The ewes in a sheep business are its engine room. There aren’t too many days in the year when you shouldn’t be thinking about whether they are getting what they need. Senior Genetics Consultant and CEO at neXtgen Agri, Dr Mark Ferguson offers some expert advice.

A bit of money spent on a conversation with your vet can save you more than you might think - don’t look at what free giveaways you get and forget about the free ham for Christmas, look at how you can use necessary products most effectively. Words Sara Sutherland

A super easy recipe for a fuelling snack from the talented Philippa Cameron of what’s for smoko.

Blood tests from people eating beef from animals fed a functional, diverse pasture mix – sown so the animals can decide what they eat – have higher levels of vitamin E and several other compounds that can be beneficial to human health.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Sheep and beef farmers are weathering a difficult season, and we spoke to industry professionals about their advice for getting through. Words Sandra Taylor

Motukawa Station is the engine room at the centre of the 5000 hectare Plimmer & Co farming operation. New manager Rimu Wipaki is looking to make changes that will harness its Taihape hill country power and lift productivity in both the sheep and beef operations.
Words & Photos Sarah Horrocks

From the wine to the waste industry. WM New Zealand Managing Director Evan Maehl has gone from producing the wine to collecting the empty bottle from the kerbside, and he couldn’t be happier. He explains why waste is sexy, and why we should all care about it.

Read Country-Wide Winter 2024 online here. Country-Wide is New Zealand’s only dedicated pastoral and arable farming magazine, available on subscription.

Farmers are conservationists at heart. Telling our story around the good work being done to enhance biodiversity on farm is key, and organisations like the Sustainable Business Network are partnering with businesses and landowners to access funds to help fast-track important biodiversity work on farms.

A scheme to find value-added markets for a family farm’s wool clip is now a full-fledged industry. Words and Photos by Malcolm Pullman