DIGGING DEEPER - Global Insights with PJ Budler

Host Al opens 2026 by thanking listeners, outlining more practical guests and local producers, and announcing monthly veterinary updates with Chelsea (Herd Solutions) and livestock market updates with Morgs (Elders). He interviews PJ Budler, a South African-born, Fort Worth–based cattle consultant with Trans Ova Genetics (embryos) and Global Livestock Solutions, speaking at an event at the Sykes property at Mawarra after traveling to 123 countries. PJ describes his farming background, climates and breeds, and lessons from consulting in the Seychelles about understanding local profit drivers. He urges learning from multiple mentors, respecting disagreement, and avoiding dogmatism. PJ explains an “eight spokes” cattle business model (genetics, herd management, nutrition, animal health, marketing, record keeping, forage management, human capital), advocates supporting cow-calf producers, warns about subsidies, promotes sexual dimorphism and fertility over growth, critiques extreme EBV use, and argues profitability comes from balanced, average, functional cattle and openness to changing one’s mind.

00:00 Welcome to 2026

01:01 Meet PJ

02:35 Cattle Roots

04:07 Farms and Breeds

05:47 Seychelles Lesson

08:24 Heroes and Mentors

12:13 Eight Spoke Wheel

15:49 Primary Producers

17:54 Subsidies Debate

19:37 Dimorphism and Fertility

23:05 EBVs and Balance

26:41 Changing Your Mind

30:11 Thanks and Wrap Up