Sheep

Spring fertiliser planning

Teagasc Soil & Plant Nutrition Specialist, Mark Plunkett, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss fertiliser planning this spring.
14 February 2023

Sheep and Goat census deadline is 14th February

Sheep and goat census returns deadline is Tuesday 14th February. Keepers are required to record census data on their flock registers and return their census data, preferably online. Find out how to complete the online census return here
14 February 2023

National Hill Sheep Conference set for Co. Cork

The Irish hill sheep sector plays an important role in the economic health of rural economies and the maintenance of the natural landscape in many of Ireland’s most scenic areas.
13 February 2023

Late pregnancy nutrition: energy demand, ration composition and protein source

For the latest OviCast podcast, Ciarán Lynch discusses late pregnancy nutrition with Dr. Tim Keady.
12 February 2023

Young farmer incentives increasing

There is a renewed emphasis on encouraging young farmers into farming in the new CAP Strategic Plan, Kevin Sheehan, Teagasc Education Officer, outlines some of these changes.
11 February 2023

Late Pregnancy in Sheep and a Lambs First few Weeks of Life

Aoife Seymour, Teagasc Walsh Scholar, discusses the effects of ewe nutrition and vaccination during late pregnancy, colostrum and simple husbandry practices that can be used to ensure every lamb gets the best possible start. She includes a simple guide to an expected lamb's weight gain over 12 weeks
07 February 2023

Pre-lambing health treatments for the ewe flock

For mid-season lambing ewes, the final pre-lambing health treatments are currently taking place or are due to happen over the coming days and weeks. Damian Costello, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Teagasc Athenry, outlines the main health treatments being administered on sheep farms around now.
07 February 2023

Silage feed value

Tim Keady, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Athenry, Co. Galway examines factors influencing silage feed value.
06 February 2023

Market Trends 2023: Throughput, current challenges & demand for the coming months

Seamus McMenamin, Sector Manager with Bord Bia, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast with an update on the current market trends.
04 February 2023

Part two: Making the most of your Sheep Improvement Scheme tasks

In last week’s article on the Sheep Improvement Scheme, Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep KT, Teagasc Macroom, covered the Category A tasks. In this article, he covers what is required of farmers in terms of complying with the Category B tasks and the ram task.
02 February 2023

BETTER Farm Update - Silage quality is tested

Frank Campion, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Athenry, reports from the farms in the BETTER Farm programme
31 January 2023

The impact of dosing adult ewes for worms has on the development of resistance

On this week’s OviCast podcast Ciarán Lynch caught up with Dr Dave Leathwick following this year’s National Sheep Conference.
31 January 2023

The addition of clovers or herbs to a sheep grazed perennial ryegrass sward: effects on animal and sward performance

Lisa McGrane, Nóirín McHugh, Tommy M. Boland and Philip Creighton presented their research at the recent Teagasc National Sheep Conference.
30 January 2023

Greenhouse gas intensity of average sheep systems in Ireland

Jonathan Herron, Teagasc, recently discussed greenhouse gas intensity of sheep systems in Ireland at the Teagasc National Sheep Conference.
29 January 2023

Producing lamb on an organic farm in Co. Tipperary

Amy Jackson, in partnership with her husband Ross, are farming organically in Lacka, north Tipperary.
28 January 2023

Factors to consider with organic sheep farming

The Irish organic sector has experienced a large influx of new farmers in recent years, with over 4,000 farmers now farming organically - including just over 2,000 who entered conversion in January 2023.
28 January 2023

Parasites of sheep and resistance to drenches – a New Zealand perspective

Dave Leathwick, AgResearch Grasslands, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North, New Zealand, recently presented his research parasites of sheep and resistance to drenches at the Teagasc National Sheep Conference 2023.
27 January 2023

6 key changes to nitrates regulations for 2023

The Nitrates Action Programme – the means by which the Nitrates Directive is delivered in Ireland – has undergone a number of changes, with stronger measures introduced for the protection of water quality.
26 January 2023

Part 1: Making the most of your Sheep Improvement Scheme tasks

Just over 19,000 of the 36,000 sheep farmers in Ireland have applied to join the Sheep Improvement Scheme. Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc Macroom, discusses the Category A tasks.
25 January 2023

Control plan for lameness in sheep

Lameness in sheep is a common and persistent disease and can occur at any time of year. Lame ewes, rams and lambs do not thrive, and treatment of lame sheep incurs a significant cost to the sheep farmer. Eamonn Dempsey, Teagasc advisor in Tralee, discusses further.
24 January 2023

Meet the speakers at the Teagasc National Sheep Conferences

The Teagasc National Sheep Conferences will take place this year on Tuesday, 24th of January in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan town, and Thursday, the 26th of January in the Brandon House Hotel, New Ross, County Wexford.
23 January 2023

Getting to know Philip Creighton

Research Officer Philip Creighton currently leads the Sheep Grassland Systems research programme at Teagasc Athenry. Here, he explains the influence his sheep farming background had on him and what he enjoys most about grassland research.
15 January 2023

Teagasc National Sheep Conferences 2023

The Teagasc National Sheep Conferences will take place this year on Tuesday, 24th of January in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan town and Thursday, the 26th of January in the Brandon House Hotel, New Ross, County Wexford.
13 January 2023

Grass10 Newsletter - 10th January 2023

Happy New Year to all readers of the Grass10 weekly newsletter!
12 January 2023

Managing ewe lamb replacements – does it influence their performance as ewes?

Dr Tim Keady joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss managing ewe lamb replacements and the influence that has on their subsequent productivity.
10 January 2023

Making Best Use of Soil Analysis Results

John O’Connell farms in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim, alongside his wife Amanda and their three children. The O’Connell’s operate a mid-season lambing flock alongside a dairy heifer contract rearing enterprise.
10 January 2023

Teagasc at the 2023 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition

We invite you to visit the Teagasc stand at the 2023 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE).
09 January 2023

Teagasc Signpost Programme Newsletter January 2023

In this month’s Signpost newsletter Stan Lalor, Director of Knowledge Transfer, Teagasc, outlines the new Teagasc Signpost Advisory Programme.
07 January 2023

Farmer Focus: Leitrim farmer John O’Connell on managing ewes this winter, scanning & setting the flock up for lambing

For the latest OviCast podcast, Ciarán Lynch is joined by county Leitrim farmer, John O’Connell, who is a participant in the Teagasc Signpost programme.
06 January 2023

Reducing labour requirement on your farm

It is often said “there is a lot of work in sheep” but trying to put an exact figure on how much labour is required on a sheep farm is very difficult. There are a number of variables that will affect labour requirement but likewise there are a number of ways in which it can be reduced.
06 January 2023