Head Shepherd

No matter what country you visit, each will always say that they produce the best sheep. But, up until recently, we didn't have a fair comparison of sheep genetics between countries. That's where Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Development Authority of Ireland, and our guest this week, Dr Noirin McHugh, come in. 

Both Ireland and New Zealand have grass-based systems with an emphasis on export markets. In Ireland, their breeding objectives are similar to those in New Zealand, centring on lambing efficiency, growth performance, carcass quality, health and maternal traits. This makes it a great foundation for comparison of genetic merit. 

"Back in 2012, we actually compared on paper our two indexes" explains Noirin. They wanted to see how the rate of genetic gain compared between Ireland and New Zealand. "New Zealand, because they had so much more data behind them, the rate of genetic gain or the rate of improvement due to genetics, was three times higher than what we saw here on the ground in Ireland," Noirin explains, with the Irish Maternal Sheep Index sitting at $0.50/lamb per year vs New Zealand at $2.60/lamb per year. 

This led them to conduct a more controlled experiment, so that a true comparison could be made. In 2013 and 2014, 60 ewes were imported into Ireland from New Zealand. They were selected based on the Maternal Worth Index and selected from six different flocks. 
 
A four-year controlled experiment commenced in 2015 at Teagasc. It compared the imported genetics, 'high' Irish genetics and 'low' Irish genetics. The results favoured New Zealand genetics in various aspects, including ewe survival, lamb numbers, ease of lambing and labour requirements. However, it did show that with Irish genetics, selecting the highest genetic merit animals can lead to substantial improvements in a short period of time. 

Since that trial finished, Noirin has been involved with many other groundbreaking research trials in the sheep and beef field in Ireland and she tells Mark a little about these, too. From methane testing, to the differing methods and measures of lameness recording, to how Teagasc approach data collection to make it as easy as possible for their farmers. 

The differing ways of recording data across countries is interesting, but it goes to show that the principles of genetics work the same worldwide and, that by selecting high-merit sheep with the traits you want, significant change can be made to your business.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Our guest this week is esteemed agribusiness leader, John McKillop, and this episode is an inspiring listen.

John has had an incredible career leading many agribusinesses around the globe and, as Mark puts it, “If there's a big name in ag that you haven't worked for, I'm not sure who they are.”

From his beginnings on a family farm in western NSW to leading global corporations, John's journey in the agriculture sector offers valuable, and often humorous, insights. His career is a testament to resilience, determination and his love for the industry. He shares his lifetime of experiences with Ferg and offers some advice from those life lessons.

1. Negotiation matters: “In life and business, remember: you don't get what you deserve; you get what you negotiate. The art of negotiation is essential, so do your homework and understand what you want before the negotiation begins."

2. Commit to continuous learning: "Commit to a lifetime of learning. Formal qualifications and continuous education stimulate your mind and keep you ahead in the industry, whether you're working for others or running your own farm."

3. Make a difference: "Don't shy away from hard work. It's the key to adding value and achieving success. Find out how you can make a difference, even if it's beyond your job description."

4. Maintain dignity and relationships: "Maintain your dignity and never burn bridges in the agriculture industry. You might need to cross that bridge again and maintaining your reputation is crucial."

5. Networking and immersion: "Networking is vital for success. Immerse yourself in your industry, engage with others and build meaningful relationships. It's a valuable habit for personal and professional growth."

6. Integrity is non-negotiable: "Maintaining integrity is a non-negotiable. If you feel your integrity is compromised, it's time to move on. Your reputation and values matter in the long run."

7. Understand your motivation: "Know yourself and what motivates you. Is it love, money, power or respect? Understanding your motivation can guide your decisions and actions in life."

John McKillop's career shows that success in agriculture often involves perseverance and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances. His insights shed light on the industry's complexities and opportunities.

John concludes with some wisdom for those who may feel a little defeated.

“You know, I've been sold up a few times and taken a few wrong moves in my career. But I don't think that defines me. I think you are defined by the fact you get up again and you go out and have another crack because that's what you love doing. And if you're doing what you love doing, you'll stick to it and eventually the fruits will be born. There will be times when you feel like there's too much pressure. But then that will lift, you'll take a breath and get back out there again.”

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Our guest this week is Dr Sonja Dominik, a research scientist specialising in sustainability indicators at CSIRO in Armidale. 

Sonja's career began with an undergraduate degree in Germany, majoring in animal breeding and genetics. Her passion for genetics led her to undertake research work in Australia, where she developed a deep appreciation for the country, its people and its livestock. 

Sonja moved to Australia to complete her doctoral studies, looking at genotype x environment interaction in merino sheep in Western Australia. Sonja looked into how the stud environment differs from the commercial environment and whether the performance of rams shifts between these distinct husbandry systems. 

