Toplines and Tales

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.

Now 93 years old, Aberdeenshire legend, Harrold Murray talks about his early days in farming, Angus cattle and his lucrative bull hire business as we reminisce together in his home near Huntly.  

Re-edited to avoid character slur! 

Back to Ireland this week, chatting to John, Leo and Sean McEnroe, recapping the history of the Liss and Lissduff Angus herd, speaking about exports and their upcoming sale in August.

We are amongst Angus Royalty this week, as I speak to Dawn and Lee Wilson from the Miller Wilson herd in Alberta, Canada. They discuss the beginnings of two herds that amalgamated to one of the world’s leading names, and some of the successes and ideologies they hold dear. In a changing world, they have become suppliers of embryo genetics in all countries round the world where Angus is to the fore.

The issue of methane emissions from livestock has been a very hot topic over the last few months. In this special episode I try to look at it from all angles by chatting to a top breeder and some experts in the livestock industry, to hopefully dispel a few myths and shed some light onto current developments.

Ewan Gordon runs the family farm at Wellheads in Aberdeenshire with his father John. Running a lot of suckler cows and sheep in a streamlined operation with just the two of them managing 1250 acres, Ewan chats about his stock, their business and the future of the family farm.  

A highly interesting and inspirational chat with good friends Mike and Jane Rocks in Australia who have had a most fascinating life, recently settling into a farm in New south Wales. This pair truly are entrepreneurs of the highest order and have reinvented their life many times, through dairy farming, property development, honey packing, a yacht in Scotland and a whole list of other interesting careers before settling back down on a farm with some Angus heifers. We also discuss the opportunities that Australia can offer for youngsters from around the world to get into farming.

This week a live episode all the way from New South Wales, Australia at the World Angus Expo. During a busy weekend, I caught up with the hugely enthusiastic British and Irish Lions youth team competing in the World Angus Youth competition, as well with a chat some of the organisers of this spectacular event. 

A couple of old friends of mine, Steve and Sara Gibbons have gone on to be some of the most successful sheep breeders in UK. With a string of Fatstock show and regular top prices in Beltex, Blue Texel and its other hyrbids, we have a fun chat about modern breeding and good old times with this popular couple.  

As a lead up to the World Angus Forum next month, this episode reveals a document of a transcript from the speaker at the New Zealand Forum, over 50 years ago, from the great Bob Adam of Newhouse. Some invaluable words of wisdom in here that are as applicable now to every livestock breeder of whatever breed or species as they were back then.