In this episode of Head Shepherd, we're thrilled to introduce Dr Emma Pettigrew, our new North Island consultant at nextGen Agri. Emma brings a wealth of experience and passion for the sheep and livestock industry, having grown up on a stud sheep and beef farm in the Manawatu and earning her PhD in animal science.

This episode is packed with practical knowledge and forward-thinking ideas for farmers wanting to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. Tune in to hear how Emma plans to make an impact in her new role and what’s on the horizon for sheep farming in the North Island

• Insights on genetic selection and shedding sheep.
• Challenges and opportunities for NZ sheep farmers.
• Emma’s plans to drive innovation in the North Island.

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Hayley Grosser is a farmer and business coach based in Victoria, Australia, who helps farmers change their relationship with money so they can create more abundance in their lives. Hayley and her partner both grew up on a farm, and they started their own farm when they got married. They encountered financial difficulties early on and struggled for years to break through a financial ceiling. Through research, mentors, and coaches, Grosser realised that it was their mindset about money that was holding them back, and as they learned to think about money differently, their financial situation dramatically improved. Now, Grosser teaches other farmers how to retune their mindsets to wealth and abundance, so they can experience the same kind of transformation.

• Shifting to an abundant mindset can unlock financial success. When you believe in the infinite nature of money, you are more likely to see opportunities that can lead to positive financial outcomes.
  
  
  
• An important aspect of achieving an abundant mindset is changing your language about money. When you reframe negative money beliefs into more positive affirmations, your mind is more likely to look for evidence that supports abundance, leading to new opportunities.
  
  
  
• Viewing your time and money as investments can help you prioritise activities that yield the greatest return. Recognising that working harder isn't always the answer can lead to more efficient and profitable operations.
  
  
  
• Surrounding yourself with like-minded people and seeking mentorship can be invaluable. Learning from individuals who have successfully implemented abundant mindsets in their own lives can accelerate your progress and provide support.
  
  

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Looking to level up your pasture and crop management? This week’s guest is Cam Nicholson of Nicon Rural, an agronomist with four decades of experience. He breaks down the essentials of soil fertility, grazing management and the big impact of getting these right. Cam and Ferg chat about the benefits of grazing cereals, managing animal weight on stubble and the real cost of picture-perfect pastures. Tune in for practical tips on balancing perennials and annuals, matching species to the environment and using tools like Pasture Picker to boost productivity.

- Tips on grazing cereals and animal weight management on stubbles.
- How to balance lush pastures with a solid bank balance.
- Matching species to the environment for better pasture persistence.
- Practical tools and resources for evaluating and managing pasture options.

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

We’re talking feet on this week's podcast! Guests Jim Walsh, Veterinary Technical Advisor at MSD Animal Health Australia, and Kim Kelly, Veterinary Technical Advisor at MSD Animal Health New Zealand,join Mark in a fantastic discussion about effective solutions for improving foot health in sheep.

They dig into the issues of footrot and foot abscesses, covering effective diagnosis, management strategies, information on the Footvax® vaccine and the impactful role of genetics in strengthening sheep resilience to foot-health challenges.

Tune in to hear about:

• Effective strategies for managing foot health in sheep, including solutions for footrot and foot abscesses.
• The role of genetics in improving sheep resilience to foot-related health issues.
• Practical tips on footbathing, vaccination and biosecurity.
• How to effectively use Footvax® vaccine.
• Proactive approaches to improve flock health and productivity.

Thanks to our sponsors, Allflex/MSD Animal Health, for joining us to chat about such an important topic for sheep producers. 

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

What is actually occurring within a sheep with worm resistance? This week on the podcast we have a fascinating discussion with Dr Kelsey Bentley who has spent her career so far looking into the immune mechanisms of Katahdin sheep in the US. Kelsey runs us through what happens biologically within the sheep to make it ‘resistant’. She has also researched the importance of the role of colostrum in lamb immunity. Kelsey explains how it provides essential immunological benefits - particularly through IgG and IgA antibodies - and that colostrum quality varies between sheep and therefore is under genetic influence. 

