Livestock Supplies is a privately owned business based in Gore, Eastern Southland, New Zealand.

Our History

The company was started in 1985 and was originally based in small premises in south Gore. The company expanded rapidly, meaning a shift to a larger facility - the present factory in Railway Street, Gore.

The current premises of Livestock Supplies - Gore

The company was based on the findings and philosophy of the late Brown Trotter, a South Canterbury farmer who found that despite ever increasing input of conventional fertilisers, his stock performance and farm carrying capacity was decreasing.

It was only when Mr Trotter started to supplement his soils and livestock with trace element that he started to make major advances in stock health and performance. ("The Rape of our Heritage" - Brown Trotter - Printed by the Timaru Herald - August 1978)

Livestock supplies expanded on the work done by Mr Trotter and found an independent soil testing laboratory in Missouri, USA, which could test for all the major elements, total exchange capacity, base saturation percentages and trace elements.

From these soil and herbage tests, Livestock Supplies was able to formulate and supply trace element mixes to remedy soil deficiencies. Along with this, they could give totally independent advice on inputs of major elements (fertilisers) and lime.

A line of proprietary mixes of salt blocks and salt licks was also developed to counter trace element deficiencies in the soils of Otago and Southland.

Today, the business has adjusted and grown, and now produces a wide range of trace element related products and provide a host of farming related services, including BioGro organics approved products along with completely independent advice on lime fertiliser and trace element inputs.

All advisors are members of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science Inc.