Sonja joined CSIRO 21 years ago and she has been a part of pioneering research projects. Notably, she worked on the genetics of methane emission in sheep, breech strike resistance, worm resistance and much, much more. 

In this episode, we discuss Sonja's PhD topic, the genotype x environment interaction, the impact of digital technology and the work she is currently involved  in. This includes establishing a "Lifetime Animal Wellbeing Index" to objectively demonstrate animal welfare in the industry, assisting in meeting both consumer demands, and also import requirements globally. 

Sonja Dominik has had a truly remarkable career so far and this podcast highlights the importance of research and technology in shaping the future of farming, a lot of which Sonja has been involved with!

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week on the podcast we have Cara Brosnahan from Beef and Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) discussing the latest research being done to gauge the prevalence and impact of facial eczema (FE) in New Zealand.

As the global climate shifts, the disease is migrating further southward, causing new challenges for regions and livestock previously unaffected. B+LNZ are trying to understand the spread and severity of the disease, with the aim of devising effective strategies to manage it.

North Island farmers will be very familiar with what FE is - for those that aren't, sheep and cattle consume a toxin known as sporidesmin, produced by a fungus living in the pasture, which causes liver damage and subsequent photosensitivity, resulting in the clinical sign of facial eczema. Subclinical signs of the disease can lead to significant liver damage, reduced production, fertility issues and - in dairy cattle - a drop in milk production.

B+LNZ's three-year research endeavour aims to enhance understanding of the prevalence of facial eczema in New Zealand and the impacts on livestock in both the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

B+LNZ need 350 dedicated farmers (with 22 participants from each of the 16 regions across New Zealand) to gather samples between October and May for three consecutive years. The objective is to obtain a comprehensive nationwide understanding of facial eczema, regardless of previous farm exposure to the condition.

B+LNZ will provide sampling kits and cover the cost of shipping samples to the laboratory. Study participants will be responsible for collecting samples from the ground, approximately every two weeks, amounting to 16 collections from their flock of sheep each year during the research period.

Farmers interested in participating in the facial eczema research study can express their willingness to participate by registering their details below.

https://www.cognitoforms.com/BLNZGenetics/FacialEczemaThreeYearResearchStudy

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Breeding a balanced sheep is no easy feat. But with a head for numbers and a great mindset, our guest this week, Alan Rissmann, is doing just that.

With the business tagline 'We breed sheep to work for you, not make work for you', it's no surprise that Rissmerino breeds sheep for higher welfare traits and reduced workload. In his conversation with Mark, Alan dives into the 'why' behind this.

"In the industry, there's been this perception that sheep are hard work and they just have to be hard work," says Alan. Quoting the adage, "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you'll be right," Alan shares why the belief that sheep are hard work can hold producers back from improving their sheep production. 

"If you don't think sheep can survive without a drench, without a foot trim, you're not going to try to fix it.... But, if you do think that this is a stupid waste of time, like I do, then you're going to do something to fix it and there are ways to fix that."

Mark and Alan discuss the traits that Rissmerino base their breeding decisions on and what they are looking for in a sheep - low micron, low adult weight, good growth curve, increased fertility, worm and fly resistance, structural soundness and clean skin. Sounds like a dream sheep!

Alan is a firm believer in running large mobs of sheep so that they face the same challenges. "They're all in one mob pretty much all year. There are just five weeks they get pulled out to be single-sired and then five weeks again over lambing time. The rest of the year the sheep run just on grass, all in one big mob so they go compete with each other for survival and I think that's very important," he says.

The location of the Rissmann's property offers many environmental challenges, which means their flock is "pretty bombproof", as Alan puts it. They face heavy rain leading to pressure on wool colouring and fly, more worms and also feet issues. This, along with Rissmerino's  dedicated data collection,  hard work in genetic selection and strict culling policy, have rewarded them with some exciting merino sheep with plenty of potential for handling future challenges.

This is an inspiring podcast that highlights the success that can come when you put all of the best-practice principles into action. 

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Tune in to hear Dr Nicola Lambe and Dr Mark Ferguson discuss sheep genetics, methane emissions and their intersection with climate change. 

With an impressive 25-year career at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Nicola brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our listeners. From her beginnings as a poultry research assistant, Nicola is now a teacher and project manager at SRUC. 

Throughout her career, she has played a crucial role in CT scanning work in Scotland, helping farmers breed for better meat and carcass quality in their sheep.

20 years ago they started with a second-hand CT scanner from a hospital that wasn't mobile. Now, they have one on the back of a truck trailer that travels around the country. Through the years this has produced a wealth of data to analyse.

