Toplines and Tales

123 - Characters in Livestock - Ian and Madge Anderson

A celebration this week as I have a most enjoyable chat with one of livestock's Golden couples, Ian and Madge Anderson as they celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. In his usual chatty way Ian talks us through his early days with Angus, his time at Rushmore and the fun this formidable team have had over the years in a most delightful episode. 

122 - Characters in Livestock - David Leggat

I am honoured this week to speak to one of the UK's greatest livestock auctioneers, former boss of United Auctions, David Leggat, MBE. We hear how David started at Perth Market as an office boy straight from school and conducted his first sale of pedigrees, selling pigs in Ireland! The personable way he has with people has not only taken him to the pinnacle of his profession but made him one of the most likeable men in the pedigree industry. 

121 -Characters in Livestock - Dennis Gall

Veteran stockman Dennis Gall shares his exploits with the Galloway breed among others in a highly interesting chat. Among his successes we hear about his bull nearly getting beaten in the show ring by a rabbit and, in his delightfully modest way, how he has helped and nurtured a lot of the younger generation of stockmen. 

120 - Characters in Livestock - Sal Forbes

Although the very first lady to have their portrait hung in the prestigious Saddle and Sirloin Club, the name of Sal Forbes may not be familiar to everyone but she really was a true inspiration not just to cattle breeders worldwide but to all women in the industry. With a deep pedigree of high achievers in her family, Dr Bob Hough highlights some of their fascinating history before we hear how Sal, with her husband Waldo, started and shaped the Red Angus breed by instigating and promoting high performance.  

119 - Characters in Livestock - Norman Catto

This week we chat to a Scotsman in Argentina, who has been there some 60 years, man and boy, working with and bringing out some of the best cattle in the country. As he casually mentions winning more than 40 championships at Palermo show, along with a whole list of other achievements, it is pretty obvious why he is valued as one of the top cattlemen in South America to this day and it is a great pleasure to hear his story.

118 - Characters in Livestock - Geordie Soutar

Geordie Soutar and his family have made it a passion to preserve the Native lines of Angus cattle that could trace origins back to the original herd books. Looking back at a type of cattle that would finish off grass they soon found their genetics were sought after world-wide. With bulls like Dunlouise Jipsey Earl, the Native Angus is now represented in many countries and Geordie has suitably been rewarded for his work with an OBE.

117 - Wellbeing special - Farmstrong

An episode everyone should listen to, we chat to New Zealand dairy farmer Marc Gascoigne about the mental health struggles he suffered some years ago and how the Farmstrong organization helped him through.  Now one of their ambassadors, he reveals how Farmstong started in New Zealand 8 years ago, covering the whole topic of wellbeing in the agricultural community. With the company currently running a series of talks throughout Scotland, we are also joined Farmstrong Scotland’s chairman, John Scott, about what message is spreading and how.

116 - Characters in Livestock - Garrett Behan

Top Irish Simmental breeder Garrett Behan is an extremely hard man to get past, both at sales and shows. With the Clonagh and Jennalyn herds both churning out top stock that are highly in demand, he talks us through his journey from just one cow to selling the current record priced Simmental bull. Also winner of the coveted Miss World with Clonagh Darling Eyes, Garrett now holds an annual online sale, due shortly.

115 - Special episode - Tales from the lambing shed

Another special episode this week hears me host an online webinar to 200 guests, direct from the lambing sheds of two of Scotland's leading sheep breeders, Robert Laird from Cambwell and Finlay MacIntyre from Dunalistair Estate. In conjunction with Harbro we chat through the challenges of lambing, with these two knowledgeable guys offering a whole host of free advice to sheep breeders of all levels.. 

114 - Perth Bull Sales Special

Yet another first at Toplines and Tales as we go visual for the first time. This weeks podcast charts the history of the iconic Perth Bull Sales in conjunction with a simultaneous YouTube video portraying hundreds of photos of the subjects mentioned. Please visit Youtube and look for Toplines and Tales, episode 114.
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