Head Shepherd

Our guest this week, Angus Street, has worked across journalism, global agricultural marketing, Asian supply chains and livestock trading before stepping into the role of CEO at New Zealand Merino. In this episode, Angus reflects on taking on the role and guiding the organisation through a period of ongoing change across wool markets and supply chains.
He and Mark chat about New Zealand Merinos’ role in connecting growers directly with global brands, the thinking behind ZQ and ZQRX and also the impact of long-term contracts for farmers. Angus also shares where he sees the next real shifts coming for wool and agriculture as a whole.
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More information on the Australian National Poll Dorset Conference 2026
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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 do you breed sheep that thrive in wet coastal hill country without routine drenching? What traits actually matter when you're selecting for challenging conditions? This week on the podcast, Mark is chatting to Fred Gane, who runs Kaituna Ridges, an 800-hectare farm near Havelock and the Pelorus Sound in the South Island of New Zealand, alongside his wife Nikita.
Kaituna Ridges comprises a mixed grazing operation that includes over 5,000 Romney sheep and 200 head of cattle, as well as a Romney stud. Fred breeds dual-purpose Romneys that thrive in their wet, coastal hill country conditions. They focus on targeted parasite management rather than routine drenching of adult sheep, maintaining pressure on structural traits and selecting for animals that perform consistently in their challenging conditions.
Fred also discusses diversification through the family farm’s multiple enterprises, including their wool brand, Kaituna Ridges, which adds value to the fibre they produce, alongside their tourism business, bringing visitors onto the farm and showcasing their operation.
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For more information on our fundraising efforts for the 'Cure Brain Cancer Foundation' visit this link:
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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

Ever wondered about farming New Zealand sheep in the UK, or considered farming UK shedding genetics in Australia? In this episode of Head Shepherd, Ferg speaks with Ian McDougall, a veterinarian whose career - and sheep - have taken him across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Ian grew up on marginal country on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula before moving into veterinary work and artificial breeding. Over the past four decades, his work has involved embryo transfer, semen freezing and large-scale genetic movement between countries.
Ian shares the lessons he's learnt about farming foreign genetics in different environments, and he and Mark also discuss the rise in popularity of shedding sheep across the globe. 
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For more information on our fundraising efforts for the 'Cure Brain Cancer Foundation' visit this link:
https://fundraise.curebraincancer.org.au/fundraisers/markferguson/twentysix2000
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

Growing up in Western Sydney with no connection to agriculture, Samantha Wan’s path into the wool industry was anything but typical.
In this week's episode, Sam talks with Ferg about finding agriculture through high school ag, building confidence without a family farming background, and the role mentors and community played in shaping her career. 
She and Mark discuss her work across the wool value chain, including auctioneering, technology and systems innovation within Elders, and the development of the world-first automated wool handling facility in Melbourne. Sam also shares why understanding the full journey of wool matters, from on-farm decisions through to market outcomes 
Sam is a great example of what you can achieve if you really chase your goals in the agricultural industry. 
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For more information on our fundraising efforts for the 'Cure Brain Cancer Foundation' visit this link:
https://fundraise.curebraincancer.org.au/fundraisers/markferguson/twentysix2000
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 can commercial producers use breeding values without recording full pedigrees? This week, Mark chats with Carel Teseling, Chief Operating Officer at Angus Australia, to find out. 
Carel's career has taken him from South Africa's regional performance recording programs to 14 years of developing genetic tools for Angus Australia, a decade leading Australian Wagyu Association's genetics, and now back to Angus again, giving him unique insight into what actually works for producers across different systems and breeds.
Carel begins by sharing the story behind South Africa's groundbreaking work in livestock genetics during the 1990s, as well as his early days tackling genetic conditions in Angus, and his time at the Australian Wagyu Association.
After 10 years at the Australian Wagyu Association, Carel returned to Angus Australia in 2025 as Chief Operating Officer, where he's overseeing the parallel running of the trans-Tasman (TACE) analysis and Angus's new internal analysis. 
He explains how the internal system has been in development for almost five years, includes new traits like immune competence and body condition, and uses different methodological approaches such as avoiding pre-adjustments on carcass data. 
Angus Australia is letting breeders compare both systems to see how they re-rank animals. Carel explains that while there will be some re-ranking, both point in the same direction and will still guide breeders toward genetic improvement.
Carel and Mark also cover
Commercial breeding strategies
The value of female data in maternal breeds
How to identify and cull poor-performing dams
Why commercial producers should pay attention to breeding values even without recording full pedigrees.
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For more information on our fundraising efforts for the 'Cure Brain Cancer Foundation' visit this link:
https://fundraise.curebraincancer.org.au/fundraisers/markferguson/twentysix2000
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