What’s driving smarter, more strategic weaning decisions?

In this episode, Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson, breaks down how to avoid costly weaning checks, and the practical steps farmers can take to keep lambs tracking forward while protecting ewe condition for their next tupping.

Guest:
Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production, PGG Wrightson

Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide

Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson highlights how to keep lambs on a rising plane of nutrition, protect ewe condition and adapt to tightening finishing capacity. 

From staggering weaning to prioritising smaller lambs on top-quality feed and planning disciplined store lamb sales, he shows how thoughtful decisions at weaning can lift performance and support long-term farm profitability.

He explores the spectrum of approaches from traditional fixed weaning dates to more strategic, market-driven decisions and explains how understanding lamb growth patterns, feed quality, heat stress and shifting buying behaviours can significantly reduce the risk of a weaning check.

Read the article featuring Andrew 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/ 

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What&rsquo;s driving smarter, more strategic weaning decisions?
In this episode, Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson, breaks down how to avoid costly weaning checks, and the practical steps farmers can take to keep lambs tracking forward while protecting ewe condition for their next tupping.
Guest:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production, PGG Wrightson</li>
</ul>
Host:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide</li>
</ul>
Andrew Dowling, Technical Expert - Animal Production at PGG Wrightson highlights how to keep lambs on a rising plane of nutrition, protect ewe condition and adapt to tightening finishing capacity.&nbsp;
From staggering weaning to prioritising smaller lambs on top-quality feed and planning disciplined store lamb sales, he shows how thoughtful decisions at weaning can lift performance and support long-term farm profitability.
He explores the spectrum of approaches from traditional fixed weaning dates to more strategic, market-driven decisions and explains how understanding lamb growth patterns, feed quality, heat stress and shifting buying behaviours can significantly reduce the risk of a weaning check.
Read the article featuring Andrew <a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/weaning-check-impacts-lamb-cheque/">here</a>.
&nbsp;
Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually:<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/"> https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/sign-up/">SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL</a>

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it’s time for our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.

Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with The CountryWide Podcast.

Hosts: Sarah Perriam-Lampp - CEO & Editor-in-Chief at CountryWide Media

For more information & to subscribe to CountryWide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it&rsquo;s time for our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.
Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with The CountryWide Podcast.
Hosts: Sarah Perriam-Lampp - CEO &amp; Editor-in-Chief at CountryWide Media
For more information &amp; to subscribe to CountryWide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz

The CountryWide Podcast

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it’s time for' our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.

Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with the CountryWide Podcast with Editor-in-Chief, Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

To subscribe to Country-Wide, visit www.country-wide.co.nz 

Bringing' you the best of rural New Zealand for nearly 50 years via your mailboxes, now it&rsquo;s time for' our seasonal stories from the magazine to weekly updates straight to your ears.
Proud to celebrate the grit and the smarts it takes to farm as well as good ol' fashioned country culture with the CountryWide Podcast with Editor-in-Chief,&nbsp;Sarah Perriam-Lampp.
To subscribe to Country-Wide, visit <a href="http://www.country-wide.co.nz">www.country-wide.co.nz</a>&nbsp;

Country-Wide Podcast

Episode 90 - Weaning Check Impacts Lamb Cheque

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

In this episode, Louise Cook, Fonterra&rsquo;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:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Louise Cook, Environment Programme Lead, Fonterra</li>
</ul>
Host:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide</li>
</ul>
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.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Read the article featuring Louise <a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/insights-from-farm-data-show-emission-cutting-opportunities/">here</a>.
&nbsp;
Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually:<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/"> https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/sign-up/">SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL</a>

Reducing emissions without sacrificing profit

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

What are the key drivers behind New Zealand&rsquo;s 47% reduction in antibiotic sales?&nbsp;
In this episode, Dr Annabel Harris, Chair of the NZVA&rsquo;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:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Dr Annabel Harris, Chairperson, NZVA&rsquo;s Antimicrobial Resistance Committee</li>
</ul>
Host:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
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:<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/"> https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/sign-up/">SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL</a>

Episode 89 - Improvements in the Face of Antibiotic Resistance

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 EMAIL

Daniel Judd&rsquo;s interest in soil management grew from his experience as a conventional dairy farmer and curiosity about evolving sector practices. His 2025 Kellogg&rsquo;s Report explores the &lsquo;soils gap&rsquo;, 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.
&nbsp;
Guest:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Daniel Judd, Kellogg Scholar</li>
</ul>
Host:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Editor-in-Chief, CountryWide</li>
</ul>
Daniel Judd is focused on bridging the &lsquo;soils gap&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s dairy sector.
&nbsp;
Find Daniel&rsquo;s Kellogg report <a href="https://ruralleaders.co.nz/the-soils-gap-interactions-between-science-commerce-culture/">here</a>.
&nbsp;
Become a CountryWide Club member for $89/year for six seasonal magazines including free postage (New Zealand only) annually:<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/"> https://country-wide.co.nz/shop/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://country-wide.co.nz/sign-up/">SUBSCRIBE TO THE COUNTRY-WIDE INSIDER WEEKLY EMAIL</a>

Episode 90 - Weaning Check Impacts Lamb Cheque

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