Scene + Herd: Podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Making positive changes at scale, with the Catchment Community Group Programme

Catchment groups form to take actions to achieve a long-term vision based on a healthy environment (from water quality to biodiversity goals) and a thriving community. On this Beef + Lamb New Zealand Scene + Herd podcast we are joined by Roger Dalrymple who farms Waitatapia Station near Bulls and is Chair of the Rangitikei Rivers Community Collective Incorporated, as well as Richard Parkes, Environment Capability Manager (North Island) for B+LNZ.  Hear about the value catchment community groups can add to our environment and our businesses, whatever the  industry, as well as the benefits to farmers and non-farmers. Roger share’s his first-hand experience of the need for the groups, and how to get them going successfully.

For more information, check out our webpage: https://beeflambnz.com/catchments

Applied Agricultural research- What is the future? Dr David Stevens’ 2017 NZ Grassland Association Presidential Address

David Stevens is a Senior Scientist, Farm Systems & Environment at AgResearch, and well known to those in New Zealand farming industries for his years’ of research and extension. In 2017 he was President of the New Zealand Grassland Association, and in his Presidential Address discussed the future of applied research in agriculture.

For more information on the New Zealand Grassland Association, visit their website https://www.grassland.org.nz/aboutus.php

Beef Progeny Test: A frank conversation with the men at the coalface

Dr Jason Archer (Abacus Bio) and Max Tweedie (B+LNZ Genetics) chat with the Beef Progeny Test Farm Managers, to discuss what they have found and observed so far, including their thoughts on the value of high genetic worth bulls. The B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test was launched in 2014 and is generating valuable commercial insights for farmers. The Beef Progeny Test compares bulls under New Zealand commercial farming conditions. The test now involves over 3000 beef and dairy cow matings each year, on five large properties across New Zealand. A mix of both internationally-sourced and New Zealand semen is used. Steers and cull heifers are assessed on their carcase traits, while replacement heifers are tracked for their ongoing maternal characteristics. For more information: https://www.blnzgenetics.com/progeny-tests/beef-progeny-tests

Successful soil and fertiliser management

On this ‘Scene + Herd’ podcast we’re joined by Jeff Morton, who in previous careers worked on soil science for both AgResearch and Ballance. We discuss the keys to making the most from your fertiliser and lime budget, what farmers should focus on and what they shouldn’t stress over. To find copies of the essential resources on fertiliser, lime, forage cropping and trace elements that Jeff mentions, visit the Fertiliser Association website: http://www.fertiliser.org.nz/Site/resources/booklets.aspx

Breakfeed: Farming the Future, the 2019 New Zealand Grassland Association Conference.

The New Zealand Grassland Association conference is NZ’s premiere pastoral farming science conference. In 2019 it’s in Napier, from Tuesday 5 till Thursday 7 November. Local Organising Committee chair Jeff Morton joins us to discuss the conference programme. A chance to hear the latest grassland research, and discuss it with researchers, industry people and other farmers. Keep an eye on the NZGA website for more detail https://www.grassland.org.nz/

 ‘Break-Feeds’ are short podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand to let you know about interesting things happening.

Heifer mating: Breed ‘em, feed ‘em

Dr Jason Archer of AbacusBio and Max Tweedie, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics’ National Beef Genetics Manager, discuss the keys to successfully calving beef heifers and to getting them back in calf as a 3 year old. For a summary of the key points, check out our Factsheets: Managing Heifers prior to and during mating https://beeflambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/managing-heifers-prior-and-during-mating and
Heifer Mating - how to get there https://www.blnzgenetics.com/files/1539030128_Birth%20to%20first%20pregnancy-%20how%20to%20get%20there.pdf

 

Catch Crops: a way to reduce N leaching after winter crops, with Dr Brendon Malcolm, Plant & Food Research

Sowing a short-term crop after a winter fodder crop may reduce N leaching by 40-50%. On this Beef + Lamb New Zealand ‘Scene + Herd’ podcast, Brendon Malcolm of Plant & Food Research discusses how it works, the issues to consider and how to get the best results. Plus, there is a bonus discussion on some of the basics of N leaching. For more information on the research, visit DairyNZ’s Forages for Reduced Nitrogen Leaching webpage https://www.dairynz.co.nz/about-us/research/forages-for-reduced-nitrate-leaching/
This podcast is a sequel to the episode on good management practice for winter grazing.

