Armidale will again become a hub for sheep and wool innovation next week as the 2026 MerinoLink Conference brings producers, researchers and advisors together for two days of practical learning and industry connection, as well as to honour the contribution of an industry giant.
Held on 26 and 27 February at the Armidale Ex-Services Club, the conference program is built around a back-to-basics approach, blending new research with grounded, on-farm application. An industry dinner on Thursday evening at The Bistro, UNE Life, at the University of New England will round out the first day.
Climate resilience will headline the opening sessions, with Dr Lea Labeur from Murdoch University presenting on the provision of shade during heat stress and the impact on reproductive performance. Her research explores how sheep respond to heat stress, prenatal stress, and cold exposure, and how these pressures shape lamb survival, reproductive outcomes, and early-life resilience in extensive grazing systems.
Also travelling from Western Australia is Georgia Welsh, an animal production scientist and PhD candidate with the Sheep Research Team at Murdoch University. Based in Kojonup, Georgia is working on the national Edible Shelter Project, investigating how lambing into paddocks with forages such as saltbush and young cereal crops influences lamb survival and ewe behaviour.
Developed directly in response to producer feedback, the project aims to deliver clear, practical guidelines that improve animal welfare, productivity, and lambing paddock flexibility. Georgia will present “The effect of edible shelter (crops and shrubs) on lamb survival and ewe behaviour”, sharing progress and key findings from the producer-driven research.
“As a researcher working in the sheep industry, I’ve always found the MerinoLink Conference a great mix of practical discussion and new research,” she said.
“It’s a good chance to catch up with people in the industry, share ideas, and take home something useful for your own farm.”
The program also features a Benchmarking Panel of respected local producers, alongside presentations on parasite management, including an update on drench resistance monitoring from UNE alumna Brianna Carney of Northern Tablelands Local Land Services.
Thursday evening’s Industry Dinner will be hosted by Matt Dalgleish and Andrew Whitelaw from the popular agriculture podcast Episode 3. The pair will deliver a market update and interactive quiz as part of what organisers promise will be an engaging and informative evening.
The dinner will be dedicated to Professor Andrew Swan, recognising his significant contribution to the sheep and beef industries. He died on 14 December 2024 while cycling outside Armidale when four cyclists were tragically hit by a car.
Professor Swan, known to many as Swanny, was Chief Scientist at the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit, a joint venture between the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the University of New England. Over his career, Professor Swan played a central role in the introduction of breeding values for new traits, including carcase and eating quality, reproduction components, and breech flystrike indicators. He contributed to the development of selection indexes aligned to breeder needs and strategic industry targets, and in 2022, he became the first to take on the Chief Scientist role at AGBU, expanding his influence across genetic improvement portfolios including beef evaluations.
Anyone involved in sheep and wool, from students to experienced producers, is encouraged to attend, connect, and engage with the latest research shaping the future of the industry. Registrations and further details are available via the MerinoLink website.
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