How Do You Breed Short-Tailed Sheep? with Marnie Hodge

How Do You Breed Short-Tailed Sheep? with Marnie Hodge

Author: Mark Ferguson November 23, 2025 Duration: 31:56
What do the genetics of tail length and the genetics of semen quality have in common? Not much, except that our guest, Marnie Hodge, Sheep Genetics Senior Development Officer, has researched them both. Tail length is moderately to highly heritable, but in her research, Marnie found that measuring tail length in centimetres versus a scored system gives you far more accuracy and picks up significantly more genetic variation, which means faster rates of genetic gain if you're selecting for it. B...

Tune in to Head Shepherd, where Mark Ferguson draws on his deep involvement with neXtgen Agri to explore the realities of modern pastoral farming. This isn't just industry news; it's a series of conversations from the paddock and the research station, focused squarely on sheep and beef operations across Australia and New Zealand. You'll hear from the farmers, scientists, and innovators themselves-the people actually implementing new ideas in genetics, animal health, and farm management technology. Each episode digs into the practical science and the business decisions behind running a successful livestock enterprise, offering tangible insights that bridge the gap between emerging innovation and daily farm life. By focusing on real-world applications and the stories of those driving change, this podcast provides an authentic look at where these vital industries are headed. For anyone with a stake in the land or a curiosity about where their food and fibre comes from, Mark's straightforward interviews make complex topics accessible and directly relevant. The entire Head Shepherd podcast is built on the principle that sharing knowledge is key to progress, offering a genuine resource for education and improvement in the agricultural sector.
Author: Language: en-nz Episodes: 100

Head Shepherd
Podcast Episodes
Why you can't miss LambEx26 with Jamie Heinrich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:55
Are you heading to LambEx26? This week on the podcast we have LambEx chair, Jamie Heinrich, on the podcast to discuss one of the sheep industry’s largest gatherings, bringing together producers, researchers, service prov…
Breeding Romneys for the rain at Kaituna Ridges [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:08
How do you breed sheep that thrive in wet coastal hill country without routine drenching? What traits actually matter when you're selecting for challenging conditions? This week on the podcast, Mark is chatting to Fred G…
How innovation is changing the wool industry with Sam Wan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
Growing up in Western Sydney with no connection to agriculture, Samantha Wan’s path into the wool industry was anything but typical. In this week's episode, Sam talks with Ferg about finding agriculture through high scho…
Ferg's thoughts on genetic gain [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:39
Ferg shares his thoughts on genetic gain in the sheep and beef industries. He has often said that we should be seeking to achieve a minimum of 2% genetic gain, but the top operators we deal with here at neXtgen Agri are…
Selecting for worm resistance in low-challenge systems with Swabtec [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:40
What if measuring worm resistance didn't require high parasite burdens and ALSO delivered double the heritability of egg counts? Sarah Preston, Lecturer at Federation University and cofounder of Swabtec, explains the dev…