The CountryWide Podcast

In this episode, Dr Lucy Bell discusses her PhD research into legume species that can thrive in hill and high country soils affected by high aluminium toxicity. She explains why traditional options like lucerne struggle in these environments, highlights the standout performance of species such as Lotus pedunculatus and crimson clover, and outlines what this could mean for improving nitrogen supply, forage quality and animal performance in challenging farming systems.
Guest:
Dr Lucy Bell, recent PhD graduate and researcher, Lincoln University
Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide
Lucy explores how aluminium toxicity in low-pH hill and high country soils limits legume performance, and explains the biological reasons behind poor root development in species like lucerne. She outlines the trial work behind testing 13 annual and perennial legumes, the importance of plant survival and regeneration in dry, challenging environments, and why species such as crimson clover and lotus show promise for lifting nitrogen supply, early spring feed and livestock performance where few legumes currently persist.

Read the article featuring Dr Lucy Bell here.

Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Rebecca Furzeland shares how she and her husband Andrew have built one of New Zealand’s standout large-scale calf rearing operations, combining smart infrastructure, tight systems and strong supplier relationships to rear 3,500 calves a year. She outlines the design decisions that drive efficiency, the early life nutrition that underpins animal health, and why clear communication with dairy farmers is the critical lever for lifting performance.
Guest:
Rebecca Furzeland, Calf Rearer, Canterbury
Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide
Rebecca explores the strategies that optimise calf growth and long-term performance, including careful planning of feeding regimes, managing multiple breeds, and tracking weight gains to guide decision-making. She highlights how attention to detail at every stage, from housing design to weaning protocols, supports healthier, more resilient animals and stronger outcomes across the dairy beef supply chain.

Read the article featuring the Furzelands here.

Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This special episode of CountryWide explores the first independent evaluation of Halter’s virtual fencing and herding technology, now used on more than 600,000 dairy and beef cows across New Zealand, the United States and Australia. An AgFirst and Transform Agri study of ten high-performing dairy farms shows clear gains in pasture utilisation, labour efficiency, animal performance and environmental outcomes.
Sarah Perriam-Lampp speaks with James Allen from AgFirst, Julian Gaffney from Transform Agri and Halter’s Head of Corporate Farming, Steve Crowhurst, to unpack the findings, including an average 13 percent lift in farm profit before tax and how top operators are using the system.

Guests:
James Allen, AgFirst
Julian Gaffney, Transform Agri
Steve Crowhurst, Head of Corporate Farming, Halter
Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide
James Allen is focused on helping dairy farmers unlock productivity and profitability through data-driven farm management. Drawing on his work with AgFirst and experience evaluating technologies like Halter, he examines how decisions around pasture, labour, and herd management influence performance on high-performing farms.
Through research, farm benchmarking, and collaboration with farmers and advisors, James uncovers the practical strategies that lead to measurable gains in pasture utilisation, milk production, and environmental outcomes. He highlights the value of critical analysis, evidence-based decision making, and continuous learning, showing how farmers can combine technology and strong management to achieve sustainable, high-performing systems.
Julian Gaffney helps dairy farmers turn data into practical strategies that boost both productivity and sustainability. With experience at Transform Agri and working alongside high-performing farms, he examines how tools like Halter can optimise pasture use, labour efficiency, animal health, and environmental outcomes. Collaborating closely with farmers and research teams, Julian highlights the management changes and daily practices that lead to real, measurable improvements onfarm. He champions evidence-based decisions, effective staff engagement, and ongoing refinement, showing how combining technology with thoughtful management can deliver stronger performance, greater farm efficiency, and long-term resilience in New Zealand’s dairy sector.

Steve Crowhurst helps dairy farmers leverage technology to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability on farm. As Halter’s Head of Corporate Farming, he draws on experience with farms across New Zealand and overseas to show how virtual fencing and herding can optimise pasture use, labour, and animal performance. Working closely with farmers and research teams, Steve highlights the practical ways technology supports smarter, data-driven decisions that deliver measurable results. He champions innovation, adaptability, and strong farm management, demonstrating how combining advanced tools with thoughtful practices can unlock performance gains and build long-term resilience in New Zealand’s dairy sector.

Find out more about Halter here.

Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Louise Cook, Fonterra’s Environment Programme Lead for On-Farm Excellence, unpacks how farmers boost efficiency while cutting emissions in a major industry project showing farmers can cut greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen surplus without sacrificing profitability. She explains the practices that lift efficiency with homegrown feed utilisation is the standout lever, and how top farms turn the same inputs into far stronger outputs.
Guest:
Louise Cook, Environment Programme Lead, Fonterra
Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide
When farmers make the most of homegrown feed it lifts cow productivity and therefore overall efficiency which creates a triple bottom line benefit for farms. Louise delves into the specific practices that top-performing farms use to extract more output from the same inputs by optimising feed quality, managing herd health, and aligning fertiliser and nitrogen use with production goals.

Read the article featuring Louise here.

Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are the key drivers behind New Zealand’s 47% reduction in antibiotic sales?
In this episode, Dr Annabel Harris, Chair of the NZVA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee explains how cross-industry collaboration and learnings internationally have helped shape on-farm practice of antibiotic use to protect New Zealand farmers from the threat of antibiotic resistance.
Guest:
Dr Annabel Harris, Chairperson, NZVA’s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee
Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide

Dr Annabel Harris, a vet based in North Canterbury, provides an update on antimicrobial resistance in New Zealand livestock.
She examines the spectrum of approaches from routine use to targeted therapies, and how improving farmer knowledge and practical experience with preventive measures - better animal nutrition for immunity, good vaccination programme and biosecurity to keep disease from entering the farm are important in the success.
Annabel highlights the progress made in the improved knowledge in dry cow therapy, showing how there are continued ways farmers can protect animal health, safeguarding critical antibiotics for humans.
Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually: https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/
SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.