"It takes cross-sectional images through the body," she explains. "We have software that can calculate fat, muscle and bone in different areas of the body. You can look at the 3D reconstruction of the images and examine it in different planes to measure muscle dimensions and body part volumes."

From this, a lot can be recorded. Muscle mass, fat percentages and even rumen capacity and pelvis size and Nicola goes through the results of this research, plus the more recent methane and feed efficiency work Nicola and SRUC have been involved with. They are currently recording methane via portable accumulation chambers, the CT traits listed above, feed efficiency, rumen microbiome, disease resistance and commercial performance.

Mark and Nicola dive a little deeper and discuss the impact of methanogens, organisms that generate methane in sheep. The relationship between methanogens and sheep genetics is an intriguing subject that still lacks complete understanding. However, advances in technology over the past ten years have greatly influenced the industry and, with research happening globally, answers aren't far away.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week Nicola Peddie shares her insights into the wool industry, the power of sustainable innovation, and the potential for personal growth when you put your mind to it. 

Born and raised on a sheep and beef farm in New Zealand, Nicola's passion for wool came from a black and coloured stud flock her mother ran. "From a young age, I used to prepare the wool with Mum and become naturally very fond of it," she says.

Nicola gained her wool-classing ticket, but found it difficult to find a run in New Zealand. So, with her usual determination, she headed to Kangaroo Island and got her Australian wool-classing ticket as well. Nicola worked to gain enough experience to get a run in North Otago and she also began instructing part-time, which Nicola says was a fantastic experience and gave her exposure to mentoring others.

"Following that, I got an opportunity and I worked for three months in the wool store. I worked hard and made a point that I wanted to get on the road and they gave me the opportunity to do that. But it was a hard road," Nicola explains. "I didn't get a client list, so I was cold calling and knocking on doors and utilising my network. I was lucky that through my family I had some contacts - and also through wool handling and wool-classing. I worked for them for a couple of years and then got an opportunity with The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM)."

Nicola's hard graft and tenacity shine through, showing that with a strong work ethic and professionalism, you can shape your career's trajectory to reach your goals. Her latest role for NZM, 'Northern Regional and Offshore Manager', involved building a strong nucleus of influential growers in Australia, focusing on ethical sourcing. She was also highly involved in developing the strong wool supply from North Island farmers.

A few months ago, Nicola left NZM to pursue a Master of Business Administration (MBA). "I was always an ideator in the organisation, and it was something I enjoyed. However, you also need to know the mechanics, and that's the next stage of actually being able to drive change," she explains. "When I think about the future that I want after the MBA, I want to be able to support and drive transformational change in the agricultural sector and support growers and make sure that they're set up for the future, and to be able to do that effectively, I needed to round out my skill set. 

Nicola's story serves as a testament to the potential of professionalism, personal development and seizing future opportunities. Whether you're an aspiring young professional in ag, or someone older seeking growth in their career, we hope Nicola's story encourages you to take that next step. 

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Lamb survival is always a hot topic, especially as producers increase their scanning percentages and improve their feeding practices, leading to more multiples. This week on the podcast we have Dr Amy Lockwood, whose research has focused on lamb survival - from paddock size to feed availability.

In this conversation with Dr Mark Ferguson, Amy shares the findings from her PhD research on mob size and lamb survival, illustrating how producers can reduce the size of their lambing paddocks, and manage smaller mobs, for maximum economic value.

Amy explains, "The effects that we've seen for singles, twins and triplets have all been linear. The smaller the mob, the better the lamb's survival. In terms of the economic optimum for mob size, there is a tipping point and that tipping point will vary depending on the enterprise. But just in terms of the relationship between mob size and lamb survival, the smaller the mob, the better - and the more lambs that are going to be marked out of that paddock," which is what every producer wants.

Mark and Amy also discuss how, with advances in technology, it is now possible to monitor lamb behaviour remotely, allowing for more accurate and efficient data collection and better answers to what constitutes a 'good' lambing paddock.

Mark and Amy briefly cover her ongoing projects at Murdoch University. Amy is currently working with Serena Hancock on the 'Edible Shelter Project' (a collaboration with UWA). She is also involved in a project focused on genetic solutions for sheep foot health, a collaboration between Murdoch University, neXtgen Agri, key industry bodies and merino breeders in Australia.

We are fortunate that Amy has recently become part of the neXtgen team (based in Western Australia) and will be sharing more of her wisdom with our clients there.

If you are interested in our upcoming webinar: Genetic solutions for foot health (AUS), click here.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Maximising the potential of the grass you grow is a critical component of pasture-based agriculture; doing it well is what separates the good farmers from the great.  In this episode of the Head Shepherd podcast, we discuss this and more with Michael Gooden, an Angus seed stock business expert and a champion of sustainable cattle farming practices.

