Welcome to Episode 20 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series! In this episode, we're joined by Dr Gordon Refshaugee to explore fertility and fecundity in Australian sheep flocks over the past decade. Your host, Ellie Hays, and Gordon discuss the average pregnancy rate in Australian sheep flocks and share practical tips to improve fertility and manage the resulting obligations. To watch our webinar with Gordon head to: Productivity & Profitability series | Meat & Livestock...
Mar 18, 2025•49 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Welcome to episode 19 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Tim Gole from For Flocks Sake. Tim and I will dive into all thing BredWell FedWell and setting up your breeding flock for success. Your host, Ellie Hays and Tim discuss the importance of pre-joining exams, body condition scoring, scanning, ASBVs and how eID's can be used as an advantage. To find out more on anything was discussed throughout this podcast, visit For Flocks Sake website https://www.f...
Feb 18, 2025•43 min•Ep. 19
Welcome to episode 18 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Ed Riggall from AgPro Management. Ed and I will dive into integrating livestock into mixed farming systems with the main focus on summer nutrition. Your host, Ellie Hays and Ed briefly discuss on a life on a consultant before diving into summer nutrition, feed requirements for sheep, different grains and much more. To find out more on anything was discussed throughout this podcast, visit AgPro Man...
Dec 17, 2024•48 min•Ep. 18
Welcome to episode 17 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Natalee Johnston from Skilful Decisions . Natalee Johnston was the Royal Australian Navy’s first female pilot and with over 24 years of military experience, Natalee has led teams in high-stakes situations, taught as a helicopter instructor, and now runs her own consultancy focusing on human factors, risk management, and safety across various industries. Your host, Ellie Hays and Natalee discuss wh...
Nov 18, 2024•43 min•Ep. 17
Welcome to episode 16 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Deb Scammell from Talking Livestock. Deb dives into the key questions around mineral supplementation for beef and sheep. Your host, Ellie Hays and Deb discuss the importance of mineral supplementation, when they need supplements and which essential minerals to focus on. Find out how minerals interact in the body, the risks of excess and how to evaluate products to ensure you're choosing the most e...
Oct 20, 2024•21 min•Ep. 16
Welcome to episode 15 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Matt Ferguson from NeXtgen Agri. Mark talks about the importance of embracing change to continue to be successful in agriculture. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Mark discuss exciting technologies including genomics, robotics, artificial intelligence, augmented reality and big data. They discuss the impact that these technologies have on agriculture currently and in the future. This episode introdu...
Sep 19, 2024•36 min•Ep. 15
Welcome to episode 14 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Elke Hocking from Elke Hocking Consulting. Elke talks about the importance of measuring and monitoring to manage for reproductive success in heifers. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Elke discuss that by proactively managing weaner heifers to achieve critical mating weight targets and condition scores prior to joining (60% of SRW prior to heifer joining and 85-90% of SRW prior to second joining), be...
Sep 04, 2024•38 min•Ep. 14
Welcome to episode 13 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Callen Thompson from AgSTAR Projects. Callen talks about growing beef from dairy, the benefits, barriers and next steps for the industry. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Callen discuss the importance of relationships and understanding what the end user of your product wants. Callen highlights the benefits of dairy beef, including carbon emissions, eating quality and consistency of supply. Beef and ...
Jul 28, 2024•42 min
Welcome to episode 12 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Sally Martin from SheepMetriX. Sally talks about how electronic identification can be used in your business to add value. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Sally discuss the importance of being clear on what you want to achieve when collecting data. Sally highlights that there are multiple avenues for data collection using eID and it is how you efficiently use this data that will enable you to reap t...
Jul 08, 2024•43 min•Ep. 12
Welcome to episode 11 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This special edition episode features Dr Shane Thompson from Holbrook Vet Clinic, Ed Rigall from AgPro Management and Felicity Turner from Turner Agriservices. In this episode we discuss the business, pasture and livestock management considerations when managing a late seasonal break or failed autumn period. Your host, Tanisha Shields speaks to the specialist panel about the importance of assessing and managing busines...
