Head Shepherd
Mark Ferguson from neXtgen Agri brings you the latest in livestock, genetics, innovation and technology. We focus on sheep and beef farming in Australia and New Zealand, and the people doing great things in those industries. To learn more about neXtgen Agri, visit www.nextgenagri.com.
Episodes
313 episodes
Season 5 Q&A with Dr Mark Ferguson.
As with our previous seasons of Head Shepherd, we're finishing season 5 out with a Q&A with Mark Ferguson.Mark answers questions received from social media- from economic indexes, whole body energy and it's importance, first steps e...
A young leader in livestock. A conversation with Rozzie O'Reilly of LambPro.
This week on the Head Shepherd podcast, we have the wonderful Rozzie O'Reilly. Rozzie is from Narrandera, NSW, Australia, and currently works as Operations Manager at the largest prime lamb seedstock business, LambPro.Bought up on a far...
Farming kiwi sheep in the UK with Robert Hodgkins.
This week on the Head Shepherd podcast we have Robert Hodgkins, a British sheep and arable farmer. Robert and his partner Jo farm about 45 minutes north of London in the UK. Roberts father was a first generation farmer, and Robert ...
From Merinos to Shrimp with Emeritus Professor Herman Raadsma
This week we have Emeritus Professor Herman Raadsma on the podcast. Herman's career started by accident- after training, he received a job opportunity to work at Trangie, the Agricultural Research Center run by the NSW Department of Agr...
Components of a Thriving farm business, with Andrew Kennedy
This week on the Head Shepherd podcast, Mark catches up with long-time friend, Andrew Kennedy. Mark and Andrew worked together back in 2001 at the start of the Lifetime Ewe Management project, and have kept in touch ever since. ...
Insights of a sheep pregnancy scanner, with Daniel Wheeler.
This week Mark chats with Daniel Wheeler, sheep scanner and sheep fanatic.Daniel has scanned over 6.5 million sheep in his time as a scanner, a career path Daniel was never intending on taking. After getting off at the wrong tube stop on hi...
Why, or better still, why not? Farming at Waikaka with Ross Paterson.
On the Head Shepherd podcast this week, we have Ross Paterson of Waikaka Genetics, Southland NZ. Ross is fifth generation at Waikaka Station. The family farm 200 Hereford Stud cows and run 4,000 ewes which includes a Texel, Romney, Romtex and R...
Farming for the future at Bog Roy Station
This week on the podcast, Mark Ferguson chats with Gundy (David) Anderson and Angus Fraser, of Bog Roy Station. Gundy and Lisa Anderson are fourth generation owners of Bog Roy station, farming just under 3,000 Ha with 4,000 merino...
Talking teasing and the role of the brain in sheep reproduction with Graeme Martin
This week Mark Ferguson chats with Emeritus Professor Graeme Martin about the role of the brain in sheep reproduction and how teasing works. Graeme has had a long and distinguished career in sheep reproduction. He was raised on a s...
Breeding sturdy sheep, with Kate Broadbent.
This week Mark catches up with Kate Broadbent, president of Coopworth Genetics and is stud farming in the Waikato, NZ.Kate spent 20 years chasing sheep filled summers around the world, and finally settled in New Zealand 12 years ago. At...
How does your farm work? with Dr Richard Shephard of Herd Health
This week we change tracks a little and catch up with Dr Richard Shephard of Herd Health, a specialist animal health company which Richard founded in 1998 to address multi-disciplinary problems of animal and human health and animal production.<...
A lifetime's agri-business experience with Shane McManaway.
This week we have the fantastic Shane McManaway. Shane is Chair of PPP, Chair of the Wiararapa Development Group, among many other things. From spraying ragwort with a knapsack as a teen around the Wairarapa, to 17 years as CEO of Allfl...
How is "AgTech" going to change your business? with Sarah Nolet.
Welcome back to Season 5 of the Head Shepherd podcast. We have a fantastic season lined up for you, and we're starting with a bang!Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognised food systems innovation expert, the CEO and Founder of
Head Shepherd Live: Q&A with Dr Mark Ferguson (Recording)
Welcome back to the 50th episode of Head Shepherd! This week we hosted a live Q&A where Mark answered your questions. This is a recording of that live stream.Mark answers questions about the polled gene and the variations that exist...
Breeding for twins in cattle with Leo Cummins
This week Mark chats with Dr Leo Cummins of Byaduk North, Aus.With the world favouring environmental efficiency, why is it that we don't breed cattle to have twins? Mark and Leo go through the ins and outs of Beef Twinners, a composite ...
Combining data and joining forces at Black Box Co.
Black Box Co is the brain child of Shannon Speight and Emma Black who both have backgrounds in the beef industry and have both won the Zanda McDonald award. After seeing how little data was utilised at all levels in the industry, Shanno...
Scaling Success with Richard Scholefield
Mark chats with Richard Scholefield of Whangara Farms, Gisborne NZ on this weeks Head Shepherd podcast. Whangara Farms comprises of 7 farms, making up 9,500 Ha overall. Across the seven farms, there are 20 staff to manage the 37,000 bre...
Breeding for success with Dawson Bradford.
This week Mark catches up with long-time friend, Dawson Bradford. Dawson started off in pigs, and bought some sheep to 'keep himself entertained' whilst he waited around to feed twice a day. What started off as a hobby, led to Dawson becoming o...
Cropping and livestock enterprise south of Marnoo
Wallaloo Park is a family-owned and managed business located south of Marnoo in the Wimmera district of Victoria. The business operates a 3500ha mixed enterprise farming system, including cropping and livestock enterprises.Wallaloo Park...
Global networking in Agriculture.
We are delighted to have had the chance to catch up with Laura Ryan. Laura is the founder and global Chair of Meat Business Women which launched in 2015.With a first-class Honours in Marketing and a Masters in Management, Laura joined t...
Former All Blacks player with a passion for livestock
Richard Loe, a former All Blacks player with a passion for livestock joined us this week on the Head Shepherd Podcast. Loe's family farm, Glenloe is based near Oxford in Canterbury in the centre of the South Island of New Zealand. Richard...
Diversifying your farm business with Middlehurst Delivered
Sophie and Lucy, who grew up at Middlehurst Station for the past 20 years, have had the absolute privilege of bringing Middlehurst Delivered to life. Bringing a premium product that you can enjoy at home, knowing exactly where it came from. Mid...
Running up the learning curve with Russell and Ricky Luhrs
The Luhrs family farm near Cavendish in Western Victoria. Ricky and his wife Marni farm with Russell, Ricky's dad. They have two speeds, flat out and asleep. They are always thinking about extracting the next few percent out o...
Taking the highs and lows out of agriculture, with Brendon Savage
This week on the Head Shepherd podcast Mark speaks with Brendon Savage from Western Australia. Brendon has a great insight on soils and pasture after spending the past few years improving his pastures via various, slightly different methods wit...
Trial and change with Todd Burger.
Welcome back to the Head Shepherd podcast. This week we have Todd Burger from the Western Districts of Victoria. Todd farms his merino sheep a little differently. After being frustrated with the lack of maternal behavior in his ewes, he...