Michael hails from NSW, Australia, where he and his family have taken a unique, future-focused approach to their Angus seed stock business. They have been instrumental in emphasising the importance of breeding animals that can thrive on grass.

"The reality in our business is that we manage grass, so we had to sell our grass to the highest bidder and, for us, that seed stock business was going to be an enterprise that could be the highest bidder for the grass that we grow."

Michael gives us an insightful tour of the mechanics of a grass-based farming system. He explains how they match stocking rates with pasture growth curves and how they make economic decisions about what stock stays and goes during the ebb and flow of the farming year, highlighting how data collection can play a crucial role in making informed decisions during stressful times.

"One upside to having a performance-recorded beef herd is that we've got every animal ranked, so we know where that [stocking rate] line can go," says Michael.
 
Michael touched on the challenges and strategies for agricultural businesses. He shared his thoughts on the importance of having everyone on the same page and working in the same direction to maximise efficiency and progress.

Michael also covers the impending price drops in the agriculture industry and stresses the importance of controlling what you can and being aware of the situation.

Michael has an inspiring, forward-thinking approach to farming; his insights and experiences serve as a valuable guide for anyone interested in improving their production and making a commitment to sustainable farming practices for the future.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Are we aware of where our food comes from? What about the subtle complexities in our food production systems? Join us as we get a fresh perspective on this and more from Jill Griffiths, a science writer, journalist, and author. 

Her recently launched book, "What's for Dinner?", dives into how our food is grown and our role as food-eaters. With a mix of science, history, and personal stories, she takes us on a fascinating journey to meet the plants, animals, and people who make our meals possible. 

But what inspired Jill to write this book in the first place?

"I've been a science writer in ag and environment for a long time and, before that, I studied biology and journalism. I grew up in the country and then lived a lot of my life in the city, so I came to the whole question of "food and farming" from various viewpoints. What I was hearing from researchers and farmers didn't always match up with what I was hearing in the public discourse and from my city-based friends. So I went looking for where the answers to some of those questions lay."

Jill says it was an eye-opening journey that gave her access to unique people and places she otherwise might not have experienced.  And what did Jill discover?

Well, firstly, our food supply isn't as diverse as you might think. Jill shines a spotlight on how limited our choices are.  We rely heavily on just a few species for our meals.

"75% of the world's food comes from 12 species of plant and five species of animal. But within those species, there's a narrow range of breeds. 90% of the dairy herd in Australia are Holstein Friesian. So, from that one species, not even the whole genetic range of that species is present in our food chain. I'm not sure that that's a good point."

Mark and Jill also cover the nutrient density of food.

"We often hear that that modern food is lower in nutrient density and there's a grain of truth in that," says Jill. "The grain of truth is that in increasing yield, we have increased water and starch content, so there is a dilution factor that happens with minerals and nutrients as starch and water increase." But, Jill explains there is so much variation during a season that the argument of modern food being less nutrient dense "just gets shot in the water really quickly."

And finally, we cover the 'eat local’ slogan - and it’s not as simple as it sounds. 

"It's a difficult thing to sit in an agricultural exporting country, as you and I both are, and say we should all eat local because our farmers rely on us exporting a certain amount of agricultural products, so the people that are eating that aren't eating local." 

Beyond sourcing and eating, we also confront the reality of food insecurity. By the end of this conversation, you’ll be left with a deeper understanding of the agricultural industry and the importance of knowing our food sources, and you'll never look at a can of tomatoes the same way again! 

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Do you vaccinate your livestock correctly? Do you read the label every time? Is your fridge at the correct temperature to store the vaccine? Today we're discussing gold star vaccination protocol with Kim Kelly, a Veterinary Technical Advisor from MSD Animal Health.

Mark and Kim discuss the common pitfalls people often stumble into when administering vaccines. These range from improper storage to incorrect administration and dosage. Kim lends us her expertise in avoiding these errors and how to make the most out of vaccines, so you're getting every cent's worth.

This episode will help you navigate the complexities, including mastering vaccination techniques, avoiding lumps and getting the maximum coverage.

Kim has a few key tips. First up is location, "The location of the injection is really important. Pretty much all the vaccines say to use in the interior half of the neck, which is right up close, behind the back of the ear. Not the shoulder. There is no reason to inject them as far back as the shoulder."

Next up is the route of administration. "Vaccines will say to inject under the skin. That means you really need to tent the skin and inject it into that tent. I have seen plenty of people say they don't need to do that, that they could use one hand and flick it out with a short needle. They might be able to, but I almost guarantee some of it isn't going where it needs to."