Jul 01, 2024•54 min•Ep. 11
Welcome to episode 10 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Anne Collins of AC Ag Consulting. Anne talks about how to maximise dorper reproductive performance, particularly in challenging environments. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Anne discuss how to utilise condition scoring as a management tool to inform decision making, the importance of pregnancy scanning and how to use the scanning results to improve flock reproductive performance. Shedding sheep br...
May 20, 2024•38 min•Ep. 10
Welcome to episode 9 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Dr Jason Condon from Charles Sturt University. Jason talks about how implementing improved soil sampling intervals will enable better decisions about liming. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Jason discuss the movement and effect of liming to address lower soil acidity layers. We also discuss the how the management of acid soils removes one of the manageable constraints of the production system. Dr Ja...
Apr 17, 2024•46 min•Ep. 9
Welcome to episode 8 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Shawn McGrath from Charles Sturt University. Shawn talks about the role of dual-purpose crops in livestock production businesses. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Shawn discuss the benefits of dual-purpose crops, when to sow a dual-purpose crops and how to manage grazing with different livestock species. We also discuss the complexities associated with dual purpose crops and how they alter the feed p...
Mar 27, 2024•27 min•Ep. 8
Welcome to episode 7 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Cam Nicolson from Nicon Rural. Cam talks the carbon space which is rapidly evolving, we should expect the ‘rules’ and assumptions to change in the future. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Cam discuss why you should care about carbon, where it all began and how to get an understanding of the emissions in your business. We discuss emissions intensity (amount of emission per unit of product) and why thi...
Feb 22, 2024•42 min•Ep. 7
Welcome to episode 6 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Sally Murfet from InspireAg. Sally talks about the importance of managing and working with people in agriculture. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Sally discuss the internal and external factors impacting human agronomy, the importance of clarity, communication and culture and how to get the recruitment process right. To watch our webinar with Sally head to: Productivity & Profitability series | ...
Jan 18, 2024•36 min•Ep. 6
Welcome to episode 5 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features John Francis from Agrista. John talks about how to drive production in your business to manage risk and cost of production to drive profitability. Your host, Tanisha Shields and John discuss what some of the targets for production are, how to design a cost structure to meet these production targets and to remove the focus on chasing price. John talks about the importance of system design in livesto...
Dec 20, 2023•46 min•Ep. 5
Welcome to episode 4 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Dr Jillian Kelly from Animal Health and Nutrition Consulting. Jill talks about how containment feeding can be a proactive management strategy for drought, fire, flood or to meet production targets. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Jill discuss why to use containment areas, how to set up a containment area and some of the challenges Jill and her clients have overcome in their experience using containm...
Nov 15, 2023•33 min•Ep. 4
Welcome to episode 3 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Basil Doonan, Technical Director of Pinion Advisory. Basil speaks about how to manage your pastures during spring, in wet, dry and average seasons. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Basil discuss why spring is the time to "attack" your pasture management, how to deal with excess feed, how to assess and manage pasture quantity and quality. Basil shares insight on how to assess which livestock are the m...
Oct 18, 2023•32 min•Ep. 3
Welcome to episode 2 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Dr Penny Schulz, Livestock Technical Specialist with the SA Drought Resilience, Adoption and Innovation Hub. Penny presents an overview of what a value chain approach is, what this means for livestock producers and how genetics play a role. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Penny discuss meeting market specifications, understanding your target market and setting breeding objectives to achieve your pro...
Sep 27, 2023•36 min•Ep. 2
Welcome to episode 1 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Phil Graham, of Graham Advisory, who presents a current seasonal update and implications of this for producers. Your host, Tanisha Shields and Phil discuss how to assess your exposure to a dry spring, taking into account the impact across southern Australia. Phil shares information about a range of tools and resources that are available to help producers assess current soil moisture. Phil talks abo...
Sep 13, 2023•39 min•Ep. 1
