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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 illnessesHead 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 -
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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-buildingHow umpiring has built Bec’s personal resilienceBeing able to see different perspectives, both on the pitch and offHead 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 storytellingAI impactBrand valuesEthical practicesGlobal reputationHead 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 marketsImpact of drought and seasonal conditions on supplyGlobal demand for lamb and beef, particularly from China and the USFuture of the sheep industry in Western Australia in light of the live export banTrends in lamb carcass weights and consumer preferencesPotential for marketing premium lamb products and objective quality measuresFrom 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 -
This week on the podcast, we’re chatting all things livestock breeding with Robert Peacock from Orari Gorge Station. Robert discusses how and why they’ve been breeding for worm resistance. They have also been one of the first to measure feed efficiency and methane emissions, demonstrating the role of genetics in addressing these farming challenges. Tune in to discover how Orari Gorge is setting the standard for sustainable farming.
Farming sheep, beef and deer in South Canterbury. How to begin testing for WormFEC.The importance of feed efficiency in livestock. What goes on in a central progeny test?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 -
Our guest this week is veterinarian Enoch Bergman. Originally from the USA, Enoch arrived in Australia in 2003. He fell in love with the people, the landscape and the agricultural innovation of Esperance, Western Australia and has been there ever since.
Enoch is passionate about improving the performance of heifers and the use of fixed-time artificial insemination (AI) in commercial breeding programmes, and shares that passion with us today. He explains the process of synchronising heifers and the positive outcomes for conception rates, calving ease, calf and heifer survival, weaning rates and rebreeding rates. He also discusses the economic analysis of integrating fixed-time AI versus natural mating, including the cost of bulls, labour and the value of pregnant heifers.
Enoch is also involved with a Producer Demonstration Sites (PDS) programme that aims to encourage the uptake of fixed-time AI. The PDS showed that using fixed-time AI reduced dystocia, calf mortality and heifer mortality. It also improved weaning weights and re-breeding success. Enoch also discusses the benefits of early and short heifer joining and the potential challenges with bull longevity.
This podcast was recorded as a video with an accompanying presentation that includes some great graphs and statistics. You can watch it at this link:
https://youtu.be/tTgjaMRu9DgHead 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 on the podcast we’re celebrating 200 episodes! We thought we’d make a special occasion of it so we recorded our podcast live at Lambex 2024 and who better to have on as a guest than Lambex founder, Dawson Bradford.
Mark and Dawson discuss the origins of Lambex. Dawson came up with the idea to “ … bring producers together with the processors and retailers, and get an understanding through the whole industry.” It’s safe to say Dawson accomplished that with 1,500 delegates attending in 2024.
Mark and Dawson also discuss the Ultrawhite breed's development and the ins and outs of starting a new sheep breed. From facing judgment from others to not knowing quite where the breeding would go in the first few years, it was quite the journey. “It’s taught me a lot. It taught me that I didn’t know very much before. It’s the challenge of bringing together the four breeds and stabilising the type. You think you've got it under control and a wildcard comes in from one of the four breeds,” shares Dawson. “Be aware of what you’re producing. Be aware of the faults that come up and move along quickly.”
This is a great chat between Dawson and Ferg about genetics and sheep breeding, and we couldn’t have picked a better guest to celebrate 200 episodes of Head Shepherd.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 -
If you farm Merinos in Australia, it’s more than likely you will have heard of Merinotech. And if you’ve heard of Merinotech, it's likely that you know our fantastic guest this week, Bill Webb.
For those that don’t know, Merinotech is an intensively recorded ram breeding nucleus founded in 1988 by a group of WA Merino breeders who wanted to breed a ram that thrived in their environment, backed up by a breeding plan and strategy that fully embraced the latest developments in breeding and genetics. The stud nucleus was established at Kojonup, Western Australia, with ewes from founding members and they have been applying those founding principles ever since. Merinotech rams are now some of the highest ranking in Australia for traits such as fat, eye muscle depth, worm resistance and weaning rate, as well as high-value wool traits.
Whilst Bill is still the chairman of Merinotech, he is no longer actively farming. Once his son Ben returned, Bill decided to hand over the reins straight away, “…so he didn't have my negativity or things like that impinging on his ability to work out what to do,” explains Bill.
