Olivia Hynes January/February 2024
Performance
- Getting ready for the lambing season 2024
- The first of the suckler cows will also start calving In February
Grassland
- The wet weather is delaying the application of slurry and fertiliser
- As there will be a big demand for grass – there is a concern
Performance
There are over 250 ewes to lamb in 2024. Lambing will start in the last few days of January and Olivia will lamb the flock in 4 weeks. So it is an extremely busy February. However, the process is well planned and Olivia has prepared well. Along with the ewes in the right body condition the following has been implemented to deliver the maximum amount of live healthy lambs and calves on the farm;
- All lambing and calving sheds powerwashed and disinfected
- Plenty of straw in the sheds
- All equipment e.g gloves/iodine/lube/ropes/stomach tubes/calving jack will be in place
- New Calving camera ourchased
- Ewes scanned , grouped and fed according to litter size
- Family labour sourced
- Veterinary supplies purchased
Photo 1: Olivia has upgraded her camera system
By the third week in February there were 90 left to lamb. Overall, Olivia is happy with the lambing to date. Lambs have been arriving healthy and ewes have plenty of milk. The triplets get soya plus ewe nuts prior to lambing while the singles get silage only. At the same time, there is always issues and two ewes were lost to twin lamb disease.
Olivia started feeding the sheep at 10pm and this has reduced the number of ewes lambing at night. Olivia survives on irregular sleep , catching 2-3 hours maximum but it pays off with reduced mortality and less trouble in the sheep pens.
While the weather has been wet, it is mild and ewes plus lams have been let out to grass after 2 days. This always a relief to empty sheds. They are let out to sheltered fields in small groups.
Photo 2: The ewes are in the correct body condition
Photo 3: Triplets are reared on an automatic feeder
The suckler herd has also started with 7 cows calving at the start of February. No issues to date all calved normally.
Photo 4: BB Delure Calf
Photo 5: Maternity Ward – cows on the point of calving
Grassland
Photo1: Slurry will be applied to bare paddocks once ground conditions improve
Photo 2: Fertiliser in the yard ready to go