Hill Country Farming in 2040: panel discussion at B+LNZ’s FarmSmart 2018

What will hill country farming in New Zealand look like in 2040? How will farmers respond to demands placed upon them by consumers, environmental and animal welfare regulations and the general public?
Guy Salmon, Environmentalist and Executive Director of Ecologic; Robyn Dynes, AgResearch Science Impact Leader, Farm Systems and Environment; Chris Chamberlain, Banks Peninsula farmer; and Rich McDowell, principal scientist for AgResearch’s Invermay Environment Group discuss what they see as the challenges and opportunities for this country’s hill country farming systems. Panel Discussion facilitated by Richard Green, agribusiness thought-leader and professional Director.

Eradicating Mycoplasma bovis – how to keep your farm free from the disease

With the decision in May 2018 that New Zealand will implement a plan to eradicate Mp. bovis, things have changed greatly for cattle farmers in NZ. While less than 1% of herds will be infected, every cattle farmer has a part to play.

On this podcast, Ashleigh Dobson who is representing Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and DairyNZ, and Paul McCauley from B+LNZ, cover all you need to know about the disease and how to keep it out of your herd, so that eradication has the highest chance of success.

To find out more, check out our webpage with a comprehensive set of resources: https://beeflambnz.com/news-views/mycoplasma-bovis

Also, check out our other Mp. bovis podcast with Professor Richard Laven of Massey University: https://beeflambnz.podbean.com/e/managing-the-risk-of-mycoplasma-bovis-during-the-winter-grazing-season-richard-laven-of-massey-university/ 

Managing the risk of Mycoplasma bovis during the winter grazing season: Richard Laven of Massey University

Movement of cattle between farms is the highest risk for spread of Mycoplasma bovis, and winter grazing of dairy cattle therefore poses particular challenges.

Richard Laven is Associate Professor in Production Animal Health at Massey University, and was the person who first recognised that Mycoplasma bovis was likely present in New Zealand. He joins us to explain how the disease spreads, the precautions graziers and owners can take to further reduce the low risk of spreading the disease, and what farmers should be doing as good biosecurity management practice anyway.

For more details, click here to download the Beef + Lamb New Zealand/DairyNZ information for graziers factsheet.

Better Beef Breeding: buying bulls that perform

Getting better calves from your cows involves getting the right breeder, selecting the right bull both on figures and on what you can see, then looking after that bull and making sure he can do his job. Max Tweedie, then National Beef Genetics Manager at Beef + Lamb Genetics, joins us to talk about what the figures mean, how to use them, what to look for in a bull, and how to keep him performing at his best. (Max left B+LNZ in 2019)

To view the B+LNZ Genetics bull selection tools, visit: http://www.blnzgenetics.com/bull-selection-tools

For a hard copy of the booklet containing the information discussed, email resources@beeflambnz.com – or to find out about Better Beef Breeding workshops in your area, contact your local B+LNZ Extension Manager at https://beeflambnz.com/contact-us

 

Better sheep breeding: buying the right rams for your flock with Annie O’Connell, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics

Beef + Lamb New Zealand provides funding to Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics so that New Zealand ram breeders have the best tools at their disposal, and sheep farmers benefit from rapid and effective genetic gain. On this podcast, National Sheep Genetics Manager, Annie O’Connell, discusses some recent advances in the information available to help choose rams, and how farmers can make the best use of it.

More information on the maternal and terminal indexes we discuss can be found at www.ramindex.co.nz, the ram buyer guide is downloadable at bit.ly/Ram-Buying-Guide and check out the B+LNZ Genetics website here: www.blnzgenetics.com

Farming for more than just money – Steve Wyn-Harris

Steve Wyn-Harris is well known in farming circles in New Zealand, with his weekly newspaper column, speaking engagements and radio show. For a change he is the subject of an interview, and we are discussing his thoughts and lessons learned about farming successfully. Steve is an entertaining speaker and writer, and at the same time achieving very high levels of performance and personal satisfaction from running a family farm (a version of the Farm Profit distribution graph Steve refers to can be seen here: http://www.rmpp.co.nz/page/about/)

Hogget lambing – unlocking the potential: Professor Paul Kenyon, Massey University

Lambing hoggets can be an effective way to increase flock productivity and profit – if it is done well, and in the right circumstances. Professor Paul Kenyon is Head of the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences at Massey University and has led research into successful hogget lambing for over 15 years. He joined us on the call to share what he has learned. For more details, check out Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s guide to hogget lambing at www.beeflambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/hogget-performance

Better Beef Genetics and the Dairy Industry: The dairy-beef integration project, with Doug Lineham and Bob Thomson

The majority of New Zealand’s beef has dairy genetics in it, and most of that comes from calves born to dairy cows. Can the industry use improved beef genetics to safely and profitably produce calves from dairy cows, improve dairy farm profit and at the same time produce a fast growing, great eating animal? Doug Lineham and Bob Thomson were part of Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Dairy Beef Integration Project and join us to talk about why the project was funded and what it found – opportunities for dairy farmers, calf rearers and beef finishers. The full report and a summary factsheet are available on the B+LNZ website.

