A new innovative online bidding platform generated record demand at a dairy clearing sale in Matamata at the end of June.

The sale of Maurice and Jenni Butler’s Friesian herd, whose production placed them in the top ten percent in the country, marked the end of a 50 year career in dairy farming.

Maurice Butler admits that when he started out as a young farmer he never envisaged that farmers would, one day, be able to sit at home and confidently buy cows in real time.

“But that’s what enabled such a great result at my sale this week. Around 49 farmers from all over New Zealand attended the sale online and, combined with the more than 150 people who came to the farm, resulting in great prices and homes for my cows across the country.”

NZ Farmers Livestock’s live online bidding platform saw farmers from as far afield as Kaikoura, Geraldine, Waimate, Whangarei, Taranaki and the Manawatu attend the sale, either ringside or online.

Michael Conwell, NZ Farmers Livestock agent, said the average price for the high producing herd was $1,935 for the cows and $1,955 for the heifers. Top prices were $5,100 for the cows and $5,400 for the heifers with two yearling heifers realising $5,000 and $6,100.

“A new innovation - the ability to pick one or two cows from a line of, say, three - proved very popular with farmers as it provided more flexibility enabling farmers to bid for a particular cow or cows.

“We were delighted with farmer attendance, both online and at the farm,” Michael Conwell said “and it’s fair to say many farmers took the opportunity to drive long distances to experience and bid at the sale of a herd which marked the end of a spectacular career in dairying.

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