January 13, 2026 • 8 mins
Don Morrison looks at the benefits of delaying weaning and why it can pay off significantly.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Same monkey Boy you Gwen Campbell?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Is the art?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Is that song there? Country boy? You've got your feet
in La, but your mine's in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is a muster.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Don Morrison, Willowbank Farmer joins us next. Good afternoon, Howie,
and welcome to the muster.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I cured it. Andy, are nice to be back in
twenty twenty six. And maybe that's your theme song, is it? Andy?
You know country boy at heart now living the high
rolling life.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I wouldn't really call it the high rolling life when
you're living in Gore, but nonetheless it's seven years now,
we've been here.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Yeah, I know. No good opening anyway, Andy, So note
and you had a good break for Christmas New Year.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I'm hoping yeah, it was a really good break.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Got away and after few of them for a while,
went up to Central Tago for a couple of days
and went to some pretty cool places. Actually we went
jep boating in Lake Horoco, which was I call that
something that every sell from the needs to do. It's
fantastic going right through there into the age of Ovo straight.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So that was really really neat.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Hey a little bit ironic. Andy, you said, you know
you live in Gore, you don't call that living the highlights,
but when you look at everything we can do when
you live in a province like this, Hey, I reckon,
we are living the highlights. You know when you go
away to the coast, the lakes, the rivers, the Ordland.
You know it's all there, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah it's the understated southern persona. But we have everything
at their doorstep. And you know you do appreciate what
you've got, especially if you have traveled as well. How
that's the beauty of it, I suppose.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Yeah, Well, I'm living on the farm, and I reckon,
I'm living the life on the farm Indy because loving
being a sheep farmer at the moment. But just you know,
the pricing we're getting for a red meat man bendicates
why a lot of us have stayed with sheep. Look
at it's still early days as can we get some
seasons of it, but let's enjoy it for the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, what's your thinking there in the long term?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Of course, you've just finished the standards an Alliance board director,
do you have a lot of faith in the industry
that this price isn't going to plateau downwards? We're going
to see a bit of a Manhattan skyline where it
just evens itself up out towards the top end.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You'd have to hold your breath and say it's going
to continue, you know, to the heights that we are
at the moment. But maybe there's a bit of a
new plats Sead. I actually can't see the sheep meat
price correcting until we get a movement in the bee price,
because it's really probably that red meat beef price that
helps under put that land by and then you know
(02:31):
they're looking good, good for that beef price a good
number of years out. So I look ae bit of
optimism Andy.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, No, it's interesting how we normally want to speak
to you around this. You're playing for a bit more
of a straight bad and just saying it's a month,
it's a week by week proposition. So to hear that
coming from your mouth as well, mate, it's a good thing.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Well. I actually spoke to one of our the Strino
guy I've been in contact with for many years where
I went, I was with Alliance, and he called on
over the New year from Europe, and you know, he
was really optimistic. You know, normally those guys are the
ones that you sort of can take a bit of
a reading off. And it was he that said, look,
as long as that beef price continues strongly, you know
(03:09):
we're going to have some good lamb prices. So you
know he's he's got more market knowledge than I have sold,
certainly to further harm.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So what's the correlation between the beef price to the
lamb price.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Well, it's your red meats as a protein option, Andy,
So when you've got that, and given that the beef
consumption in the world is far more than the lamb consumption,
that there's basically that correlation between the two. And you know,
of of beef of beef was to take a hat,
then you would certainly see your gopen the lamb price,
(03:40):
So you know you work at adversity that way, when
beef is up, you can expect some positive lamb pisons.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So we can expect the same with venuson. I supposed
to look at the other side of read meat.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Venison, I guess is slightly more niche because you're only
playing in certain markets. So it's it's always been big
in those Benelups countries of Europe. We're at aligned with
their game season being what we're seeing with Venison has
increased exposure of the product, understanding it and certainly the
UK and the US market, So you're seeing you know, bigger,
(04:13):
bigger Venison sales there is, which is I guess what's