Mark and Kim also discuss the economics of vaccinology. How can you effectively protect large numbers of animals with production costs rising? Kim provides insights into how to prioritise vaccine usage. "We sometimes see people who just do one shot across all their sheep, and they are doing a half job on everyone. It would be better to do a full job on a proportion of your animals rather than a half job on everyone."

Kim also gives more examples of how flexible your vaccination protocol can be if you know your farm and stock well. "For a long time, farmers thought they needed to use "this" vaccine across all their sheep and now we can be a little bit more targeted. So [for] diseases like, for example, clostridial, it's more young animals that are more likely to be naive and haven't come across it naturally. So if we can give them their vaccinations, we can prioritise them."

Mark and Kim also cover minerals in your vaccines and how they can present a toxicity risk when combined with your other veterinary applications. You can find their handy tool for avoiding this here: https://www.sheepvax.co.nz/selenium-dose-calculator/.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Our guest this week, Robynne Anderson, is an authority on global agricultural and food policy. Robynne grew up on a farm and started her career in agricultural publishing. After selling her first business and taking a short break to contemplate her next move, she founded Emerging Ag Inc. Robynne realised there was a lot of talk about 'food security', but very little understanding of what it takes to grow, share, and distribute food. 

"Clearly, there was a gap between what we in the farming community understood as baseline knowledge and what those who are making agricultural policy, let alone more broadly, food, trade, finance, environmental policy, etc....have as an understanding of what we do. So, in that lies the origins of Emerging Ag," says Robynne. "The goal is to bring the practical reality of farming to the policy sphere," she says. 

She groups the common challenges faced by farmers into three categories:

1. Growing and harvesting the crop, often under highly adverse biological and climatic realities.

2. Regeneration or sustainability, with a long-term view to the production system, often within multi-generational family businesses, staying open to doing things differently.

3. Resilience - Covid, climate, financial, policy challenges - finding ways to adapt (acknowledging and being proactively part of the changes).

For Robynne, it's essential for farmers to speak up and be part of the conversation, without being defensive. She elaborates, "We don't have to be bashful, but suddenly a conversation has turned, and we may feel defensive. Instead of being the rural 'local yokel,' you're now the villain destroying the planet." While both of those narratives exist in the world, a lot of people do have an appreciation of how difficult it is to be a farmer; Robynne's aim is to help more people understand what farmers do. 

Robynne encourages farmers to take the time to explain and connect. "We tend to talk about things in terms that make sense to us as farmers," she says. "We tend to cut to the chase without explaining that we share the underpinning value that they're asking for." By adjusting our tone and unpacking what we mean, we can find a point of connection with the non-farming community.

When Mark asks her to run through what an effective issues management strategy looks like, Robynne shares three key points:

1. Identify the outcome you want.

2. Don't be wedded to the method of getting there.

3. Be open to working together and leave space for people to do their part.

Listen in for some absolute gems with on-farm applications!

You can find Robynne on social media at @Robynne_A or visit Emerging Ag or Agrifood.net.

And a final note from Robynne, "There's nothing we love more than a farmer who loves to speak up! We welcome the whole world of farmers to come and be part of the conversation." 

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week, we have our first lawyer on the show, Pat Barrett. He is both a lawyer and farmer in Wagga Wagga, Australia.

Pat grew up with a passion for agriculture with friends and family involved in the industry and studied Agribusiness and Law at the University of New England with the intention of using the degree in a management position. “I never thought I was going to be a lawyer,” says Pat. But, after an interview planned by his mother with a local lawyer, Pat found himself shaking hands and accepting a job at the practice.

Today's conversation focuses on the common pitfalls in succession, which is a significant part of Pat's work.

“We’re made up of 50% succession work, the other 50% doing rural property/commercial work. I love getting to work with really good people and trying to find those solutions. It is a delicate and sometimes difficult ride,  succession. But I really love looking at the opportunities in every farm and farming business, because there are always opportunities.”

Pat reminds us never to look over the fence and copy what the neighbours do. “There's all these factors that affect succession and it’s never a one-off transaction.” With the individual complexities behind each farming business, no story is ever the same.

Mark and Pat run through what might be preventing someone from starting the conversation of succession. “They’re always going to be there, those risks”, says Pat. “It’s about looking at the opportunities to grease the wheel and keep things moving and work through those risks.”

Mark asks who needs to be involved in the discussion. “A lawyer, an accountant and a farm consultant, if they have one - it does really help - and bank managers are going to tell you how you can go through it and facilitate it from a funding point of view,” says Pat.

Not a particularly exciting, or cheap, mix of people, but Pat says it’s essential to maintain a circular discussion with each of these people to make sure no-one is heading down a biased, unproductive path.

