The Sheep Show Podcast with Jill & Andrew Noble
All things ovine, sheep farming and learning more about sheep and shepherding. Learn about breeding animals and being a sheep farmer. Brother and sister team across two hemispheres explore sheep with some sibling banter! Want more content to help you sheep well? Subscribe now for subscriber only content! https://www.buzzsprout.com/954910/subscribe
Does lamb all taste the same? Hell no!
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Jill is having a whinge about a Facebook comment that all lamb tastes the same! So in this episode we explore what makes lamb taste different and what to do to test your tastebuds!
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Breeding self replacement ewes - costs, benefits and is it worth it?
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Do you breed for the future? Are you breeding a self replacing flock? If so what costs exist to do this, both the type of costs and the $$ costs. We can help you make the best decision for you in this episode!
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Pull over! Your sheep are due for an inspection!
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So what are some annual health and safety checks we can do on our sheep, a bit like an MOT or NCV check or a road worthy check on a vehicle! What to look for and when to do the looking?
Lots of nuggets whether you are joining or weaning mixed with the usual sibling banter and crazy Irishisms! Enjoy!
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No ram no lamb! Flushing, joining, prep and buying rams.
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All things ram in this episode whether you are buying, prejoining/flushing or joining what are some things to think about and what to factor into your decision making.
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Listener Q&A and Andrew's ram shopping spree at Roscommon!
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We love hearing from our listeners and in this episode we answer some interesting questions from listeners on routine hoof care for sheep and how and when to castrate lambs.
Andrew recently attended the Irish Lanark society sale in Roscommon and his buying strategy paid off big time! Thanks for listening!
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Dedicated to Dorpers with Barend Cronje
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You all know that Andrew and I are obsessed with sheep, well we have nothing on Barend Cronje! He is so dedicated to his sheep we were both amazed. Barend is a third generation Dorper breeder and his dedication oozes from him! We hope you enjoy learning about Dorpers and Dorper breeding as much as Andrew and I did when we chatted with Barend recently.
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h...
Assessing bone in sheep
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Something we often overlook when assessing sheep is bone. So why is bone is crucial to breeding functional sheep and how exactly do you assess bone in sheep. Let's chat about all things bone!
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Weaning - should you or should you not!?
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What is weaning and why do it at all? If you are going to wean then how do you do it and what do you need to get prepared and organised before you start weaning?
Weaning can be a useful tool but it's not always possible or practical for all shepherds. So let's explore all things sheep weaning in this episode.
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How to decide what ewe lambs to keep
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Ever wanted to make selection decisions with your ewe lambs? How many should you keep? what ones should you keep? What data should you be looking at and what to notice as a visual assessment when selecting ewe lambs as replacements in your flock. Enjoy this chat about ewe lamb selection decisions!
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Horned sheep v the world!
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So what do we get with a horned sheep? Is it more than a sheep with a set of handle bars? In this episode we explore the amazing traits that we believe come with a horned sheep from hardiness to maternal instincts and the longevity there is so much to love about horned sheep!
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Lambing 2026 part 4 - the final installment!
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So lambing is almost over for 2026 and this episode takes you through a crazy and challenging week of lambing here in Gippsland. Again some amazing tips and stories for you. Key message - get yourself a prolapse halter!
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Lambing 2026 part 3
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We are still going! More lambing adventures with both of us in Gippsland! Lots of amazing tips and trials as usual - enjoy!
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Lambing 2026 part 2
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So the lambing saga continues with Andrew in the flesh! Let's chat about how it is going and in this episode we explore one of these most challenging lambing experiences ever!
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Lambing 2026 part 1
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So the ever anticipated lambing! Being a quarter way through and experiencing a few interesting events so far let's have a chat about all things lambing in Australia Winter 2026. Enjoy!
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Bull about sheep - busting sheep myths!
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We've all heard stuff about sheep, that are the stupid, they only need grass to exist and so much more. In this fun filled episode we bust some myths and discuss some bull that what we hear about sheep! Enjoy!
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Reading your paddocks from the gate - the art of assesing pasture for sheep grazing
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In this episode we explore what to look at and how to look at grass. Some tips and techniques to assess pasture for sheep so we can make decisions that will help the sheep, soil and our sanity!