going to help that price?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And of course Willie Visa finishing up as chief as
chief executive of Alliance as well.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Howie, how will he be viewed in your eyes?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
I think game changing for what Alliance was able to
do to turn its operating and it's operating efficiencies and
its profit lines around. And you know, the utmost respect
for Billy and actually the team that he was able
to put together and the work ethic that he got
out of that team. So you know, I understand. You know, look,
(04:50):
he may want to move on to different things now
that he's achieved what he set out to achieve, but
certainly the utmost effects and they'll have to, you know,
find some good to follow on his shoes.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, it's good to see the red meat industry in
a good place at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
So you're weaning weight on the farm this year, is
that right?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
We've done out the last few years, Andy, we wean
all the sud sheep early and try and trade a
bit more feed. But we take the commercials through to
Curl about this time, and what we're finding is we're
getting considerably more lambs off the place by the end
of January than we would have. So look that the
ones we're weaning today, I think the huge majority of
(05:30):
them are going to go. So it's it'll release a
bit of face for some feed. Now it's put a
bit of pressure on it being a slow spring and
then and then a bit slow growth, but in terms
of the net result, it's the sort of the program
we're running with now.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So the US haven't had a bit of a check
given the lambs have been on as long as they
had no yous.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Are actually looking really good, Andy. It is a block
of the farm that you know that we expected to
do this, so the pressure might have been a little
bit lighter lighter I should say. We've actually weaned all
the singles. All the singles were weaned first year, sorry,
first week after New year. But the majority of the
sheep are coursing multiples we're holding off now and they
(06:10):
just had a little more scope with what they had.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
So how would you describe your feed at the moment?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Short very short, Andy, but we've got some specialist crops
and got quite a big area of red clover and
which is a new a new crop this year for
lamb fattening and ref noo and summer turnips which is
still to kick in. The red flover has been a
bit slow, so we're just counting on, you know, when
when that's actually going to kick in. So we've we've
(06:38):
tried to cover that shortage with some specialist lamb feed crop.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
See, not really panicking about the feet of such.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I mean this is January January after all, which is
traditionally dry.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, look, it is what it is, Andy, and getting
a big number of lambs off has actually probably been
the best thing we could do because it's going to
after this week. We got some away last week, some
more away this week and then I think we're going
to get a big draft now, so that's going to
ease the pressure.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Hey, Just to wrap up, we'll talk of it at
Leander's Dylan Pledger he's been ruled out of Super rugby,
arguably out for the season. That's a big hit for
the franchise.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah, undoubtedly, as chatting with Lockey about it yesterday and
I believe sin Hurley's out for a period too, is he. Yeah,
so I've heard they don't quote me on that. That
was just the gossip I've heard so allegedly allegedly, Hey,
you don't have that big depth in the Highlander, so
certainly it's a glass when some of their key guys
(07:36):
are you know, out of play.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Follow our Tavas he backed this yet, I.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Think he's he's back in the squad. I'm not a lock.
He's right here. He's my go to man when I
need a bit of bit of confirmation. But I'm pretty
sure fucking Tava's back. So they've certainly got one. Well,
you know, it was great the depth they we're going
to have in that position.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, well it's only a month away in super Rugby's here, dear,
I say it, how we Hey, we'll let you get
back to it. You're probably get on the hand piece
or something like that, so I won't hold you up.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Always good to chat, No, really good Andy, talk to
you next time.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Dom Morrison farming out there at willow Beck. You're listening
to the Master on Hakannui. Jared stopping from Darien's. He's
on next.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
But the job demand
Same monkey Boy you Gwen Campbell?
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Is the art?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Is that song there? Country boy? You've got your feet
in La, but your mine's in Tennessee.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is a muster.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Don Morrison, Willowbank Farmer joins us next. Good afternoon, Howie,
and welcome to the muster.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
I cured it. Andy, are nice to be back in
twenty twenty six. And maybe that's your theme song, is it? Andy?
