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Head Shepherd

Mark Ferguson
Livestock Management
Agriculture
Animal Health
Sheep Farming
Genomics
Genetics
Sheep Breeding
Worm Resistance
Animal Welfare
Australia
Wool Industry
Animal Health Management
Drench Resistance
Merino Sheep
Lambex
Agronomy
Angus Cattle
Artificial Insemination
Sustainability
Innovation

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.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes311Founded6 years ago
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Artwork for Head Shepherd

Latest Episodes

Dave Robertson is a large animal vet at Oamaru’s Vet Centre, with a lifelong interest in sheep breeding and a particular focus on helping sheep and beef farmers understand and improve all elements of animal health.

Growing up in a fifth-generation f... more

YouTube

What can carcass feedback tell us about breeding better lambs? 

Our guest this week, Isabele Roberts, shares how six years of carcass data, research and on-farm trials have shaped her approach to lamb production.

Isabele runs Ridgehaven, a family s... more

YouTube

Selecting replacement ewe lambs is an opportunity to make more genetic progress in a flock, but how much are we missing when selection relies on visual assessment alone?

In this episode, Ferg shares his thoughts on improving replacement ewe selectio... more

YouTube

neXtResist can tell you which sheep are fighting off worms, even when worm numbers are low. Emma Noble-Campbell has been running the test for New Zealand breeders since she joined us in February.

Emma grew up on a sheep and beef farm in the North Is... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Isabele Roberts
Sheep producer, stud breeder and researcher at Ridgehaven.
Ridgehaven
Episode: Using carcass feedback to improve lamb production with Isabele Roberts
Emma Noble-Campbell
Agricultural scientist specializing in sheep genetics, immunity and worm resistance
neXtgen Agri
Episode: Understanding immune competence and worm resistance in sheep with Emma Noble-Campbell
John Yates
Representative of the Texel Sheep Society (UK)
Texel Sheep Society (UK)
Episode: The changing role of breed societies with John Yates
Reece Michelle
New recruit at NeXtGen Agri, Western Australia
NeXtGen Agri
Episode: From the shearing shed to sheep genetics with Reece Michelle
David Packer
Program Manager of CarcaseValue at Meat & Livestock Australia
Meat & Livestock Australia
Episode: Maximising eating quality and profitability in sheep with David Packer
Peter Blackwood
Owner, Blackwood Corriedales
Blackwood Corriedales
Episode: Redefining the Corriedale with Peter Blackwood
Dom Hallam
Guest from Kiwi Merinos / Konsortium Merinos
Kiwi Merinos / Konsortium Merinos (Molong origin)
Episode: Questioning tradition in Merino breeding with Dom Hallam
Jonno Hicks
Manager of Hannaton Poll Merinos and White Suffolks
Hannaton Poll Merinos and White Suffolks
Episode: Data driven sheep breeding at Hannaton with Jonno Hicks
Laura Deeming
PhD researcher on hoof health in goats
EpiVets (and formerly AgResearch)
Episode: How hoof overgrowth impacts bone structure and long-term lameness with Laura Deeming

Host

Mark Ferguson
Host of Head Shepherd

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 250 ratings
  • Review

    Thanks Mark, great show, always learn heaps. Cheers Steve

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    574636382
    New Zealanda year ago
  • My favourite podcast

    Love the guests, stories, technical insights and everyday tips on how to build and improve your farm business. I also love genetics!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dale @ Redbank FX Rams
    Australia2 years ago
  • Informative, relaxed and incredibly relevant

    In Scotland and find the head shepherd podcast offers speakers with a huge knowledge and covers incredibly relevant topics! It’s relaxed style makes for an excellent listen! Truly first class

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JaStephen
    United Kingdom3 years ago
  • Outstanding Agricultural Leader

    Mark Ferguson and his amazing podcast craft an inspiring ongoing story of the amazing people involved in food and fibre production.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Fannytangles
    Australia3 years ago
  • Thank you!

    This podcast particularly those episodes geared towards sheep production (which are most) are so informative I can listen all day tending our flock. His interviews with experts and leading research in the field is fascinating and a blast to listen to! Thank you for all your work and spreading such crucial information!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Shepherdess in New England
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise technical depth and accessible storytelling across genetics, data, and farming operations.
High-quality audio and engaging discussions make complex topics approachable for practitioners.
The show is seen as a valuable resource for industry leadership and knowledge-sharing across the sheep and beef sectors.
A well-curated mix of guests and topics that deliver practical insights for farm business growth.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Spotify
#48
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#135
Australia/Science
Apple Podcasts
#131
New Zealand/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Using carcass feedback to improve lamb production with Isabele Roberts
Q: For a commercial producer wanting to take a lamb production system to the next notch, what's the one or two things you'd encourage them to start measuring?
Roberts recommends focusing on management around joining, lambing, weaning and marketing, alongside animal health and nutrition. Getting these areas right can produce more lambs at heavier weights and higher value.
Using carcass feedback to improve lamb production with Isabele Roberts
Q: What have you learned over the last six years from carcass feedback, and has it changed your decision-making?
Roberts says genetics, nutrition and management work together, and that suitable genetics are necessary for good eating quality within her farm's timeframe. The feedback has helped her identify how to finish lambs and meet processor specifications.
Understanding immune competence and worm resistance in sheep with Emma Noble-Campbell
Q: What were the, when you did that modeling, what were the, do you remember which traits kind of had the highest priority in terms of what was going to have the biggest impact on farm profit and labor?
Worms ranked highest, including costs from ineffective drenching and resistant worm populations. Ewe mortality and lamb survival also had substantial financial impacts, alongside production losses and carcass downgrades associated with pneumonia and pleurisy.
Understanding immune competence and worm resistance in sheep with Emma Noble-Campbell
Q: Maybe talk us through what saliva antibodies can do for worm resistance and how that test works.
The test measures IgA antibodies in saliva that target a worm-specific antigen. Because the antibodies can be measured without a heavy worm challenge, the test can show differences in resistance even when worm pressure is low.
Redefining the Corriedale with Peter Blackwood
Q: What were the biggest holes in the breed when you started, and how did you address them?
The key gaps were fertility and lambing performance, which we addressed by focusing on fertility in selection, using Land Plan and production-driven indices to drive gains and ensure an overall improvement rather than chasing a single trait.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Head Shepherd

What is Head Shepherd about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on sheep and beef production in Australia and New Zealand, with a strong emphasis on genetics, data analytics, technology, and innovation in farming. Episodes frequently feature industry veterans, researchers, and business leaders discussing breeding programs, genomic tools, herd health, farm governance, and the economics of farming, often weaving in practical case studies from seed stock operations, processing, and marketing. A standout thread is the role of data-driven decision making—from genomics to EID tagging and Dexa analytics—paired with leadership, resilience, and collaboration through industry bodies and private partnerships. The format tends to blend technical insights with actionable takeaways for improving prof... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Head Shepherd?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Head Shepherd:

1. Productivity and Profitability Media Series
2. Profitable Farmer
3. Humans of Agriculture
4. Boots Off Log On!™
5. The Yarn

How many episodes of Head Shepherd are there?

Head Shepherd launched 6 years ago and published 311 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Head Shepherd?

Recent guests on Head Shepherd include:

1. Isabele Roberts
2. Emma Noble-Campbell
3. John Yates
4. Reece Michelle
5. David Packer
6. Peter Blackwood
7. Dom Hallam
8. Jonno Hicks

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