| 80+ attendees joined together on 19 February at Lambert Estate (Angaston) for the BIGG Annual Conference Thrive Together: Pastures, Livestock & Farmers.
The afternoon started with keynote speaker Adelaide University's Professor Mark Hutchinson exploring the complexities of human and animal pain and the current limitations in measuring and treating pain. Importantly for producers, he shared emerging interventions - including the possibility of targeted use of pain relief during procedures such as lamb marking - that have the potential to improve both animal welfare outcomes and productivity. With seasonal variability being one of the biggest challenges facing grazing businesses, Dr Peter Hayman from the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) provided an update on advances in weather forecasting and long-range climate tools. Whilst Leighton Wilksch from AgByte demonstrated practical ways to use weather and soil moisture data to guide timely, informed decision-making on farm. Dr Tshewang Dorji from Adelaide University presented outcomes from the recent Mt Crawford pasture legume trial, highlighting options to strengthen pasture systems under challenging seasonal conditions. Always a popular segment, Ben Davies of Thomas Foods International did not disappoint as he shared insights into current livestock market conditions and emerging industry trends, helping producers better understand the broader forces shaping pricing and demand. Olympic marathoner Jess Stenson inspired attendees with insights into resilience, discipline and balancing elite performance with family life - lessons that can be applied to producers navigating farming pressures. BIGG Technical Facilitator Brett Nietschke shared an overview of BIGG's recent projects including the mixed pasture trials, lined catchment demonstration site, summer internship and return on investment project analysis (on-farm water technology, mixed species pastures, ewe containment feeding). Fellow Technical Facilitator Deb Scammell provided updates on BIGG's eID producer group and the upcoming MLA Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) for weaning lamb management. Last on the agenda was dinner speaker Jane Ferrari entertaining attendees with stories from her 25 years at Yalumba as the company’s global “brand ambassador.” Her message on building “brand fortresses” through authentic storytelling offered valuable parallels for producers looking to strengthen relationships and differentiate their businesses in competitive markets. BIGG Chairperson Julian Maul said the conference reinforced BIGG's commitment to supporting producers with evidence-based information they can apply on farm. The strong turnout and active discussions throughout the day demonstrated the region’s shared determination to join together in building resilient, profitable grazing businesses. The BIGG conference was made possible through the sponsor support of SA Drought Hub, Landscape SA Northern and Yorke, Landscape SA Murraylands and Riverland, Livestock SA Sheep Industry Fund and Meat & Livestock Australia. Thank you also to the 2026 BIGG sponsors. A special shout out to the sponsors that attended the conference with a trade display - AGF Seeds, Barenbrug, Crop Consulting Services, Farmer Johns, Farmscape Finance, Nutrien Fawcett, WFI Insurance and Zoetis. View the full conference photo gallery HERE. |