Highlights:
- The make-up of the Katahdin breed
- The biology of parasite resistance
- The genetics of parasite resistance
- The effect of worm resistance on other traits like growth
- The importance of good quality colostrum 
- Behavioral responses to illnesses

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Sophie and Ferg catch up about Ferg’s recent trip to Ontario, Canada, where he visited 14 different sheep farming enterprises on his 10-day trip with Ontario Sheep Farmers. 

Highlights:

- The differences in production systems, compared with New Zealand and Australia 

- Feeding strategies

- Lambing systems

- Health challenges

- Market dynamics

- The potential for genetic improvements in sheep breeding

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

John Francis, director of Agrista, an agricultural consultancy, discusses benchmarking, understanding optimum stocking rates, maximising pasture utilisation, feed efficiency and much more. 

• Maximise pasture use and adjust stocking rates seasonally to boost profitability.
• Measure to manage.
• Profit varies by livestock system, so choose one that suits your resources.
• Benchmarking offers insights but avoid relying solely on past data.
• Stay flexible and adaptable to respond to market shifts effectively.

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Bec Malseed, who manages AWI & RIST’s Lifetime Ewe Management course, in her spare time is a female central/field umpire in her local country footy regional league. It’s fair to say that she is trailblazing a path for other women and girls to follow - in 2023, she became the first female field/central umpire in senior mens football in the Mininera & District Football League. 

Her conversation with Ferg puts a spotlight on her experiences breaking into this traditionally male-dominated space, highlighting the importance of communication, seeing different perspectives and building resilience - in umpiring, as well as in life outside of sport. The conversation also covers how sport strengthens rural communities, helping people move through challenging periods. 

Bec shares her hopes of encouraging more women to get involved in umpiring and reflects on the personal growth she’s gained from her time in the game.

• Key role of communication 
• Importance of rural sports and community-building
• How umpiring has built Bec’s personal resilience
• Being able to see different perspectives, both on the pitch and off

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Ben Simpson from OGA Creative Agency shares his passion for the varied landscape of Australian agriculture - focusing on storytelling, ethics, and innovation. He discusses with Ferg how effective communication, AI and visual storytelling are shaping the future of livestock marketing. Ben highlights the importance of ethical practices, brand values and initiatives like Meat and Livestock Australia's ‘Australian Good Meat’ program in enhancing Australia’s global standing. 

• Agriculture storytelling
• AI impact
• Brand values
• Ethical practices
• Global reputation

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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 David Thompson of Moojepin Foods on the podcast. David talks about his career breeding trait-leading Merinos, how he is addressing salinity issues in Western Australia with the exploration of saltbush and halophyte agriculture, along with his latest idea: saltbush beer! David has to be one of the most innovative and enthusiastic people in Agriculture. Tune in for an absolutely fantastic episode.

- The evolution of Merino sheep breeding

- Challenges and innovations in mutton production

- Exploring saltbush and halophyte agriculture

- Navigating the culinary world with chefs

- Innovations in beer and gin production 

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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

Angus Gidley-Baird, Senior Analyst - Animal Proteins at Rabobank, joins us this week to share his expertise on the sheep and beef industries across Australia and New Zealand. Angus helps us understand market dynamics, global demand and the impact of seasonal conditions on the market. In this episode we cover the:

• Current state of the Australian and New Zealand sheep and beef markets
• Impact of drought and seasonal conditions on supply
• Global demand for lamb and beef, particularly from China and the US
• Future of the sheep industry in Western Australia in light of the live export ban
• Trends in lamb carcass weights and consumer preferences
• Potential for marketing premium lamb products and objective quality measures

From changing lamb prices driven by consumer demand to the effects of market shifts on land prices, Angus does a great job of explaining the various challenges and opportunities within the livestock sector, both on a trans-Tasman scale and globally. 

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, and Heiniger Australia and New Zealand. 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