Show Notes
Welcome to episode 17 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series. This episode features Natalee Johnston from Skilful Decisions. Natalee Johnston was the Royal Australian Navy’s first female pilot and with over 24 years of military experience, Natalee has led teams in high-stakes situations, taught as a helicopter instructor, and now runs her own consultancy focusing on human factors, risk management, and safety across various industries. Your host, Ellie Hays and Natalee di...
More from Productivity and Profitability Media Series
Hamish Thompson from Moojepin Merinos has spent the past few years building more flexibility into a sheep business operating in a challenging part of Western Australia. Farming Merino sheep alongside cropping, Hamish has invested heavily in containment, feed production and genetics to give the business more options when the season turns against them. After a run of tough seasons, the Thompson family made a significant change to the way they managed their sheep. In 2021, they invested ar...
Long before virtual fencing became available, Michael Gooden from OId Man Creek was measuring grass, matching stocking rate to carrying capacity and building a cattle breeding programme around animals that could thrive in a pasture-based system. On a mixed farming operation west of Wagga Wagga, Michael has spent the past two decades refining his grazing management using high-frequency cell grazing with temporary polywire. In early 2026, Michael transitioned to virtual fencing using Halt...
How do you breed a lamb that consistently delivers a better eating experience? For decades, sheep producers have been selecting for traits they could easily measure, including growth, fertility and lean meat yield. But eating quality has remained far more difficult to quantify, despite being one of the biggest drivers of consumer satisfaction and long-term demand. On this episode, Mark chats with David Packer, Program Manager – CarcaseValue at Meat & Livestock Australia, to explore how ad...
Input costs continue to rise, but according to Ken Solly, that is no excuse for standing still. In this episode, Ken joins our new host, neXtgen Agri CEO Mark Ferguson, to discuss why producers need to understand their own rate of inflation, benchmark their business against itself, and continually look for gains in productivity rather than relying on strong market prices to protect margins. Drawing on decades of experience working alongside livestock producers, Ken explains why the businesses...
Welcome to Episode 20 of the MLA Productivity and Profitability media series! In this episode, we're joined by Dr Gordon Refshaugee to explore fertility and fecundity in Australian sheep flocks over the past decade. Your host, Ellie Hays, and Gordon discuss the average pregnancy rate in Australian sheep flocks and share practical tips to improve fertility and manage the resulting obligations. To watch our webinar with Gordon head to: Productivity & Profitability series | Meat &...