Hugh Watson and William McCombie will go down in history as the two great men who, between them, started and shaped the Aberdeen Angus cattle breed in the 1800s. From our in-depth research, my guest Dr Bob Hough and myself discuss the merits of these two great men in a debate which will be finalised by you, the podcast listener. This episode makes up the history part of our 5th birthday celebrations and, as Bob and I are prone to do, we go off track a few times.

This episode is a condensed version of episode 214, which talks through the new album download and CD Toplines and Tales has just produced, with guest host Wallace Currie.

You an download your copy at www.toplinesandtales.bandcamp.com 

Something quite different to celebrate our 5th birthday in a special episode as my guest host Wallace Currie talks about the launch of the new Toplines and Tales Album download, The Family Farm. This is a new on-off music project with proceeds going to Farmstrong Scotland charity. In his usual superb way Wallace quizzes his guest about this project and other controversial issues. Please give it a listen for free at this link Toplines and Tales new album

We get a great insight into sheep farming in New Zealand from well-known Kiwi Daniel Wheeler. Spending a third of his year pregnancy scanning a staggering quarter of a million ewes in both New Zealand and Scotland, Dan-the-Scan and I chat about breeds of sheep, data recording, Luing cattle and sheep exports in this highly entertaining podcast.

Nuffield scholar, Jock Gibson has studied eatabilty of beef around the world and has some strong views on how we could apply some of the overseas grading principles to the beef industry in UK in this interesting insight. We have a fascinating discussion about transparency of different types of beef labeled on the consumer shelves. Jock then goes on to talk about his own Pasture for Life-certified farm in Moray as well as the family butcher’s business which give him a good vehicle to put his grassfed beef through its paces. All this is prior to him giving his paper at the forthcoming Nuffield Conference.  

Fresh from a weekend in Aberdeen, what a fantastic opportunity the Youth Development Programme offers young people in the livestock community. This week I bring an episode right from the heart of the YDP finals, chatting to organisers, judges and competitors and capturing the phenomenal enthusiasm that this project inspires. 

I chat to Stephen Dodsworth about North East Live, the first fatstock show of the UK season and what can be expected there. Then I introduce a new feature from the Toplines and Tales team along with other news. 

This week I am live at the Ploughing Championships in Ireland and reporting from the Growvite All Ireland Aberdeen-angus Championships. As well as an overview of the event I speak with exhibitors and winners before catching up with some of the organisations that underpin the beef supply chain in Ireland. We finish with a recap of a couple of farm visits that I also took in, including Michael O'Leary's Giggingstown herd, and a chat with judge Ewen Campbell to get his thoughts on the cattle, the event and his own herd.

British Lion, ex-Scotland rugby captain and a legend with the oval ball, Rob Wainwright and I chat rugby, and then his move to a farm on the Hebridean Island of Coll. Rob discusses his past team-mate Doddie Weir, and the work he has been involved in the MyNamesDoddie charity foundation for Motor Neurone Disease. Finally we hear about island life and the advanced methods of regenerative farming he is now undertaking as well as his recent vice-presidency at the Royal Highland Show.

A fascinating story this week from Steve Jones, from working with possibly the two most prestigious pedigree beef herds in the UK, Maerdy and Graham’s, to managing an livestock export business in Canada and being at the pinnacle of the sheep breeding world on two continents. Steve’s infectious dedication to quality livestock coupled with his unrivalled enthusiasm, has seen him go on a journey so unique that many of us could just dream about.