“Ultimately, the things that I've seen work really well is where someone comes home onto the farm, they get paid properly, that person can then go and generate their own assets - that's buying a house in town or shares or whatever it is," says Pat.

Ultimately, Pat hopes people see the positives in succession.

“Being able to get through that process and hand something on to the next generation is unreal. Doing it via will, who gets the satisfaction in that? Seeing your family working and seeing your business go forwards,” says Pat. “I don't think that's celebrated anywhere near enough. And hopefully it's providing opportunity for other family members as well. Because of the way property prices have risen, it's a great way to spread wealth and opportunity amongst family.”

https://walshblair.com.au/our-lawyers/patrick-barrett/

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week on the Head Shepherd podcast we’re heading back over to the US to speak to Brad A. Freking, a research geneticist in the Livestock Bio-Systems Research Unit, Clay Center in Nebraska.

Originally, Brad grew up on a small mixed farm. Brad's first connection to genetics came when he went to study at university, working on beef cattle efficiency. Brad then went on to work with pigs; since 2016, he has been devoted entirely to sheep research.

Brad currently works in the Livestock Bio-Systems Research Unit, Clay Center, a research institute with 8,000 head of beef cows, about 2,000 head of ewes and 500 sows. It is one of the largest livestock research centres in the world.

Mark and Brad cover a whole range of topics this week, including the genetics behind scrapie, MV, the sheep breeds of the US, sow uterine capacity and much more.

Brad also runs us through some of the research going on at Clay Center. “The current focus, obviously with this administration, is climate adaptation.” Brad and his team at Clay Center, alongside colleagues around the US, are creating linkages amongst populations so they can look at genotype/environmental interactions. “We're just attempting to try to identify animals that might be more resilient to different climate changes in different regions of the country. And see if we can get a handle on that, some kind of indicator trait”, says Brad.

You can find more of Brad's work here: https://www.ars.usda.gov/people-locations/person/?person-id=1842

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week on the podcast we're switching up species and discussing cashmere goats with David Shaw.

In 2017, David undertook a self-directed R&D project to see if he could ‘resurrect’ the cashmere industry. David found that New Zealand had some of the best cashmere fibre in the world.

“We know our fibre is whiter and longer. Research indicates that the fibre from this part of the world is relatively softer. We have people wanting the fibre, we have a market, but we don’t have a supply.”

So, David founded “New Zealand Cashmere” to solve the problem. While David has passed ownership of New Zealand Cashmere on, he is still a passionate champion of the industry. 

David farms on the north side of the Catlin Ranges. “Three rows of hills before the south coast of New Zealand” and, beyond that, Antarctica. Their farm is usually summer safe and winter wet, finishing around 7,000 lambs and several hundred cattle a year. David explains how the goats integrate into the “typical” New Zealand farming system. 

“We farm them quite differently here. Goats eat from the top of the pasture down, sheep eat from the bottom up. If you put the goats in second, you're forcing them to the bottom of the pastures. So, we put the goats in first and they take out the fibrous material and the thistles and the other weeds on the top of the pasture. And then the other stock come in behind them. That lowers the interaction with worms and it also benefits our existing stock.”

“I saw something in the animal that was quite different to sheep and beef. They cleaned up all the weeds, so we technically didn't have any weeds on the farm any longer. Goats were utilising parts of the pasture other animals did not utilise”, explains David. “The goats in my mind are a huge tool that people have ignored or forgotten or aren't aware of.”

So what is the financial return on cashmere farming? David’s flock averages about 400g of 16 micron cashmere. Their doe hoggets are doing around 200g at 14 micron.

“Goats with up to half a kilo of cashmere in them, if you put that in a relative sense, that's $50-70 dollars worth of fleece value and the goat adult weight is half of an adult sheep. So you’re looking at well over $100 a stock unit from fibre returns alone”, says David.

“So, the question is, how quickly can farmers build up to that from a foundation flock and then capture that out of the processing?”, David asks. It doesn’t take as long as you would think. With the work David has been doing over the past 40 years, he explains, “You can go from a multicoloured foundation doe flock to all white, 14-15 micron cashmere in one generation. Genetically, we’ve come a long way. The flock is homozygous white, so we’re at a very different starting point. It's our role as breeders to offer the highest genetic gains into flocks as quickly as possible.”

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

In this podcast, two genetics enthusiasts delve into IMF, methane, mature cow weight, immune competence and more, exploring the latest developments in livestock genetics and breeding strategies for Angus cattle.

Yes that's right, we are heading back into the Angus world with Christian Duff, general manager of genetic improvement at Angus Australia.  As Mark puts it, Christian is "involved in genetics in a fairly big way."

He is very passionate about the power of quantitative genetics to change a species. "It's an amazing tool - if you're patient", says Christian.

