Head Shepherd

On this episode it is my pleasure to host Dr Jo Newton, Research Scientist with Agriculture Victoria.  Jo has recently been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her contribution to agriculture through her advocacy and support of young people, volunteering and contribution to dairy science.  In recent times she has also been named on the 2018 Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence List as well as winning a swag of awards during her first decade in the industry.  I chat with Jo about the dairy industry, the contrast with the sheep and beef industries as well as some of her experiences to date.  

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

This week we bring you an interview with Tim Leeming.  Tim and Geogie Leeming run Paradoo Prime near Pigeon Ponds in South-west Victoria.  They run a composite maternal sheep and along with working hard to expand their business have been constantly innovating to improve their rate of lamb survival and have again recorded twin lamb survival over 90% this year.  Hear about the practices Tim and Georgie employ to achieve this and other impressive targets.

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

In this episode I interview Russ Davis from who after serving in the armed forces returned to the sheep industry to find not that much had changed.  He has a keen interest in optimising reproduction in sheep production systems and understands the reproductive process as well as anyone.  We finish the interview hearing about his work in China and the projects that are focussed on alleviating poverty in rural China.

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

In this episode we ask Geoff Lindon about the genetics portfolio at AWI.  We focus on the work completed on flystrike and worm resistance and discuss the Merino Lifetime Productivity project that is currently underway.  The genetics of flystrike is mainly completed but has the left the industry with some breeding values that can be applied to reduce the incidence of flystrike in Merino flocks.  It is now up to the industry to use them!

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

In this episode we interview Andrew Bouffler.  Andrew, his wife Mandi and their three children farm near Lockhart in Southern NSW. Around 13 years ago Andrew completed a Nuffield Scholarship. He reflects on what he learnt then and what he has learnt since as he continues on a life-long journey to continually improve his mixed farming enterprise and the sheep that he breeds.  He discusses the importance of breeding fitness into animals and building resilience into farm businesses.

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

This week, Sarah Blumer leads us through some of the exciting research she is involved with at Murdoch University in Western Australia. Sarah shares the on-farm trials currently underway to help confirm 'best-bet' management guidelines for triplet-bearing ewes. She also explains the concept of whole-body energy and its importance in breeding a resilient sheep that optimises per-hectare performance without compromising animal welfare (and shares some of the work underway in this area). Sarah's energy and enthusiasm for sheep make this episode a great listen!

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

In this episode I talk to Dave Maslen who works at the New Zealand Merino Company. Dave works directly with many of the customers of NZM which are some of the worlds biggest brands.  Dave understands these brands and the consumers that drive them.  We discuss the then, the now and 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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

This is the second in our three part series called The heritability of hope.
This episode focuses on the hope that in 10 years time we will still be able to farm the same way as we do now.  We discuss the need to consider what is likely to change in 10 years and what we should be doing now to start breeding the animals 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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE

Andrew Bendall is a kiwi that is currently on a 2 year contract in the Falkland Islands.  He has spent his career in breeding, firstly in Romney sheep and Angus cattle, then to composites, then to ryegrass, then back to sheep and now in fine wool sheep. He shares how good people have shaped his career and what he has learnt along the journey.

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: [email protected].

Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week.

Check out the MSD range HERE

Check out Allflex products HERE

Check out Heiniger's product range HERE

Check out ProWay's product range HERE