In this episode of Digging Deeper, host Al welcomes special guest Sally Murphy from Tasmania and Jen Smith, General Manager of the Gippsland Ag Group.

Sally introduces the concept of 'human agronomy' and emphasises the importance of understanding human behavior in driving business performance on farms.

The discussion covers topics such as the Great Resignation in agriculture, managing employee motivation, and the costs associated with disengagement and rehiring. Sally shares insights on creating open communication cultures in farming businesses, the importance of off-farm identities for succession planning, and practical tips for managing grumpy moods and energy levels as leaders.

She also highlights the surprising statistic that employees are 10.4 times more likely to leave a bad culture than for monetary reasons.

The episode emphasises valuing the whole person in agricultural settings and features a plug for Sally's business, Inspire Ag.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:17 Human Agronomy: Farming People

02:40 Challenges in Farm Leadership

05:05 The Great Resignation and Its Impact

07:23 Employee Engagement and Retention

11:12 Family vs. Workplace Culture

14:49 Managing Energy Levels for Productivity

24:13 Succession Planning in Family Farms

27:00 Final Thoughts and Advice

In this episode of 'Digging Deeper,' hosts Alan and Morgan Davies discuss the latest trends in livestock sales, market conditions, and local footy updates. Barry Newman, a client from East Gippsland, is mentioned as a keen follower of the podcast. The discussion covers a variety of topics including the performance of Barry Newman's cattle, the optimal conditions for NSAID and Romeo regions, and how dry conditions are affecting various areas, including the need for feeding cattle earlier due to anticipated cold winters. Morgan shares insights on the local footy team's performance, talks about the current wool market conditions with insights from Madison Gallagher, and touches on impacts of Australian dollar fluctuations on beef and lamb markets. The episode also includes a special segment with Ken and Trevor Kaus, who discuss their experiences with property management, pasture development, and trials at Gippsland Ag. They delve into ongoing agricultural trials, such as the lime and grow more topsoils trials, and their implications for improving soil health and crop yields. The episode concludes with a brief discussion on the importance of respecting Anzac Day and community values.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:13 Client Stories and Merchandise

01:44 Seasonal Updates and Weather

02:42 Local Footy Highlights

03:39 Wool Market Insights

04:45 Sheep and Lamb Market Trends

08:59 Beef Cattle Market Overview

13:53 Market Predictions and Advice

15:37 Exploring Sheep Market Opportunities

15:54 Insights on Merino Sheep and Wool

16:21 Challenges of Sheep Farming in Wet Winters

16:44 Trading in the Current Market

16:54 Signature Question: Surprising Learnings

17:14 Respect and Reflection on Anzac Day

19:29 Introducing the Special Guests

19:45 Ken Kaus: A Life in South Gippsland

23:05 Trevor Kaus: Farm Development and Innovations

26:33 Lime Trial Results and Insights

29:56 Grow More Top Soils Trial

33:56 Cereal Trials and Future Prospects

35:41 Concluding Thoughts and Gratitude

In this episode of 'Digging Deeper,' hosts Alistair and Jen Smith welcome special guest John Francis, a former jackaroo, agronomist, and the director of Agrista, a consultancy firm in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales.

The discussion focuses on the importance of integrating scientific knowledge with financial management in farm businesses.

John shares his expertise on farm benchmarking, a method that compares farm business performance metrics with other similar farms or past performance, to identify areas for improvement.

The episode dives deep into the relationship between production and profitability, and how benchmarking can help farmers optimize their resource and skill base.

Real-life examples and the importance of planning for different feed and pasture growth scenarios to tackle challenging times are emphasized. Additionally, it touches upon the psychological aspects of decision-making in farming and introduces the Livestock Farm Monitor project by Agriculture Victoria as an additional resource for farmers.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:17 John Francis' Background and Work

02:44 Farm Benchmarking and Profitability

06:52 Understanding Benchmarking

11:54 Insights from Gippsland Growth Group

15:34 Challenges and Opportunities in Farm Management

16:53 Starting the Benchmarking Journey

25:44 Planning for Dry Times

29:19 Market Changes and Challenges

33:50 Final Thoughts and Surprising Learnings

In this episode, Al welcomes back Chelsea from Herd Solutions for her third appearance. The discussion begins with an update on Chelsea's young horse, which she decided to give a six-month break.

