Head Shepherd

Mark Ferguson

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. 

  1. Turning grass into money - this time with cattle, with Joe Kerin

    9h ago

    Turning grass into money - this time with cattle, with Joe Kerin

    What does a cow actually cost to run? At Kerin Ag, every kilogram of utilisable feed has a value attached to it. That allows Joe Kerin and the team to measure whether an animal is genuinely paying its way. In this episode, Joe joins Mark to discuss how putting a dollar value on each kilogram of grass they grow led them to choose Wagyu over Angus. As any Kerin would, Joe has done the numbers and compared Wagyu cows with larger recipient cows, based on the weaning weight of their calves relative to the kg of dry matter consumed by the cows. And, as predicted, the moderate-sized cow is far more efficient than the larger Angus X recipients.  Joe also discusses the role of genomics in Wagyu breeding. As they are a breed with a very narrow gene pool and are bred for carcass-related attributes, genomics is incredibly important, and Joe utilises it to its fullest. Tune in to learn how to turn grass into money- this time with cattle. 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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    47 min
  2. Forty years at Wairere Romneys with Simon Buckley

    Jun 7

    Forty years at Wairere Romneys with Simon Buckley

    Few people have had a front-row seat to the genetic improvement of New Zealand sheep quite like our guest this week, Simon Buckley. After growing up in Whangārei and starting his farming career at Castlepoint Station, Simon joined Wairere Romneys and has never left. Four decades later, he has helped one of New Zealand's most influential sheep breeding programmes through the transition from visual selection and paper records to EID, genomics and data-driven breeding. In this episode, Simon chats with Mark to discuss the history of Wairere and the long-term thinking required to make meaningful genetic progress. They also discuss maternal instinct, breeding sheep for commercial conditions, the challenge of balancing innovation with market demand, and the lessons he's learnt from those who have travelled through the "University of Wairere". Grab a coffee and sit back and enjoy this one - it's a goodie!  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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    1 hr
  3. Refugia, resistance testing, and the future of worm management with Chloe Frank

    May 31

    Refugia, resistance testing, and the future of worm management with Chloe Frank

    Most sheep producers assume their drenches are working. Chloe Frank's job is finding out whether they actually are. After discovering how few producers in her region were monitoring worm burdens, Chloe launched Central Stock Health while still at university. She now travels from farm to farm delivering on-site worm egg counts and helping producers make better management decisions. In this episode, Chloe joins Mark to discuss the challenge of drench resistance in Australia and why better information is often the missing piece in sheep management. She explains why the delays associated with traditional testing methods mean many producers still are not testing, and how her on-farm service is helping farmers access real-time results. Chloe and Mark also discuss how she built a business from the ground up while still at university. Chloe also highlights the multiple opportunities available to young people in agriculture. However, in recording this podcast, it is obvious that her passion for making a positive, practical difference to the Ag industry has played a significant role in her success so far. If you want to get Chloe on your team, get in touch through her website here:  https://centralstockhealth.com/ 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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    30 min

  4. May 24

    Data driven sheep breeding with James Trowbridge

    This week on the podcast, Ferg introduces James Trowbridge, the newest consultant to join the neXtgen Agri team. James grew up in South Australia working alongside his parents, Margie and Bill Trowbridge, in both Merinos and the family artificial breeding business. After working across a range of farming and agribusiness roles around Australia, James now joins the neXtgen Agri team, bringing with him a strong practical background in sheep production and genetics. If you want to get James on your team, get in touch at: james@nextgenagri.com 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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    17 min
  5. Genomic data management and the future of breeding values with Dan Garrick

    May 17

    Genomic data management and the future of breeding values with Dan Garrick

    What does it take to build the data systems that sit behind your genetic evaluations? This week on the podcast, Ferg catches up with Dan Garrick from Helical. Dan grew up on a sheep, beef and venison farm in the Manawatu before moving to the US at 13, where he went on to complete a PhD in aerospace engineering at Iowa State University. He's the son of Professor Dorian Garrick, one of New Zealand's most respected animal breeding geneticists, and his grandfather was one of the world's leading experts on sharks, making Dan a third-generation PhD. Dan explains how the same maths used to model fluid dynamics around rockets is used to generate breeding values, and how he ended up joining the family business in 2017 to help roll out some of the first production single step evaluations in the US for American Hereford and IGS. That work quickly revealed a major bottleneck in managing the genomic data flowing in from DNA testing labs. That's where Helical was born. Ferg and Dan talk through how Helical now serves breed societies, genetics companies, universities and labs across beef, dairy, sheep, horses, dogs, aquaculture and forestry. They also look ahead at where things are going. From decision support tools and AI in commercial herds, to the potential for wearable devices like virtual fencing collars to generate entirely new breeding values nobody has thought of yet - both Dan and Ferg agree the future is bright for Agriculture.  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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    56 min
  6. Lessons learned from LambEx with Jane Kellock