You know country boy at heart now living the high
rolling life.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I wouldn't really call it the high rolling life when
you're living in Gore, but nonetheless it's seven years now,
we've been here.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
Yeah, I know. No good opening anyway, Andy, So note
and you had a good break for Christmas New Year.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I'm hoping yeah, it was a really good break.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Got away and after few of them for a while,
went up to Central Tago for a couple of days
and went to some pretty cool places. Actually we went
jep boating in Lake Horoco, which was I call that
something that every sell from the needs to do. It's
fantastic going right through there into the age of Ovo straight.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
So that was really really neat.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Hey a little bit ironic. Andy, you said, you know
you live in Gore, you don't call that living the highlights,
but when you look at everything we can do when
you live in a province like this, Hey, I reckon,
we are living the highlights. You know when you go
away to the coast, the lakes, the rivers, the Ordland.
You know it's all there, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah it's the understated southern persona. But we have everything
at their doorstep. And you know you do appreciate what
you've got, especially if you have traveled as well. How
that's the beauty of it, I suppose.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Yeah, Well, I'm living on the farm, and I reckon,
I'm living the life on the farm Indy because loving
being a sheep farmer at the moment. But just you know,
the pricing we're getting for a red meat man bendicates
why a lot of us have stayed with sheep. Look
at it's still early days as can we get some
seasons of it, but let's enjoy it for the moment.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, what's your thinking there in the long term?
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Of course, you've just finished the standards an Alliance board director,
do you have a lot of faith in the industry
that this price isn't going to plateau downwards? We're going
to see a bit of a Manhattan skyline where it
just evens itself up out towards the top end.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
You'd have to hold your breath and say it's going
to continue, you know, to the heights that we are
at the moment. But maybe there's a bit of a
new plats Sead. I actually can't see the sheep meat
price correcting until we get a movement in the bee price,
because it's really probably that red meat beef price that
helps under put that land by and then you know
(02:31):
they're looking good, good for that beef price a good
number of years out. So I look ae bit of
optimism Andy.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Yeah, No, it's interesting how we normally want to speak
to you around this. You're playing for a bit more
of a straight bad and just saying it's a month,
it's a week by week proposition. So to hear that
coming from your mouth as well, mate, it's a good thing.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Well. I actually spoke to one of our the Strino
guy I've been in contact with for many years where
I went, I was with Alliance, and he called on
over the New year from Europe, and you know, he
was really optimistic. You know, normally those guys are the
ones that you sort of can take a bit of
a reading off. And it was he that said, look,
as long as that beef price continues strongly, you know
(03:09):
we're going to have some good lamb prices. So you
know he's he's got more market knowledge than I have sold,
certainly to further harm.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
So what's the correlation between the beef price to the
lamb price.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Well, it's your red meats as a protein option, Andy,
So when you've got that, and given that the beef
consumption in the world is far more than the lamb consumption,
that there's basically that correlation between the two. And you know,
of of beef of beef was to take a hat,
then you would certainly see your gopen the lamb price,
(03:40):
So you know you work at adversity that way, when
beef is up, you can expect some positive lamb pisons.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
So we can expect the same with venuson. I supposed
to look at the other side of read meat.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Venison, I guess is slightly more niche because you're only
playing in certain markets. So it's it's always been big
in those Benelups countries of Europe. We're at aligned with
their game season being what we're seeing with Venison has
increased exposure of the product, understanding it and certainly the
UK and the US market, So you're seeing you know, bigger,
(04:13):
bigger Venison sales there is, which is I guess what's
going to help that price?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And of course Willie Visa finishing up as chief as
chief executive of Alliance as well.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Howie, how will he be viewed in your eyes?