The main topics of the podcast are facial eczema and pasture staggers in livestock. Chelsea explains that facial eczema is caused by a fungus and results in severe sunburn-like symptoms due to toxins that block bile ducts, leading to liver damage.

Prevention strategies include monitoring spore counts, supplementary feeding, and zinc supplements. The episode also covers pasture staggers, a condition caused by another type of fungus affecting pasture, leading to staggering and potential deaths in livestock.

Chelsea shares practical advice for managing these conditions and highlights recent observations and research on pasture species, weather conditions, and genetic resistance.

00:00 Introduction and Catching Up with Chelsea

00:53 Updates on Chelsea's Horses

01:56 Upcoming Events and Challenges

03:01 Facial Eczema in Livestock

07:01 Environmental Conditions and Management

20:48 Economic Impact and Genetic Solutions

23:43 Pasture Staggers: Causes and Management

27:56 Interesting Facts and Closing Remarks

This episode delves into the challenges of scalability in sheep farming. The speaker discusses the intensified difficulties compared to cattle farming, emphasizing the need for more resources and staff to manage sheep operations effectively.

00:00 Understanding Scalability Challenges

00:03 Sheep vs. Cattle Operations

00:12 Labor and Resource Intensiveness in Sheep Farming

In this episode of Dig In Deeper, hosts welcome back special guest Morgan Davies, who discusses his latest endeavors including coaching junior football. The conversation delves into current market trends for sheep and cattle, highlighting recent price fluctuations and the impact of geographical differences in rainfall on market conditions. Additionally, they explore the role of Auctions Plus in cattle sales and the implications of recent tariff announcements from the United States. The episode concludes with reflections on the climatic contrasts within Victoria and the necessity of adapting to market challenges.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:21 Coaching Junior Football

02:05 Market Trends: Sheep and Cattle

03:14 Impact of Rain on Market Prices

06:24 Sheep Market Insights

08:02 Understanding Auctions Plus

13:49 Tariffs and Market Predictions

17:17 Final Thoughts and Surprising Learnings

In this insightful discussion at the Gippsland Ag Centre, Cam and Al delve into the fundamentals of soil fertility and plant nutrition. They explore the critical role of fertilisers in maximising pasture production by promoting 'fat leaves' and discuss how nutrient management is closely tied to effective grazing practices.

Cam shares his extensive background in agronomy, his journey from a role at the Victorian Department of Agriculture to private consulting, and his passion for soil science and practical farming techniques.

The conversation includes principles like Liebig's Law of the Minimum and diminishing returns, as well as the importance of soil testing and managing nutrients judiciously.

They also touch on the mental health challenges in farming, advocating for celebrating successes and supporting one another through the industry's pressures. The script wraps up with practical advice on fertilizer application, budgeting, and innovative practices, all aimed at optimizing farm productivity.

In this episode of Digging Deeper Ag Chats, Al welcomes back Dr. Chelsea, a seasoned large animal vet, to discuss the complex and often controversial issue of pinkeye in cattle.

Starting with an update on her personal struggle with her horse's hind limb lameness, Dr. Chelsea delves into the symptoms, treatment options, and environmental strategies to manage pinkeye. Highlighting the disease's pain and economic impact, she emphasizes the significance of early detection, environmental control, and the mixed success of the Pillygard vaccine.

Touching on broader farming practices, Dr. Chelsea also discusses the role of flies in disease transmission and the importance of balanced soil minerals in overall livestock health. The episode concludes with intriguing insights into methane production from rice paddies and the complexities of managing animal health.