Ever wished you could get breeding values on your commercial Merinos without having to record weights, dates or pedigrees?

This week, we’re launching neXtPredict, our brand new genomic tool that lets you go straight from DNA to breeding values with just a simple TSU sample.

Developed in partnership with Weatherbys Scientific, neXtPredict provides base genomic breeding values, parentage, poll/horn testing and a flock profile for Merino breeders. It’s powered by the MerinoSelect database and backed by MLA-funded research through AGBU and Sheep Genetics.

To announce the launch this week on the podcast, Ferg chats with Tamarah Luxton, Territory Manager at Weatherbys Scientific. Tamarah shares the story of Weatherbys’ journey from managing thoroughbred pedigrees in Ireland to providing cutting-edge genomic testing for livestock across Australia.

neXtPredict has three service tiers, designed to suit everyone from large commercial breeders to data-driven operations wanting deeper insights.

• CORE gives you access to the neXtPredict Portal, where you can view gBVs, parentage, poll/horn, flock profiles and indexes, and filter or rank animals on standard industry indexes or generic neXtgen Agri indexes.
• PLUS includes everything in CORE, plus trait correlation analysis, the creation of custom indexes, and one-on-one support from the neXtgen Agri team.
• PRO adds long-term data storage, the ability to include non-genomic traits (like wool quality or dag scores), view multi-year data, and work directly with our consultants on testing strategies and optimisation.

If you are interested in using neXtPredict, get in touch with us here at neXtgen Agri:

info@nextgenagri.com

Or with Weatherbys Scientific:

tluxton@weatherbys.com.au

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: info@nextgenagri.com.

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

What do you get when three sheep consultants, all podcast hosts, from Australia, England, and Wales sit down in front of a microphone? You get a very entertaining, slightly chaotic, sheepy podcast!

This week we're joined by Liz Genever and Nerys Wright to discuss the launch of OptiEwe UK as well as the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers over there.

Liz, Nerys and Ferg chat about this summer's extremely dry weather, current lamb prices, shifts in farming practices (and the role of genetics in those shifts), as well as the difficulties of the ever-changing government policies.

Liz and Nerys are launching OptiEwe UK next week, and we're excited to continue working with them over the next few years!

Tune into their podcast by searching "The Sheep Geeks". You can catch their episode with Mark here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-11-talking-to-mark-ferg-ferguson-about-optiewe/id1777227463?i=1000726635865

If you're interested in starting or attending an OptiEwe discussion group in New Zealand, get in touch with Sophie at sophie@nextgenagri.com

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: info@nextgenagri.com.

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

Is drench resistance an issue on your property? Thanks to modern technology, we have tools at our disposal to help.

This week's guest is Ryan Luckman, vet and founder of DAGI, (Drench and Grazing Integration), an app that displays the risk of larval challenge/resistance risk for the paddocks on your farm, helping you make better grazing decisions.

With the help of industry experts and the support of B+LNZ, Ryan has been building the DAGI (Drench And Grazing Integration) app over the past 2 years.

Ryan talks us through the app and how it works on farm, as well as discussing the state of drench resistance in New Zealand. He and Ferg also discuss the topic of refugia and how this is all about the genetics of the worm population on your farm.

Take a look at DAGI here:

https://www.dagi.nz/why-dagi

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: info@nextgenagri.com.

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