    May 10

    Lessons learned from LambEx with Jane Kellock

    Jane Kellock joins Mark to talk through the production and business decisions that have shaped their Merino operation in South Australia’s Mid North. From running a non-mulesed flock for more than 20 years to building a breeding programme focused on lamb survival, Jane explains how genetics, condition scoring and lessons learned from attending previous LambEx conferences have helped their business through some brutal seasons. Jane also discusses the importance of making strategic decisions before drought hits, why mixed farming regions risk losing livestock knowledge, and what producers can expect from LambEx26. Tickets available here: https://www.lambex.org.au/tickets Earlybird tickets finish Friday, the 15th of May.  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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    26 min
  7. How to run a farm business your bank trusts, with Matt Hood

    May 3

    How to run a farm business your bank trusts, with Matt Hood

    Matt Hood on farm succession, agribusiness banking, and building better farm businesses. Based in Marlborough, Matt has worked across sheep and beef, dairy, and viticulture businesses in both New Zealand and Australia, with a focus on succession planning, equity partnerships, and helping farm businesses make better decisions around people, capital, and structure. Matt explains where he sees the gap between being good on the tools and being good in business. As businesses grow, priorities shift to managing people, finances, and decision-making, and that is often where performance stalls, especially during succession.  On that note, succession is a major passion for Matt. Not just how to transfer assets, but how to run the process properly by having early conversations and making sure there is actually a business worth passing on, alongside a strong emphasis on purpose, both for the next generation coming in and for those stepping back. Matt also explains what the good, strong businesses he's come across consistently do well. It usually comes down to a good understanding of numbers, avoiding surprises, and keeping emotion out of decision-making. Matt and Mark also discuss what "good" looks like from a banking perspective and how to build up a good relationship with your bank so that you can work together for the success of everyone.  This is an hour every farmer needs to listen to.  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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    1h 2m
  8. Feet, finances and faster genetic gain with Chad Taylor from Mumblebone

    Apr 26

    Feet, finances and faster genetic gain with Chad Taylor from Mumblebone

    You'd never ignore your interest rate, so why aren't you tracking your genetic gain?  This week, Ferg catches up with Chad Taylor for an update on what has been happening at Mumblebone and the recent work around footrot and feet structure they have been involved with as part of the 'Genetics of foot health in Merinos' project. Ferg and Chad also discuss genetic gain at Mumblebone and how it is being pushed in practical terms. For example they are using ram lambs more heavily, joining ewe lambs, using genomics and utilising custom indexes in selection decisions.  Chad also explains why genetic gain should be tracked and questioned just as closely as interest rates, because both compound over time and have a direct impact on the long-term performance of the business. Finally, Ferg and Chad discuss what supports all the progress they're making on-farm. Chad is very keen on building the right team and aligning people with the direction of the business, and he shares the impact of bringing staff into the bigger picture by "opening the books" so they know how the business operates financially. It's always a pleasure to have Chad on the podcast. Tune in to hear a top operator's approach to breeding great sheep.  Links: Precision Sheep HQ: https://www.precisionsheephq.com/feed 'Genetics of foot health in Merinos' project cull ram challenge: Email amy@nextgenagri.com Mineral basics for healthier stock and higher returns: https://thehub.nextgenagri.com/c/events/mineral-basics-for-healthier-stock-and-higher-returns 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: info@nextgenagri.com. Thanks to our sponsors at MSD Animal Health and Allflex, Heiniger Australia and New Zealand, and ProWay Livestock Equipment. Please consider them when making product choices, as they are instrumental in enabling us to bring you this podcast each week. Check out the MSD range HERE Check out Allflex products HERE Check out Heiniger's product range HERE Check out ProWay's product range HERE

    43 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

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. 

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Ferguson
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    292
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Head Shepherd
  • Show Website
    Head Shepherd

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