Sheep
Every lamb saved is an extra lamb that is available for sale
Infections and starvation/exposure are the biggest factors causing lamb mortality on Irish sheep farms.
21 March 2025
Grass10 Update: Grazing Strategies and Fertilizer Planning
Teagasc Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, gives her monthly update discussing grass management tips for the month ahead.
18 March 2025
New simulators provide opportunity to practice lambing skills safely
An investment of €320,000 in seven ewe simulators for use by students completing agricultural training courses has been announced by the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Farm Safety, Michael Healy-Rae TD.
12 March 2025
Listen: Tips for the lambing shed
Niall Conaty from Ballyhaise Agricultural College joins Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss practical tips for the lambing shed.
11 March 2025
Spring fertiliser and grazing management tips for sheep farms
From a management, cost and labour point of view, turning ewes out to grass as they lamb with minimal supplementary feeding must be the aim on sheep farms, Dr. Philip Creighton tells us more.
11 March 2025
Maximise your sheep farm’s potential with the BETTER Farm Sheep Programme
Are you a sheep farmer looking to improve your business using the latest technology? Teagasc is inviting expressions of interest for the BETTER Farm Sheep Programme. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your farm for a sustainable future.
10 March 2025
Putting hill farms on a sustainable path to the future
Hill farms, by their nature, are low input, low output enterprises that are very dependent on direct payments to remain viable. Andy Ryder, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Westport, shares steps to boost profits, flock performance & sustainability, ensuring hill farms thrive for the next generation.
08 March 2025
Grassland - getting off to the right start
Dr. Philip Creighton joins Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss key aspects of grazing management for the weeks ahead.
05 March 2025
National cattle herd down 3.3% in December 2024
According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), the Irish national cattle herd was 3.3% or 217,700 head lower in December 2024 when compared to the corresponding period in 2023. Reductions were also recorded in the national pig herd and sheep flock.
04 March 2025
Flock biosecurity
Every animal introduced to a flock or person working with stock poses a potential risk, particularly during the lambing period when infectious agents are more easily spread.
02 March 2025
Put lime at the top of your fertiliser shopping list
Drystock farmers have been encouraged to make spreading lime a priority on their farms this year.
27 February 2025
Minimising disease in the lambing shed
Lambing has begun or is about to begin for mid-season flocks. Nollaig O’Dowd gives her top tips to keep ewes and lambs healthy during this critical time. Good hygiene in the lambing shed is key to preventing disease and infection, ensuring strong survival rates.
26 February 2025
Key tips during lambing
Farmers can significantly enhance lamb survival and overall flock health this lambing season by prioritising colostrum intake, maintaining rigorous hygiene and proactive management, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch tells us more.
25 February 2025
Farmers underutilising RVL testing to diagnose abortion causes
Treat every abortion in your ewe flock as the start of an abortion storm. That was a key message delivered by Teagasc Head of Sheep Knowledge Transfer, Michael Gottstein when appearing on a recent Let’s Talk Sheep Webinar.
25 February 2025
Organic nutrition for ewes in late pregnancy
There is a huge range of supplementary feed options for pregnant ewes in conventional sheep systems, but good-quality organic rations are harder to come by. Michael Gottstein explores the options available.
23 February 2025
Scanning rates on target
Frank Campion, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway looks at the results from pregnancy scanning on some of the lowland BETTER sheep farms.
22 February 2025
Let’s Talk Sheep - Practical tips to make lambing easier
This week’s edition of the Let’s Talk Sheep Webinar seen Ciaran Lynch joined by his colleagues from the Teagasc Sheep Knowledge Transfer Programme, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello to share practical tips to make lambing easier.
20 February 2025
Timing critical for clostridial vaccinations
The administration of clostridial vaccinations to ewes pre-lambing generally marks the countdown to the start of the lambing season.
20 February 2025
Host Farm Placements proving valuable to Kildalton College students
Placement is a win-win for both the student and farmer, writes Declan Byrne, College Teacher/Placement Officer, Teagasc Kildalton College, who shares how it’s shaping students for their future careers.
18 February 2025
Less meal, earlier finishing and more profit - the benefits of companion forages
Are you looking to grow your lambs quicker, achieve an earlier age of finish and reduce concentrate input to finishing lambs? Then results of a major study undertaken at the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry may be of interest to you.
18 February 2025
Preparation is key to a successful lambing season
James Fitzgerald discusses the key to a successful 2025 lambing season. With preparation, proper nutrition, colostrum management, and strict hygiene, you can reduce stress and ensure healthier lambs.
16 February 2025
Agenda set for Teagasc National Hill Sheep Conference
Taking place next Wednesday, February 19, the Teagasc National Hill Sheep Conference will hear topics ranging from upland management in the Comeraghs, unexplained lamb losses, to the main findings of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s Thin Ewe Scheme.
14 February 2025
Schmallenberg still a threat
First identified in Ireland in October 2012, Schmallenberg still remains a threat to Irish sheep flocks and cattle herds.
13 February 2025
Investigating abortion in ewes - causes, prevention and management
Lambing is fast approaching for many mid-season lambing flocks. Sheep Specialist at Teagasc, Damian Costello takes a closer look at the various causes of abortion in sheep, preventative measures and critical management tasks if abortion is suspected.
12 February 2025
3 cost effective solutions for recording data at lambing time
Lambing time can be one of the most labour intensive times on sheep farms but it can also be a great opportunity to learn more about our flocks to try and improve them for the future.
11 February 2025
Scan results & managing ewe condition in late pregnancy
As lambing season approaches, we are joined by Dr. Frank Campion to discuss key aspects of managing ewe condition at this critical stage of the production cycle.
09 February 2025
Less obvious causes of thin ewes identified
Results of a major study which has shed light on some of the less obvious causes of thin ewes in Irish flocks were shared with those attending the Teagasc National Sheep Conference last week.
06 February 2025
BETTER Farm Update: Getting feeding right
Dr. Frank Campion of the Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway reports on pre-lambing nutrition on the BETTER sheep farms.
05 February 2025
Does your sheep race meet these key requirements?
An effective sheep race can lessen the workload on sheep farms, reducing the labour input associated with many routine tasks. But is your race fit for purpose or do you often find yourself struggling to get ewes to enter?
04 February 2025
Feeding Hill Sheep Prior To Lambing
Offering tips on feeding hill sheep prior to lambing, Enda Maloney, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Westport, tells us why feeding ewes before lambing is essential for both the health of the ewes and their lambs.
04 February 2025