SHEEP Country

A Campaign for Wool initiative has seen 33,000 students learn more about the benefits of wool – right on their doorstep. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Farmer-owned Wools of New Zealand has launched an innovative new way to let consumers choose their wool carpet that seeks to cut out the middle margin for wool carpet to better compete with the price and scale offered by synthetic carpet manufacturers. Words Patricia Thompson.

New Zealand grows some of the best strong wool in the world, but why does the value not reach the farm gate? In 2025, Lisa Portas travelled the globe to find out as part of her Nuffield scholarship. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Matamata farmer Craig Alexander has built his woolshed and his succession plan around EID, a five-way Sheep Auto Drafter and the data it generates. He says embracing the technology is how the family farm will survive. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Electronic identification (EID) tagging of individual sheep is the next game changer for New Zealand sheep farming’s productivity and ultimately profitability. Words Tony Leggett. Photos Brad Hanson.

Australia's sheep and goat producers have until 1 January 2027 to get an electronic identification device (EID) into every animal leaving its property of birth or last property of residence. Sheep Producers Australia says the biggest gains will be won not just at the border, but also on farm. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

A review of Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s genetics portfolio finds an industry with the capability to tackle its challenges, but says the full value of genomics will only come from investing in the reference population as a whole.Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

An Australian-designed paddock weighing system is scaling up in New Zealand, supporting sheep farmers to measure weight gain without leaving the paddock. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

With wool returns finally lifting and sheep meat values looking positive for another season, Romani Farms focuses on breeding robust, labour efficient sheep. Words Richard Rennie.

Sheep, beef and deer farmers, Stu and Ginny Neal, have built their farming business from scratch. They have worked hard on and off-farm, they have also worked at building both relationships and their reputations as people and custodians of the land. Words Sandra Taylor. Photos Ben Doubleday.