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The art of flockmanship - what to look for when you are looking at your flock
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How do you check your sheep? What do you check for? What strategies might be good and what decisions can you make when you are doing your regular checks of your flock. This episode explores the art of flockmanship from how to walk into a paddock and how to use your flock checks as a keep, sell or cull decider.
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Feeding sheep over winter - what are the choices and options
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So most of us have a pinch point with feeding sheep and we have to make some decisions and choices with feed. So what are the choices and options and what are the pros and cons for you. Even if it's not winter where you are you may need to supplementary feed at other times of the year so enjoy and hope this helps you with making the best choice for your flock!
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The psychology of farming - why do we do it!!?
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Is farming a calling? Why do we do it when it sometimes it feels like the craziest thing which makes no sense? That's the psychology of farming! In this episode we explore why we farm and what keeps us farming. What keeps you farming??
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The one where we help Andrew decide what to look for in a new ram!
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Dilemmas, dilemmas!! How to do decide what to focus on when you are shopping for a new ram. We explore this dilemma from two angles, a commercial/terminal ram decision and a stud/seedstock/pure breed/maternal decision. So regardless of what you focus on with your sheep this one will help you to make the best decision for you! Happy ram shopping!
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The Victorian Sheep Show 2026 - what you can expect!
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In this episode I (solo Jill) chat with a few very special sheep folk from Ballarat in Victoria to highlight the upcoming Victorian Sheep Show on June 21, Emily Cook from Ballarat Grammar School and James Knight from Lansdale Southdown Stud. Both sheepeople are very connected to the show and local community in different ways! We explore the importance of local community shows and give visitors an insight into what to expect at this amazing local show! Enjoy and visit if you are around - I'll be there!!!!
...Is your grass sheep sick? Pasture managememt for all seasons.
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Pasture management is a profit driver in your sheep enterprise so how do you manage grass when the weather is uncontrollable? In this episode we explore some grass and pasture management approaches and how to avoid your grass becoming sheep sick!
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How does a sheep enterprise stack up on returns $$$
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So Andrew and I have explored our returns per acre on our farms but how do sheep stack up against other farming enterprises in terms of returns per acre and $$. We used a 50 acre farm in South Gippsland in Australia which is quite similar to some areas of Ireland in grass yield terms to compare the production systems. We explored five different production systems and you'll be surprised which one comes out on top! Enjoy!
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Pregnancy scanning mixed emotions 2026
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So it's Jill's turn to preg scan her sheep and firstly find out how many sheep she has! Mixed emotions in this scan and some things to reflect on for next year as always. Enjoy this episode and let us know if you are preg scanning your ewes and what your emotions are like!!
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Finishing lambs - is it worth it?
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So the dilemma, should I hold or sell? In this episode we are exploring what business are we in? We know we can't do everything or at least we can't do everything well on our farms so what decisions do we make when we wean our lambs - do we keep and finish or do we sell as store lambs for someone else to finish? No quick and easy answer but we explore the angles in our chat - enjoy!
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Smart shepherding when you are solo sheeping
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So what happens when you are on your own and you have to do sheep stuff? In this ep we explore the jobs we need to do and how to manage them when you are solo sheeping and solo farming. Some tips and tricks from us but we'd love to hear yours! Contact us on IG at Hallston Valley Farm or email at [email protected]
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Farming philosophies - organic, conventional, traditional, regenerative
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What are the pros and cons according to the world of Andrew and Jill of these different farming approaches. What do they all look like and what challenges might they all have in a changing world of farming and sheep farming when farming can be as much about politics as philosophy.
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Sheep Farm Economics: what to measure and what sort of numbers to track
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If your ewes paid the rent what would they need to generate to cover that cost, what do you generate per acre and we are not talking stock rates here.
In this episode we explore several economic equations that work for us and that might work for you. We also cover other measures to track which might suit your enterprise even better? You can't manage what you don't measure!
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Lamb (and red meat) is a super food! Jill becomes a red meat ambassador!
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Who knew! Red meat and lamb is protein packed, nutrient dense and good for us!
In this chatty ep we explore Jill's new role as an Meat and Livestock Australian Red Meat Ambassador and what bang for our buck we get when we consume lamb! We also talk about eat lamb in restaurants and hotels including the amazing Slieve Russell Hotel in County Cavan!
https://www.mla.com.au/marketing-beef-and-lamb/mla-ambassadors-for-the-red-meat-industry-program/
https://www.checkyourfood.com/ingredients/ingredient/554/lamb-leg-boneless
https://w...