Mark and Chris bounce around some thoughts on various traits and their influence on Angus.  From methane, the current focus for Angus Australia, to immune competence, to mature cow weight, to IMF and much more.  They dive into each topic and talk about the heritability, the recent changes and how they affect other traits. 

Chris has been involved in exploring links between specific diseases and genetic markers, particularly in the area of immune competence.  This has led to promising research showing that cattle with higher immune competence have lower mortality rates, which could have significant implications for the beef industry.

Chris chats about current research studying the relationship between pink eye resilience and immune competence.  He also talks about the efficiency of vaccines on animals, based on their immune competence.  "You assume they're all going to have the same coverage... it's not the case.  Some respond really well to the vaccine and some you may as well not have vaccinated".

While production traits have long been the primary focus for breed societies, Chris explains there has been a change in the R&D focus to include more resilience and sustainability traits.

To find out more about the the ImmuneDEX value, take a look here:
https://www.angusaustralia.com.au/education/breeding-and-genetics/understanding-rbvs/immunedex

This podcast is crammed full of knowledge and and we thank Chris for sharing his time with us. 

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Have you ever wondered why some cattle thrive better through an unusually hot summer?

Our guest this week, Dr. Raluca Mateescu, Professor of Quantitative Genetics and Genomics at the University of Florida, has been focusing on the impact of heat and climate on beef production in the southern regions of North America.

Raluca and her team have been looking into how to breed cattle to handle increasing temperatures, with a focus on improving productivity and achieving food security through genetic selection.

“Not all of our breeds are adapted to this environment so if we're going to try and raise cattle in these regions we need to figure out a way to do it to increase their adaptability to their environment", explains Raluca.

“In Florida, the purebred Angus is not going to be able to survive, because it's too hot.” Many of the producers in California cross the Angus with the Brahman to get better thermotolerance.

Mark asks what the biological differences are between an animal that can handle heat and one that can’t.

“The traits involved in the sweat gland area contribute to the adaptability in the Brahman cattle.  Beef cattle are able to lose 85% of the heat they produce through sweating.”  Raluca also explains that the smaller rumens of the Brahman also mean the breed produce less heat themselves during rumination.

Raluca tells Mark how they are looking for those animals with better adaptability to heat.

“Our resource population is about 5,000 head of cattle that we have collected a lot of data on in the last 6 or 7 years.  We measure their body temperature, take a skin biopsy for the measures we are taking in the lab.  We're measuring their coats and a bunch of other traits that are related to thermotolerance.  We also extract bloods and run a genomic profile on them.”

Their aim is to find genetic markers that will help producers identify animals with a higher thermotolerance without the need for expensive lab tests.  Something that could benefit us here in the future.

Until then, Raluca explains, “The coat score is something that's very easy for the producer to do right now."

If you would like to read more of Raluca’s research, you can visit her website here: https://www.ralucamateescu.com/

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

This week we're back chatting about Angus cattle with another great livestock producer with a passion for genetics.

Born and raised on the family farm, Lucinda always knew she was going to be involved in the agricultural industry.  After growing up on a merino sheep property,  she gained a first class honours degree in Agricultural Science, followed by a formative time in the goat industry.  Since the mid-1980s, she has been farming with husband Bryan, at one point with multiple livestock breeding enterprises, now specialising in breeding Angus cattle.

We start off by talking about Landcare, something close to Lucinda's heart.

"When Landcare started in the late 80s, that was a lot of fun, just thinking and learning about how to do things differently and working more in tune with the environment.  That has had a number of iterations and now it's very focused on climate change and how we work with what is a changing environment to run our businesses with a degree of resilience and profitability. It's all about leaving a better environmental legacy in the farming business."

Mark and Lucinda then dive into the main focus of the podcast, breeding good Angus cattle, something Lucinda has a lot of experience with the Rennylea Angus herd.

Rennylea Angus is based in the Murray Valley in Southern NSW.  The Angus cattle were introduced in 1952 alongside merino sheep.  Today there are 2,300 recorded cows in the herd, and a total of 4,500 cattle on various properties.

"We are very much a tier 1 performance herd."  We came through the 80s when we were just measuring weights.  BREEDPLAN started in 1985 and we were a foundation herd at that time.  Then we went on and became involved in the Beef CRC project."

Lucinda gives Mark a run down of where the Rennylea Angus herd is heading towards.

"We aim for a well-under breed average for birth weight, a calf that grows quickly to 400 days.  We're interested in elite carcass performance - cows that have positive genetic fat, but not too much."

"We're very interested in the maturity pattern, how you select for performance but don't end up with a really big maternal flock in terms of the individual animal."

