The Sheep Show Podcast with Jill & Andrew Noble

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

Meet VIB (Very Important Brother)! In this episode we meet my brother, Andrew, and explore cross breeding sheep in Ireland, the convenient way. Andrew has worked out a way to farm his 160 ewes outdoor all year around in Ireland, something very unusual in Ireland and the UK. 

In this episode we explore:

What is the biggest challenge with breeding sheep in Ireland? 

What are the trends in sheep farming in Ireland?

How come Irish sheep farmers love cross breed sheep, what are the benefits?

What prices you are getting for lamb in Ireland? 

What diseases impact sheep in Ireland and how do you treat them?

What growth rate do you get with CB sheep?

When do you sell sheep and how do you choose when to sell?

Why do you farm sheep and cattle? Why not just cattle? 

What advice would you have for someone starting out in sheep?

What do you look for when you are buying sheep?

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

In this episode we cover:

What can we tell from sheep teeth?

How can we use this information to make decisions about your sheep?

What does a sheep’s mouth look like? 

What do lamb’s teeth look like and how and when do they grow? 

What breeds cut teeth earlier than others?

How can environmental conditions change and impact teeth growth and teeth wear?

All the lingo to know about sheep teeth – pad, full mouth, broken mouth, gummy mouth, two tooth, four tooth, feed mouth and over shot and under shot!

When to cull based on teeth or mouth issues?

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

What will make you a successful sheep farmer? What business skills do you have and what ones do you need to develop further? In this episode we explore the five key business skills you need for sheep farming success!

Five business skills for farming success

1.      Lifelong learning - tips

•        Attend expos and seminars/webinars

•        Get a mentor – business and farming

•        Join an association for your farming passion 

•        Build a relationship with your local VET before you need them!

•        Ask questions

•        Read

2.     Strategic planning – tips

•        WHAT - Have a clear objective – what are your aiming to achieve in your farming enterprise?

•        WHY- Be clear on your vision and mission – why are you in this business? 

•        WHO- low cost - standard products and services to broad markets at the lowest competitive prices or differentiated – tailored solutions for specific customers, high levels of service and strong relationships.

•        HOW- Think about what the farming of tomorrow will be 

3.     Finance – tips

•        Project a professional approach 

•        Use a tax compliant invoice template 

•        Save time by using technology 

•        Record your stock numbers at the end of the tax year – sold, deceased, owned 

•        Get a trusted accountant 

•        Think about registering for GST

4.     Marketing & Selling- tips

•        Know your audience and help to educate them 

•        Communicate the benefits, use the heart to sell

•        Value add your product or farming service 

•        Build your brand or presence 

•        Use a variety of marketing approaches 

•        Use cute for clicks

•        Play to your strengths – if you can write, speak, take photos, volunteer …

5.     Technology- tips

•        Make it easy to do your accounting – how much is your time worth?

•        Get a professional email address – [email protected]

•        YouTube is the second most used search engine – video it!

•        Use a database or excel for your stock records

•        Use apps, Facebook groups/online forums

Useful websites and apps

•        https://wiltshirehornaustralia.com.au/

•        https://www.mla.com.au/

•        https://www.nlis.com.au/

•        https://www.zoetis.com.au/livestock-solutions/sheep/index.aspx

•        

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

So what traits are the traits that will take our sheep into the future? What ones will help us breed animals that have true commercial value in the red meat industry? What are the traits that we need to focus on and what can we do to improve them in our flock? 

Obviously we are always making decisions on phenotype/breed standard and structural correctness – things like pasterns, shoulders, back, feet, teeth, testicles, temperament, horn set, pigment, shedding ability and general visual appeal. The question is where do we go after that structural/visual assessment? 

These traits are growth rate, muscle/ carcass characteristics, reproductive traits, fecundity and mothering ability.  In this episode we focus on growth rates and how to increase the growth rates in our sheep. 

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

We've never advertised our sheep for sale. Why not? Because smart selling is about building a reputation and creating a market for your sheep. In this episode we explore the pros and cons for each selling option that we have for sheep, including lambs, ewes and rams. 
Let me know what option works for you and why! 

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

This time of year we all need to make some tough decisions on culling sheep. So how do you know what to cull, what can help you to make confident decisions which will help the future of your flock. 
In this episode we explore at what to look for when culling ewes and lambs as well as rams. 
Happy culling! 

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

Welcome to season 2 of The Sheep Show Podcast!

In this episode on weaning we explore the following:
- Why we wean?
-What exactly is weaning lambs?
-When to wean?
- How to wean?
- Issues/concerns and pros and cons of early and late weaning. 

We also explore a hybrid method of weaning!

Enjoy this first episode of season 2!

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

Meet Eve Girdwood, another amazing young sheeppreneur! Eve is in year 12 at Notre Dam College in Shepperton (Victoria). Fof her year 12 Design & Technology project she decides she will make a coat. This is her story and the challenges of making a garment from wool in Australia. 

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

Erin Douglas is in year 12, not even finished high school yet and she has have already achieved so much in her agricultural career. She has been state winner of the 2019 Merino fleece and meat sheep competition, stud master at Moralla Stud, captain at Flinders College in the ag program at school, and she was winning competitions as a 12 year old too. 

She is now embarking on a series of international events to encourage youth in sheep. In this is episode she tells us about her love for sheep, passion for youth in sheep and her international virtual showing event for juniors called the Rona Youth Show!

With Erin we explore:

What it was like learning to breed sheep through a subject at school? 

What appealed to her about sheep?  Why Corriedales?

When/how she knew sheep were her thing!

How she learned to judge wool and sheep?

Where she is wanting to take sheep in her future/career/business?

The Rona Youth event – how it all works and how people can get involved. 

 To get in touch with Erin, you can reach her at:

[email protected]

Rona2020ronayouthsheeexpo

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new

Get in touch to share sheeping stories or questions anytime!

So we marked our lambs on the weekend - you did what?? 

What exactly is marking lambs, why do we do it, how do we do it, what do you need to do it, when do you do it and what can go wrong! 

Learn about our marking set up, equipment and our challenges with marking in this episode! Happy marking!

Support the show

Thank you for supporting our pod! Sign up via our sheep supporters tab !

https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/supporters/new