The CountryWide Podcast

• Episode 92 - Rearing at scale

  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 EMAILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Special Episode - Halter: Driving Profit, Efficiency and Sustainability

  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 EMAILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Reducing emissions without sacrificing profit

  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 EMAILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 89 - Improvements in the Face of Antibiotic Resistance

  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 EMAILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Episode 88 - Kellogg: The Soils Gap

  Daniel Judd’s interest in soil management grew from his experience as a conventional dairy farmer and curiosity about evolving sector practices. His 2025 Kellogg’s Report explores the ‘soils gap’, showing how science, commerce, and culture shape decisions across conventional, regenerative, and organic systems. In this episode, Sarah speaks with Daniel about what drives differences in farmer approaches, challenges in soil science funding, and how beliefs, trust, and experience influence decisions. He also shares how self-learning, collaboration, and critical thinking can boost soil health and profitability in a changing sector. Guest: Daniel Judd, Kellogg Scholar Host: Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide Daniel Judd is focused on bridging the ‘soils gap’ in New Zealand dairy, exploring how science, commerce, and culture shape farmer decisions and soil management practices. Drawing on his Kellogg research and experience as a conventional dairy farmer, he examines the spectrum of farming approaches, from conventional to regenerative, and how beliefs, trust, and practical experience influence on farm decision making. Through interviews with farmers, researchers, and advisors, Daniel uncovers the nuances between systems, the limitations of current soil science funding, and the practical strategies that help farmers improve soil health and profitability. He highlights the value of self learning, critical thinking, and collaboration, showing how farmers can adopt flexible approaches that benefit their business, the environment, and the long-term resilience of New Zealand’s dairy sector. Find Daniel’s Kellogg report 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 EMAILSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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