“I felt I'd done as much as I could to improve profitability and productivity. I didn't know what needed to be done over the next 30 or 40 years and Ben needed to work that out for himself, which he has done very well. We had a good relationship and the idea was to move out and still be involved, but not being present and influencing his decision-making in one way or another. And I'd had several back operations, so trying to do something that didn't involve physical work and continuing to injure or hurt myself was another reason.”
And with a response to succession such as that, it’s no surprise that Bill re-trained as a psychologist for the second half of his working life. “Initially I was trying to do something I didn't have to study for to earn an income,” says Bill. “I was looking around, trying to work out what to do. I was going to facilitate family meetings for succession planning and conflict resolution, mediation sort of things. And it soon became obvious that people can handle one problem, one or two problems, but when problems become multiple issues that's when difficulty occurs. So psychology became a foundation to work from, to be able to help people work through life events essentially. So it became obvious that I did have to do some study. It took me seven years of full-time study to become registered and this is my 11th year of registration as a psychologist and I'm loving the work.”
Bill discusses some of the lessons he’s learned over the years in both careers and what he would do differently if he could do it all over again. “Family is terribly important,” emphasises Bill. “Often farmers see the farm as the central focus and the goose that laid the golden egg, which means that the work-life balance and family can be compromised. I think at the end of the day, our family is what we have and we have to treasure and cultivate the importance of the family unit.”
Merinotech is holding their next open day on 4 October 2024 at Kojonup.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 -
As you may have heard in the media recently, triple drench resistance in cattle is quickly becoming an issue for New Zealand farmers.
This week on the podcast, we are joined by Dave Leathwick and Christian Sauerman from AgResearch. They share how they came across the issue, why it has occurred and what producers can do to mitigate the risks of developing triple drench resistance.
Dave and Christian are both ‘accidental parasitologists’, with Dave initially studying entomology, while Christian was focused on biology and zoology. However, both have now been working with parasites for a combined 51 years!
Dave explains that drench resistance has been a long-standing issue: “The national survey that was done on cattle in 2004/2005 - virtually every farm in New Zealand had drench resistance to at least one active - and it just made no difference. Nobody paid any attention.” Now, 20 years later, the issue is far worse.
The research pair point out that they weren’t looking for evidence of triple drench resistance and it only came to their attention when a few farmers had issues with calves not performing well. FEC tests showed alarmingly high worm numbers, considering the animals had been drenched just three weeks prior, and tipped them off to the extent of the problem.
Christian highlights the signs and symptoms that cattle will show and also what producers can do to negate the risks of triple drench resistance. But you’ll have to tune in for that!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 -
Our guest on the podcast this week is Barbara Webster, co-founder of inMR. Barbara shares with Mark how inMR's Marbl™ technology uses nuclear magnetic resonance to measure intramuscular fat quickly, accurately and non-invasively, delivering a new standard to the industry.
In the last few years, the technology has been successfully implemented in lamb-carcass grading. inMR are in the process of adapting it to other applications, such as beef carcasses and live animals.
While MRI technology has been around for a while, Barbara shares the challenges of adapting this technology for industrial use in a meatworks environment. One such challenge is speed. Their current model measures around four to five carcasses a minute. One of their development projects is a twin-sensor system that will measure 10 to 12 carcasses a minute.
Fortunately, another common challenge frequently faced by the industry - labour shortages - has been less of an issue for inMR. They chose to pursue an automated process, with data feeding directly into the system, rather than relying on someone standing there to do the measuring. “The weight of our sensor took us down that path, but I think it's a key point of difference and adds a lot of value,” shares Barbara.
Barbara points out that funding from organisations such as MLA and SFF Futures, along with investment by Ovation New Zealand, have been instrumental in advancing these innovations. “We've been very lucky and we've had tremendous support from funding agencies that invest in new technology development,” explains Barbara.
With the continuous innovation in robotics, sensors and AI, the next decade is going to be very interesting when it comes to tech in agriculture. Current technologies such as x-ray scanning and robotic cutting - along with emerging applications for MRI - are already in use. Mark and Barbara both share the belief that AI opens up doorways for automation and innovation like never before. "I think we're going to see a huge leap forward because our ability to cope with naturally varying product for automation applications is going to only become easier now with those tools,” highlights Barbara.