Sheep Happens: Lessons from lambing (IR) and joining (OZ) 2026
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Two countries, two seasons and plenty of leanings. In this episode we reflect on the wins, the challenges and the decisions we'd change when it comes to lambing and joining. An honest unfiltered debrief with some hard truths and improvements for next year. We hope this helps you too!
Listening on Spotify? Leave a comment and share what changes you might make for 2027!
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Sellling meat direct in Ireland and Australia - how to make it work for everyone!
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What would selling direct do for your sheep enterprise? What would it do for your local community and economy? How can we keep things local in these challenging times? Well selling meat direct might be a genuine win,win,win - literally everyone benefits from this model of selling direct from a farm.
In this episode we explore what this looks like both in Australia and Ireland and how you can get closer to your customer and share your love of lamb directly with the p...
Five things that suck your profit margin with sheep farming?
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We know things are tough and sheep farming can have the smallest of margins for most of us so what are the leavers we have and what sucks the profit out of sheep farming? In this episode we explore the five main things that impact your profit when it comes to sheep farming.
Here are some of the formulas mentioned in the pod.
Lambs weaned divided by ewes joined x 100
150% excellent
120-130% good
under 110% needs focus/tweaking
Systems for early sheep selection
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So how do you make selections for self replacing ewes and rams, can you do this at the moment of birth and if so how can you track it so at weaning the selection decisions are simple, easy and quick. In this episode as we support Andrew who is thick into lambing and running on very little sleep and very little food (a bit like fuel reserves in Australia right now!), we discuss some options on how to make selection decisions early in your flock.
...
Operation Foster Lamb - how to get ewes to raise more lambs so you don't have to!
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Bottle fed lambs are cute but often not productive and a huge time suck so how can you get your ewes to do more of the heavy lifting. In this episode we explore the ways to foster and the tools that can be used to foster lambs into ewes. We chat about maiden ewes/hoggets in particular and why they are the often the secret sauce in your fostering tool kit - Enjoy!
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Happy hooves with sheep
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Andrew's game changer with sheep hooves, how to have 100% happy hooves 100% of the time with Jill's prevention measures and just how complex things can get with hooves and sheep. Enjoy this happy feet episode!
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Predicting parasite issues in your sheep
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Parasites and sheep regardless of where you farm are a huge risk and a constant battle. We know about drenching and how to deal with parasites when they arise but can you predict parasites before they actually happen? In this episode we explore the parasite lifecycle, our go to product for dealing with parasites and how we can forecast and predict the parasite explosion before it impacts our sheep.
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Lanark sheep breed focus
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The most popular sheep in the UK with a huge range of options for breeding the Lanark sheep are turely an amazing breed. They are also the breed of sheep that Andrew breeds pure. So join us as we delve into the wonderful world of Lanark sheep in this fun filled (as always!) episode!
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Experiencing a farm audit
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Recently Jill went through a Meat and Livestock Australia audit. Andrew has previously been through a Bord Bia farm inspection in Ireland. So what are farm audits all about and how can you prepare for one. We explore this and the opportunity that audits present in this episode.
Some links that were mentioned in the episode:
https://www.mla.com.au/globalassets/mla-corporate/meat-safety-and-traceability/documents/livestock-production-assurance/record-keeping/lpa-audits/lpa-audit-checklist.pdf
https://www.integritysystems.com.au/siteassets/isc-lpa-audit---checklist---feb--2024.pdf
https://w...
Managing and preparing for extremes
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Weather conditions have been extreme for Andrew and I, probably just like you are facing right now. In this episode we explore the impact of this on sheep, what we are dealing with and some strategies to help manage things during the extreme conditions as well as making the impact less on your sheep. Enjoy!
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Healthy Ewes- Managing Preg Tox, Toxo & Joining Success
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Wherever you are in the world no doubt you are (or will be) facing challenges with your sheep at joining and in the final trimester of pregnancy. So in this ep we explore the main issues and what we do across our two hemispheres to deal with these issues and more importantly try to prevent them from happening.
Prevention is always better than treatment but prevention is always possible either so it's prevention and preparation that are key!
PS if you do use d...
