energy, high-protein diets to support their rapid growth. Graham gives his yearlings a mix of high-protein baleage and whole crop. He supplements this with bentonite for improved nutrient utilisation.
Investment protection
Getting his sheep and beef to the finish line takes a lot of investment. Of course, protecting that investment is about more than time, money, and mahi.
“Caring for our stock, putting their health and welfare first, is not just better for the animals, but for our bottom-line, too. This is true for good years and bad,” says Georgia.
"We are happy this happens to be a good year."
For help protecting your stock and investment, contact your local PGG Wrightson Technical Field Representative.