Whether you are a meat industry professional, a technology enthusiast or simply curious about the future of food production, make sure to tune in to this episode to learn more about the cutting-edge technologies that are set to transform the meat industry!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 on the podcast we’re discussing heat stress during mating and pregnancy with Dr William van Wettere.
Heat stress is classed as anything over 32°C, which can disrupt fertility in ewes, semen quality in rams and embryonic development in lambs, so it has an overarching effect on all aspects of reproduction.
Mark and Will start by discussing the effects of heat stress on ewes. Trials show that heat stress affects ewes most in the five days leading up to ovulation and the first five days after ovulation; while heat stress after day eight of ovulation did not affect fertility. Heat stress also reduces the duration of oestrus, with the impact depending on the timing of the heat stress. Trials show that heat stress can shorten the length of oestrus by five to eight hours. Heat stress can also impact the cycle length, lengthening it by nearly two days in some cases.
One trial showed that for every additional day above 32°C, lambing percentages decreased by around 3.5%. A lot of this is comes down to disruption of the ewe’s follicle development. Because of this, and poor placental development, lamb birth weight and survivability can be affected. Heat stress at different times throughout the pregnancy can also have an effect.
Mark and Will also discuss the impact on ram fertility, which can be affected at any time in the 60 days leading up to mating. Heat can cause not only a reduction in the amount of sperm but also cause issues with motility and along with structural abnormalities.
Fortunately there are solutions to mitigate heat stress. Research has shown that sheep that have to look for feed are more likely to succumb to heat stress, so confinement feeding with adequate shade could be an option. Another solution is to increase the ram per ewe ratio. There is also research looking into the role of melatonin in mitigating heat stress effects.
This is a great factual podcast that will arm you with knowledge about what goes on with your sheep when you’re mating during the peak of summer so that you can make a positive change for future matings.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 -
Building resilience and achieving success in agriculture is an unpredictable challenge that involves continuous learning, upskilling, mentorship and adoption of innovative practices. In this episode, Mark chats with Danielle England, both a consultant and farmer, about resilience in the agricultural industry.
Know your core values.Know what you’re good at.Know what you enjoy.Keep an open mind.Don’t look back, instead focus on what you want to generate.Don’t add or subtract more than 30% in a business at once.
Danielle currently farms merino sheep with her husband and his family in Keilira, South Australia. However, she has spent most of her career going back and forth across Australia in a variety of roles, most of them focused on risk, resilience and people in agriculture.
Her first role was with the Department of Agriculture working in the Sustainability and NRM team before she moved across to Planfarm. There she got involved in the grain and mixed farming businesses and is now lead consultant with AgInnovate. “Nationally, I’ve led a lot of the decision-making around risk - and how farmers look at risk - and also the role of sheep in broadacre farms and cropping programmes, and what risks do sheep bring to those businesses,” explains Danielle.
With the recent announcements on live export, the sheep industry across Australia has suffered the flow-on effect of that uncertainty and a drop in confidence. Through her career in risk management, Danielle has some great insights about how farmers can navigate such an unsettled time.
Danielle disagrees that this will all ‘blow over’ in a year. “I think this a two- or three-year journey that the industry has to go on. As you know, we can't change sheep genetics very quickly,” she explains. “Sure we can move out of merinos and move into first-crosses or prime lambs, but they’re not going to hit the ground till 2025. 2024 mating was decided in 2023, we don't operate in really short turnarounds in livestock.”
Danielle suggests that whilst changes need to be made to ride out the wave, it’s best not to rush in and make too many changes at once. Sometimes it is not making ‘a’ change that is hard, but the decision about which change to make.
Here are some key points from Mark's chat with Danielle to consider when implementing change in your farming business:Finally, Mark asks Danielle what are the key characteristics of resilient businesses. “Someone once told me, if your farm’s still there, you’ve got a resilient business,” she says. “Farming is a long game and it’s an infinite game. We try and set it up for future generations. So whilst it looks stressful now, in the long run it will be okay.”
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 -
How would you manage your cattle differently (or your sheep for that matter) if you could diagnose pregnancy at day 16?
