Tomás O'Toole
| Farmer | Tomás O'Toole |
|---|---|
| Location | Moyard, Co. Galway |
| Farm Description | Running both hill and lowland sheep enterprises alongside a suckler cow herd selling followers as weanlings grazing 29 Ha of commonage, 13 Ha of enclosed hill and 40 Ha of ‘green’ ground. |
| Teagasc Advisor | Joanne Masterson |
Farm Plan
A detailed farm plan was drawn up for the farm and reviewed regularly. A summary of details of the plan are laid out below:
Breeding policy
- Use performance recorded rams
- Targeted breeding plans for lowland and hill ewes
- Use a terminal sire on 30% of the flock
- Target output 1.2 – 1.4 lambs weaned/ewe joined across the entire flock
Flock management
- Plan to split flock into high output lowland flock and hill ewe flock
- Aiming to reduce running costs for hill bred sheep within the flock
- Increase time spent grazing on the hill
- Lamb hill bred ewes outdoors
Grazing management
- Soil fertility being addressed
- Grass budgeting on lowland ground
- Targeted fertilizer use across lowland and enclosed hill land
- Options being discussed for improving management of hill vegetation
Health
- Implement flock health plan