Diving into the maternal efficiency trait, Mark asks about bending the curve of maternal efficiency, so that mature cow weight doesn't increase with 400 day weight - a topic they are both passionate about.

We round the podcast off with talk of the future.  From securing succession at home, the future of branding beef to consumers in Australia, to innovation in seed stock.  As Lucinda says, "The future isn't what it used to be and we know it will change.  It's up to us how we play in that changing space."

Rennylea:
https://www.rennylea.com.au/

You can find out more about Landcare Australia here: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Welcome to the latest episode of the Head Shepherd podcast, where Ferg is chatting with Dr. Susan Robertson, a senior lecturer in ruminant production at Charles Sturt University.

Susan has a wide range of research interests - from a PhD looking at staple strength in ewes, then delving more into pasture production, before transitioning into a full-time research role in 2016 with the EverGraze project (which aims to improve sheep reproduction).   More recently, Susan has conducted a trial on the impact of caffeine on lamb survival. 

Caffeine is used in human medicine to mitigate the lack of oxygen at birth and Susan wanted to know if it could have a similar impact on lamb survival.  The results were fascinating with a 21% survival improvement in the first trial.  However, due to the nature of livestock trials, the results did not repeat.

Susan and Ferg also speak about the work she has been involved with in mating ewes in confinement.  With such a broad range of "confinement" styles across Australia, Sue said the work has been very interesting.

For more information about the EverGraze project, check out https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pasture-management/evergraze-project.

You can read the results of "Frequency of feeding during the periconceptional period did not alter reproduction in Merino sheep" here:
https://www.publish.csiro.au/AN/pdf/AN22161.

And, the guidelines for breeding ewes in containment that Susan referenced can be found here: https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/extensions-training-and-tools/documents/managing-breeding-ewes-in-containment-areas.pdf.

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE

Today we discuss the bigger part of how you make money on the farm - how well you feed the animals. Nutrition of your livestock is one thing that you can get right, or wrong, on a daily basis; genetics is a longer burn. With nutrition, you can see the results almost immediately. To discuss this, our guest this week is Charlotte Westwood.

Charlotte got her vet degree from Massey University and spent the first years of her career in the Waikato working mainly with dairy cattle. After a back injury, Charlotte headed off to Australia to do a PhD looking at cattle reproduction.

Now, Charlotte is a Veterinary Nutritionist at PGG Wrightson Seeds and the focus of her chat with Mark today is intramuscular fat (IMF). 

When we talk about the genetics of IMF, the words “Wagyu” and “Angus” come up, and it’s often considered to be predominantly genetics that influence levels of IMF. Charlotte explains why that’s not the case. She also explains why it’s a longer game than you might think. 

“The bizarre thing is, we think [the influence around IMF is] about the [nutrition] weeks or maybe a couple of months before the animal is processed,” explains Charlotte. But it starts much, much earlier than that. “A lot of what is happening, when the animal reaches its finished stage for processing, has actually started whilst still inside mum's tum.”

Charlotte explains what “The Marbling Window” is.

“The nutrition of mum in that last trimester can influence both the number and also the potential for the future growth of the fat cells within the muscle itself. So if mum has a hard time during the last trimester of pregnancy, that may influence the decision of stem cells - whether they’re going to turn themselves later into muscle, fat or fibre cells. There’s a drafting gate there and if we don't get it right inside mum's tum, in a small way that can influence IMF deposition.”

Charlotte runs through how fat is laid down in an animal once it’s growing, and it’s quite fascinating.

“Fat is laid down in a specific order. You've got your internal, visceral fat... then they'll move onto all subcutaneous fat around the body. When that starts to get laid down, they move on to the fat that's laid down between the muscles.... and then the final stage of fattening is when the animal's older, through maturity typically, or getting close to its mature live weight, then IMF gets laid down.”

IMF is the last to be laid down, and unfortunately it is the first to go. Charlotte explains. “When animals hit stress for any reason [...], enough to go through a short period of negative energy balance, they'll start to mobilise fat. And they'll mobilise it out in the order it was laid down. So that IMF you've lovingly sculpted… for a sake of a period of stress, the IMF is the first to peel out.”

If you’d like to hear more from Charlotte, she has her own podcast, The Rumen Room, where you can listen to episodes on the basics of nutrition, reproduction and much m

Head Shepherd is brought to you by neXtgen Agri International Limited, we help livestock farmers get the most out of the genetics they farm with. Get in touch with us if you would like to hear more about how we can help you do what you do best - info@nextgenagri.com.

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand.

These companies are leaders in their respective fields and it is a privilege to have them supporting the Head Shepherd Podcast. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE
Check out the MSD range HERE
Check out Allflex products HERE