This week on the podcast, Mark chats with Bronwyn Darlington, a trailblazer in the field of disruptive innovation and sustainable agriculture. Bronwyn shares her journey through various ventures and projects, one of which is AgScent.
“My area of expertise is looking at the complex systems that interact as far as technology is concerned - to come together to create serious disruption,” explains Bronwyn. “What is life going to be like if you were actually standing on the horizon in 10 years and looking back? What technologies would you be surrounded by?” she asks.
“If you thought about what your mobile phone was 20 years ago or 10 years ago, project that out for another 10 years and think of what else that would change. What major disruptions will that cause? And then the task is to build the bridge back.”
One of these bridges is AgScent. Bronwyn had been to the US looking at emerging disruptive technologies with university students when she realised that there had been substantial breakthroughs in medical diagnostic technologies and also our ability to build and understand algorithms and create neural networks.
Bronwyn returned home (a 5,000-acre property in the southern tablelands of New South Wales) where cattle were being pregnancy-tested “ … the same way we've done since pretty much the pyramids,” says Bronwyn. “I was absolutely struck by how the livestock sector has been so hamstrung by our inability to get the benefits that, say, cropping gets with robotics … that other sectors are getting with new technologies. And I wanted to put those two pieces together.”
And so Agscent was born: “If we can look into the breath of a human now and identify lung cancer, why can't I look into the breath of a cow?”. By identifying specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath, Agscent can distinguish pregnant cows from non-pregnant ones as early as 16 days post-insemination.
As a next step, the development of technology to measure methane was a no-brainer for Bronwyn. Agscent now sells a versatile GHG sensor unit that can be used both indoors and outdoors to measure methane and carbon dioxide continually (and can be used for both individual and group measurements). AgScent is also working alongside last week's podcast guests, Optiweigh, and have integrated their methane sensor into the weighing platform.
For the moment, Agscent can provide early pregnancy diagnosis and methane detection. Bronwyn’s plans for the future include broader applications to other livestock species, such as pigs and sheep, with the potential to detect diseases like bovine respiratory disease and pleurisy.
Tune in to discover how Bronwyn’s ventures are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in agriculture and how they can support changes in your own farming practices.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 on the podcast we have Bill Mitchell, co-founder of Optiweigh, discussing the Optiweigh system and its unexpected impacts on the farm businesses that are already using the technology.
Optiweigh was founded 10 years ago by Bill and Jacqui Mitchell after they decided there must be a better way to closely monitor cattle weights, rather than running them into the yards every week. “There was a walk-over weighing system that I saw first in sheep. And it was just like, how on earth do I make this work on our farm without it taking more effort than it saves?” explains Bill.
However, getting cattle to put all four feet on the scales was trickier than they first imagined. “I don’t know why I even bothered,” says Bill. “But I thought, I'll collect some two feet weight and take them to the yards and weigh them there too, and see if it's any good.” It turned out that it worked, despite them both not daring to believe it. Then in 2019, the drought forced them to destock, and so they seized the opportunity to launch Optiweigh.
From then on, Optiweigh has gone from strength to strength. Every day there is a new revelation about the usefulness of their technology. The immediate nature of the data means producers can see changes in weight instantly and see the impacts of their management decisions in real time.
“People have done it to manage their grazing rotations. They've done it to look at the different pastures and different feed types, supplementary feed types or otherwise to look at a change of feeds or compare weight gains on different feeds,” explains Bill.
It’s also been used to help identify animal health issues - such as the impacts of too-high stocking rates or dirty dam water - that may have otherwise gone unnoticed until it was too late.
Optiweigh is being used around the world, from extensive grassland systems to feedlots.
Recently, the team at Optiweigh have been working with AgScent (our guests on the podcast next week - make sure to tune into that!) to measure methane whilst the cattle are being weighed. They are also looking to create a sheep weighing system.
Bill hopes that Optiweigh will become a staple in livestock farming, providing a variety of data that not only improves farm management but also contributes to environmental sustainability by continuously monitoring animal metrics such as weight, methane emissions, body condition scores and overall health status.
If you would like to know more about Optiweigh, you can visit their website here:
https://www.optiweigh.com.au/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
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This week on the podcast we have Richard Subtil, from Omarama Station, a 12,000-hectare property in New Zealand's South Island. Over the last 26 years, Richard and his wife Annabelle have made incredible progress on the station, creating a sustainable and efficient operation for their children to take over.