‘Break-Feed’: Leptospirosis can kill farmers, with Matt and Lynley Wyeth

‘Break-Feeds’ are 5 minute podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Lynley and Matt Wyeth are well known for pushing the boundaries with their on-farm trials and running an intensive sheep and beef farm at large scale. This year Matt also nearly died from a leptospirosis infection. They join us to talk about the experience, the symptoms – and the silver lining with Matt forced to spend time working ON the business rather than in it.

For more information on protecting people on farms from leptospirosis, visit http://www.saferfarms.org.nz/guides/prevention-and-control-of-leptospirosis/

For more information on the Wyeth’s Innovation Programme projects, visit www.beeflambnz.com, call 0800 233 352 or email enquiries@beeflambnz.com

‘Break-Feed’: Feeding lambs on Fodder Beet, with Scott Linklater

‘Break-Feeds’ are short podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand to let you know about interesting things happening. Scott Linklater is part of the B+LNZ Innovation Farms, and has been looking at using Fodder Beet in sheep and beef systems. He gives us a quick 5-minute overview of the positive results to date of grazing lambs in autumn on Fodder beet. For more information on this project, contact B+LNZ on 0800 233 352 or resources@beeflambnz.com

'Break-Feed': Three electronic opportunities for sheep and beef farms, with Neil Aicken, North Waikato

Neil Aicken is part of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Innovation Farm Programme. In the next couple of years, he is going to trial remote vehicle monitoring (for management and for Health and Safety), virtual fencing cattle via electronic ear-tag, and electric motorbikes. On this ‘Break-Feed’ podcast, he gives a quick overview of each technology and how he hopes to use them.

The Future of Our Food: FarmSmart 2017

What impact will synthesised meat, from either plant proteins or animal cells, have on the market for meat from animals? At Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s 2017 FarmSmart conference, Rosie Bosworth (Pure Advantage) and Caroline Saunders (Lincoln University) joined farmers Mark Zino and Mark Warren to ponder the Future of Our Food. Disruption is coming to New Zealand’s sheep and beef farmers – how large will the impact be, and how should we respond?

Good management practice for winter grazing: Ross Monaghan, Soil Scientist, AgResearch

Ross Monaghan, Soil Scientist at AgResearch, joined us to talk about taking care of stock, soils and water in winter. Winter grazing of forage crops is an important issue for farmers. It can be a good source of income through setting finishing animals up for high margins or through taking on grazers. It can also come at a cost from pugging, through loss of nutrients and topsoil and by pollution of water. In addition to all that, lots of animals on wet soils in winter can be a concern for the community. Recent research from the collaborative P21 programme has come up with some answers to improve animal performance while at the same time avoiding, remedying or mitigating the negative impacts. Additionally, since the recording of this podcast research has been completed on sheep wintering which you can find at Sheep Wintering Otago - NZ Landcare Trust

Peter Young: More profit from sheep

Peter Young spent a couple of decades farming next door to the Ida Burn Dam in Central Otago, home of the Brass Monkey Rally – an area that experiences one of the most extreme climates in NZ. From hoar-frosts for weeks on end in winter, to summers with temperatures in the high 30s and months of drought. Through it all, the Youngs' were known for exceptional sheep performance.

Now retired from the farm and working as a farm advisor, Peter is in demand to share his knowledge. He joined us to share some of what he’s learned and answer callers’ questions. Clear tips on getting the best out of your flock, from someone with the track record to prove them.

Note: in this podcast Peter makes some observations on high protein in some feeds in autumn. He stresses these are his opinion only.”

Al McCone: Farming Health and Safety

In 2016, 3500 sheep and beef farmers attended a Beef + Lamb New Zealand Farm Safety Management System workshop. Health and safety on farm is a hot topic, as new legislation required changes to processes on most farms, and more importantly the industry collectively wants to reduce the risk of harm to farmers, families, friends, staff and contractors. Al McCone is Sector Lead – Agriculture at WorkSafe New Zealand and he joined us on the call to discuss what farmers need to know, and to bust some myths at the same time.

Professor Steve Morris, Massey University: The New Zealand Beef Cow

If you farm beef cows, you’ll want to listen to this interview with Professor Steve Morris of Massey University, who has been the leading beef cattle researcher in New Zealand for some time. Recorded on a Red Meat Profit Partnership conference call, Steve discusses whether beef cows still have a place on sheep and beef farms, and what that role is; what are the KPI’s that farmers should set for their cows and how important is Body Condition Scoring to top performance and profitability. Many other topics are covered such as ideal cow size, what to look for when selecting bulls, the importance of identifying your target market, how to minimise calving difficulties, yard weaning in New Zealand systems and whether confinement feeding has a place.

