Purpose & Objectives

The Research/demonstration unit at Athenry will place particular emphasis on developing profitable and sustainable grass-based systems of sheep production and the factors affecting the success of such systems. The research will seek to optimise grass production and utilisation within a sheep system through the use of optimal technical efficiency in relation to grassland and other management practices, for the purposes of dissemination to Irish lowland sheep producers. Within this brief some of the key issues to be addressed will be:

1. Stocking rate (ewes/ha)
2. Prolificacy (lambs weaned/ewe)
3. Lambing date
4. Lamb growth rates pre and post weaning
5. Finishing lambs from grass (drafting pattern)
6. Grass / clover systems for sheep
7. Labour requirements.