There is a vast range of environments found across Omarama Station, from tussock at 1,550 metres to 4,000 hectares of irrigated flats at 450 metres and “... everything else in between,” says Richard.
Richard and Annabelle are big fans of adopting new technology and trying new ideas, including foetal aging at pregnancy. This has allowed for better management of the their livestock in the diverse range of environments on the property, explains Richard. “We will put those early twin-bearing ewes on the lower, better blocks that start to grow a bit earlier in the season and then they have access to lucerne paddocks below,” says Richard. “Then, [we can] bring the later lambing ewes down behind… that kind of thing. That makes a massive difference.”
But it’s not just about making one-off decisions based on the data; data is recorded against each ewe for her whole lifetime. Richard explains: “Once we get that lifetime data, we can also make sure that we are rewarding those ewes that regularly give us early twins every single time, every year. Especially when, at weaning time, you look at a ewe and she's looking a bit tatty. Is that because she's a poor ewe or is that because she's worked really, really hard for you?” Without EID, it is impossible to keep track of so many variables to make an accurate assessment.
When Omarama began using EID they classed these better-performing sheep as ‘Royals’. After analysing the data, the difference in performance was quite significant. “If we had been able to convert all the sheep on the place to Royals, there was $150,000 worth of profit, without spending a dollar more on animal health or feeding them more. It was just better sheep,” explains Richard. This just shows that by collecting and analysing lifetime data, collected on EID, it is far easier to make informed decisions that lead to better livestock management and overall efficiency.
It is not only technology that makes or breaks a business though. Richard and Annabelle make use of their previous life experience in logistics to make the most of what they produce at Omarama, be it wool, lamb or beef. Richard discusses the importance of long-term contracts and partnerships with brands like Icebreaker and how they impact breeding decisions and the future of the farm.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 -
As food producers, should we know more about the nutrition of the products we produce? This week on the podcast we have Dr Anneline Padayachee, a food and nutrition scientist. We dive into the fascinating world of carbs, proteins, micronutrients and more, hopefully leaving you with a better understanding of the food we produce and eat.
Anneline provides a brief history of nutrition science. This relatively new field emerged in the late 1800s, after the discovery of the elements of the periodic table, when it became possible to identify essential nutrients like amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Anneline says that nutrition science can be “ … a little bit behind … ”, as it is always reacting to changes in global diets.
Nutrition science covers the whole spectrum of diets: from the worst that lead to disease and illness, to the best that lead to populations living well past 100. Anneline discusses the concept of ‘blue zones’, regions where people live significantly longer due to an active lifestyle, a strong sense of community and a diet rich in locally sourced, plant-based foods. Anneline is quick to add that while these diets are plant-based, they are not plant-exclusive, emphasising the importance of dietary diversity and moderation in consuming animal products.Mark asks Anneline the obvious question from a farming podcast: what is the truth about the role of meat in a healthy diet?
“If you can eat meat, go for it,” says Anneline. “Red meat is nutritionally dense. And when I say nutritionally dense, think about a concentrated cordial versus a diluted cordial. The flavour is very different, you only need a little bit of that concentrate in there. It is very nutritionally dense in protein: it has every amino acid that our body does not produce. In addition to iron, which is absolutely essential, you've also got B12. Without B12, you cannot get the energy out of your carbohydrates, so it is absolutely fundamental. And red meat is our only source of dietary B12. There's no other way we can get it, except to take a supplement or get a shot from the doctor.”
Anneline and Mark also discuss ‘lab-grown’ meat and cell culture technology in food production and how it might be used in the future. Whilst the costs to produce a kilogram of these novel foodstuffs are exponentially higher than that to produce beef at present, Anneline says there will likely be some highly useful applications of lab-grown meat, especially for the medical sector. But she finishes by pointing out: “In terms of feeding the masses, nothing is more efficient than a cow.”
This episode offers a broad exploration of food science, nutrition and health. Dr Padayachee provides valuable insight into how to maintain a balanced diet amidst the noise of marketing strategies and fad diets. Whether you're interested in the history of nutrition science, the intricacies of food production, or practical tips for a healthy diet, this episode is one not to miss.
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 - Visa fler