Dr Doug Edmeades: Making the most of your fertiliser

Fertiliser and lime account for about 20% of Farm Working Expenses on a typical New Zealand sheep and beef farm. Dr Doug Edmeades shares his advice on how to optimise that spend by monitoring soils, clovers and pastures, as well as considering the components of fertiliser and lime – not just the product as a whole. He discusses the importance of focussing on the weakest link (the most limiting nutrient) and he answers listeners’ questions. The topics covered include: the rise in potassium deficiency on sheep and beef farms; cost/benefit analyses of nutrient application; what phosphate retention means; economic optimums for soil fertility and pH, and how to apply them to different blocks in your farm; the benefits and unlikely risks of molybdenum; how lime works and how to use it effectively; and how we feed the all-important soil flora and fauna.

David Stevens: The Lamb Weaning Decision

When should we wean lambs? Why? What information should we gather to inform the decision, or do we just go off the calendar? Dr David Stevens is a Senior Scientist in the AgResearch Farm Systems Team. He’s based at Invermay and works with farmers across New Zealand and around the world on questions like these. On this podcast he gives his thoughts on what farmers should be assessing, and we also talk about the critical factors to get right in the lead up to weaning, to achieve high lamb weights and top performance after weaning. Plus we cover some other topics such as bearings and tail length. For some associated reading, check out our factsheet 

 

Lactation, lamb growth and the lamb weaning decision

Derrick Moot: Lucerne and other dryland legumes

Derrick Moot is Professor in Plant Science at Lincoln University. On this Red Meat Profit Partnership conference call from 17 August 2016 he discusses the importance of legumes, especially lucerne, in dryland farm systems. We discuss establishment and management for grazing and supplement, and answer listeners’ questions.

Richard Whittington: Johne’s Disease

This Red Meat Profit Partnership conference call from 18 July 2016 discusses the diagnosis, control and management of Johne’s Disease (JD) in livestock. The Johne’s Disease Research Consortium (JDRC) was set up in 2008 by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, DairyNZ and Deer Industry New Zealand to bring some coordinated effort to the study of JD in NZ - and specifically, to develop tools for NZ farmers to manage JD on-farm. The bacterium is widespread in NZ ruminants, but the levels of clinical disease are relatively low. Richard Whittington is a professor in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, and was in NZ to speak to producers and researchers at a JDRC workshop. He holds a wealth of knowledge around diagnostics and sheep and control programmes for JD.

Craig Hickson and Mike Petersen: The New Zealand Red Meat Industry

Craig Hickson is the founder and owner of Progressive Meats Limited. In this 2013 podcast he talks with Mike Petersen, then chair of Beef + Lamb New Zealand and now New Zealand Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, about his experiences in the industry and what he sees as the inherent industry characteristics we all need to be aware of.

Mike Barton: Farming with limits - the Lake Taupo experience

Mike and Sharon Barton farm beside Lake Taupo, and have had to adapt to tight controls on nitrogen leaching. In this podcast from April 2013, Mike talks with B+LNZ Environment Extension Manager Erica van Reenen about their experiences, how they have adapted to the situation, and the possibilities certified good stewardship can open up for primary production.

Bob Thomson: Beef farming - the secrets to success

Bob Thomson is an agricultural consultant with AgFirst, based in Hamilton. Bob knows beef farming inside and out - and on this call he talks about the secrets to success, the opportunities for both beef cows and high-performance beef finishing, and answers questions.

Trevor Cook: Top tips for farmers

Trevor Cook is a well-known veterinarian and farm advisor. Here he presents 'top tips' for farmers to focus on, and answers callers’ questions on animal health and feeding. He also talks about his observations from a recent visit to the UK.

Lynley Wyeth: Saving and rearing new-born lambs

Lynley Wyeth, a farmer from near Masterton, and John Smart, a well-known vet from Balclutha, discuss care of new-born lambs, treating those that are unwell or hypothermic, and rearing orphan or surplus lambs. Lynley rears several hundred lambs each year from new-born to weaning, while John has led work to find ways to save lambs and keep them healthy. Recorded at Scene + Herd, August 2013.

San Jolly: Feed quality

San Jolly, a well-known farm consultant from Australia, talks about feed quality. Recorded at the 4 November 2015 Red Meat Profit Partnership Farm Management Conference Call. 

Dave Leathwick: Animal health, internal parasites

Dave Leathwick from AgResearch talks about animal health - and in particular, internal parasites and drenching. Recorded at the November 2015 Red Meat Profit Partnership Farm Management Conference Call.