Ep 11: Animal Health & Nutrition with ProAgni

EPISODE 11:

In this week’s episode our host Olivia Calver explores the technology involved in animal health and nutrition, from the latest probiotics to on-farm diagnostic lab kits.

We speak to professor Jane Quinn from Charles Sturt University about the challenge of proving the value proposition of animal health and nutrition technology on-farm and the importance of data integration.

We’re also joined by ProAgni co-founder Fiona Soulsby who tells us about their new probiotic which will help rapidly transition sheep and cattle to a grain-based diet, improving animal health and production.

And we talk to Victorian sheep farmer Dean Harrington who has been using ProAgni products in his family-run feedlot operation. He says he hopes using an antibiotic-free supplement will put them on the front foot when it comes to consumer demands, with antimicrobial resistance a growing global concern.

FEATURING:

PROFESSOR JANE QUINN – CHARLES STURT UNIVERSITY

Professor Jane Quinn moved to Charles Sturt University in 2008 to be part of a new School of Animal and Veterinary Science. Jane’s research has focused on strategies to improve livestock productivity and economic outcomes for the Australian farming sector using innovative field and molecular technology-based approaches. She investigates novel pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and management practices for the animal health industries to improve productivity in Australian sheep and beef systems. Her research is extensively funded by Meat and Livestock Australia as well as and numerous industry partners. In her role as Director of the Red Meat Innovation Centre she creates opportunity for industry partnerships to achieve successful commercial outcomes by value-add creation for the red meat industry and novel technologies for the meat processing sector.

FIONA SOULSBY – CO-FOUNDER, PROAGNI

Fiona Soulsby is the Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of ProAgni. With a focus on removing non-therapeutic antibiotics from production systems and improving efficiencies to reduce emissions, Fiona and the ProAgni team are paving the way with innovative nutrition solutions to deliver sustainable livestock production. Driven by an inquiring mind and a belief that anything is possible, Fiona manages R&D partnerships, product trials and bringing ProAgni’s novel probiotic developments to commercial reality.

DEAN HARRINGTON – SHEEP FARMER

Dean Harrington, and his wife Natalie, operate a lamb feedlot at Wyuna in Victoria’s food bowl Goulburn Valley. They supply lamb to both domestic and export markets. The operation is focused on animal welfare and market specifications, and they aim to supply consistent quality products year-round.