Speaker 4 (04:28):
I think game changing for what Alliance was able to
do to turn its operating and it's operating efficiencies and
its profit lines around. And you know, the utmost respect
for Billy and actually the team that he was able
to put together and the work ethic that he got
out of that team. So you know, I understand. You know, look,
(04:50):
he may want to move on to different things now
that he's achieved what he set out to achieve, but
certainly the utmost effects and they'll have to, you know,
find some good to follow on his shoes.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Yeah, it's good to see the red meat industry in
a good place at the moment.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
So you're weaning weight on the farm this year, is
that right?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
We've done out the last few years, Andy, we wean
all the sud sheep early and try and trade a
bit more feed. But we take the commercials through to
Curl about this time, and what we're finding is we're
getting considerably more lambs off the place by the end
of January than we would have. So look that the
ones we're weaning today, I think the huge majority of
(05:30):
them are going to go. So it's it'll release a
bit of face for some feed. Now it's put a
bit of pressure on it being a slow spring and
then and then a bit slow growth, but in terms
of the net result, it's the sort of the program
we're running with now.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
So the US haven't had a bit of a check
given the lambs have been on as long as they
had no yous.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Are actually looking really good, Andy. It is a block
of the farm that you know that we expected to
do this, so the pressure might have been a little
bit lighter lighter I should say. We've actually weaned all
the singles. All the singles were weaned first year, sorry,
first week after New year. But the majority of the
sheep are coursing multiples we're holding off now and they
(06:10):
just had a little more scope with what they had.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
So how would you describe your feed at the moment?
Speaker 4 (06:16):
Short very short, Andy, but we've got some specialist crops
and got quite a big area of red clover and
which is a new a new crop this year for
lamb fattening and ref noo and summer turnips which is
still to kick in. The red flover has been a
bit slow, so we're just counting on, you know, when
when that's actually going to kick in. So we've we've
(06:38):
tried to cover that shortage with some specialist lamb feed crop.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
See, not really panicking about the feet of such.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I mean this is January January after all, which is
traditionally dry.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Yeah, look, it is what it is, Andy, and getting
a big number of lambs off has actually probably been
the best thing we could do because it's going to
after this week. We got some away last week, some
more away this week and then I think we're going
to get a big draft now, so that's going to
ease the pressure.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Hey, Just to wrap up, we'll talk of it at
Leander's Dylan Pledger he's been ruled out of Super rugby,
arguably out for the season. That's a big hit for
the franchise.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Yeah, undoubtedly, as chatting with Lockey about it yesterday and
I believe sin Hurley's out for a period too, is he. Yeah,
so I've heard they don't quote me on that. That
was just the gossip I've heard so allegedly allegedly, Hey,
you don't have that big depth in the Highlander, so
certainly it's a glass when some of their key guys
(07:36):
are you know, out of play.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Follow our Tavas he backed this yet, I.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
Think he's he's back in the squad. I'm not a lock.
He's right here. He's my go to man when I
need a bit of bit of confirmation. But I'm pretty
sure fucking Tava's back. So they've certainly got one. Well,
you know, it was great the depth they we're going
to have in that position.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Yeah, well it's only a month away in super Rugby's here, dear,
I say it, how we Hey, we'll let you get
back to it. You're probably get on the hand piece
or something like that, so I won't hold you up.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Always good to chat, No, really good Andy, talk to
you next time.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Dom Morrison farming out there at willow Beck. You're listening
to the Master on Hakannui. Jared stopping from Darien's. He's
on next.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
But the job demand
Popular Podcasts
Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics
Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.
iHeartOlympics: The Latest
Listen to the latest news from the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina are here and have everyone talking. iHeartPodcasts is buzzing with content in honor of the XXV Winter Olympics We’re bringing you episodes from a variety of iHeartPodcast shows to help you keep up with the action. Follow Milan Cortina Winter Olympics so you don’t miss any coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, and if you like what you hear, be sure to follow each Podcast in the feed for more great content from iHeartPodcasts.