SHEEP Country 2025

Hildreth Romneys is a multigenerational Hawke’s Bay stud focused on breeding resilient, productive sheep suited to New Zealand’s diverse conditions. With more than 60 years of Romney breeding behind them, the Hildreth family continues to prioritise key traits like fertility, survival, growth, and tolerance to facial eczema and worms.

In this episode, stud breeder Marcus Hildreth joins Jo Scott to discuss how genetics, data, and emerging tools such as AI are helping lift flock performance. He also shares insights on the growing interest in Wiltshires; why he’s keeping the breed pure, and how technology and time remain the most powerful drivers of genetic progress.

WormFec Gold is a national breeder group working to combat drench resistance by selecting sheep with genetics for lower faecal egg counts, cleaner back ends and strong growth, helping farmers reduce drench use while maintaining performance.

In this episode, Waikato breeder and WormFec Gold spokesperson Kate Broadbent joins Jo Scott to explain how genetics, collaboration and farmer education are reshaping parasite management. She outlines the difference between resistance and resilience, why measuring matters, and what commercial farmers should be asking their ram breeders if they want to future-proof productivity, animal health and drench effectiveness.

Headwaters is a producer group that supplies premium New Zealand lamb through their own brand Lumina Lamb. The 95 farmers in joint venture with Alliance Group breed sheep that deliver genetics, performance, and premium eating quality from hill country to plate.

In this episode, Headwaters CEO Steve Brown and Breeding Manager Tara Dwyer join Jo Scott to discuss how genetics, collaboration, and market connection are driving value across the Lumina supply chain. They explain how a science-based approach and close farmer–chef relationships are building both a stronger breed and a trusted premium brand.

A shared drive to improve genetics is at the heart of the Shedding Sheep Improvement Group, where breeders nationwide are working together to lift performance and reduce workload in shedding sheep.

In this episode, Daniel Wheeler, Group Manager of the Shedding Sheep Improvement Group, joins Jo Scott to discuss how a collective of breeders is driving genetic progress for shedding sheep across New Zealand. He explains how the group’s collaboration, sharing data, genetics and ideas, is helping to lift performance and reliability in this fast growing sector.

A focus on dual-purpose genetics is at the heart of Romani Farms, where Ross and Ruth Richards run 700 hectares in the King Country.

In this episode, Jo Scott talks with Ross about breeding resilient Coopworth and Wiltshire flocks built on decades of selection for facial eczema and worm tolerance, structural soundness, and low-input performance. He reflects on their progress, the transition to maintenance-free Wiltshires, and how balancing data with practicality has produced robust, high-performing sheep suited to real-world farming conditions.

No one can deny the numbers of a declining national lamb crop with the over-capacity of processing plants set to collide as the day of reckoning looms closer for New Zealand’s red meat sector. Words Tony Leggett.

Focusing on shedding composites has reshaped farming at Waitohi Peaks, where Andrew, Sara, Digby and Guy Heard run stud and commercial flocks on North Canterbury hill country.

In this episode, Jo Scott speaks with the Heards about their shift to shedding composites, the workload and cost savings, genetic progress, and the opportunities they see for building more resilient and profitable sheep systems.

AgResearch scientists urge breeders to genotype, measure, and select for faster genetic progress through more accurate breeding values. Words GenomNZ.

The past few years has seen Ross and Ruth Richards work hard on diversifying from their proven Romani Coopworth genetics as they recognise shifts in their clients’ commercial needs. Words Richard Rennie.

Dr Jason Archer, Head of Genetics at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, believes the sheep industry is under-utilising the transformative power of genetic tools to speed up genetic progress. Words Sandra Taylor.