Sheep
Close to 40% of sheep farming households considered vulnerable last year
A significant fall in family farm income in 2023 pushed more sheep farming households into a position of vulnerability, the recently published National Farm Survey (NFS) Sustainability Report 2023 has revealed.
13 November 2024
Mating ewe lambs - an option for your farm?
Damian Costello, Sheep Specialist, Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Programme, Mellows Centre, Athenry, offers key advice in regard to mating ewe lambs.
10 November 2024
Body Condition Score - the most important management tool on sheep farms
The amount of flesh that ewes have or Body Condition is an important factor in determining their reproductive performance during the current mating season, Head of Sheep Knowledge Transfer in Teagasc, Michael Gottstein tells us more.
05 November 2024
The Benefits of Retaining Your Own Replacement Ewes
Joanne Masterson and Damian Costello discuss the Kerrigan family's strategy for retaining home-bred ewe lambs to reduce disease risk, improve genetics, and optimize flock management on their organic hill farm in Galway.
05 November 2024
Sheep farmers’ views on labour wanted
Sheep farming can be a very labour intensive enterprise. In an effort to identify the main challenges, areas for improvement and to influence future policy, the Teagasc Sheep Knowledge Transfer Department is asking farmers to complete a short survey.
01 November 2024
Bluetongue: An update from the UK on spread control measures and vaccination
Dr Fiona Lovatt from Flock Health joins Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast to talk about the bluetongue situation in the UK.
30 October 2024
Balancing sheep, beef and tillage – Brian Nicholson’s route to partial organic conversion
Having claimed the Sheep Enterprise Award at the Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards 2024, Dr Siobhán Kavanagh, Signpost Programme Communications and Engagement Specialist, and Terry Carroll, Drystock Advisor in Kilkenny, detail Brian Nicholson’s journey to partial organic conversion.
24 October 2024
5 steps to becoming an organic farmer
As the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) has recently reopened for applications, Teagasc Organic Advisor, Orla Walsh provides five key steps farmers must follow when transitioning from a conventional to an organic farming system.
22 October 2024
Examining blackloss and photosensitisation in Scottish hill flocks
Joining Ciaran Lynch on this episode of the OviCast podcast is Dr Fiona McAuliffe, SRUC, to discuss the challenge of blackloss and photosensitisation in Scottish hill flocks.
22 October 2024
Mating management and ram fertility
Breeding efficiency is a major component in the overall efficiency of sheep production. In this article, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello writes on practical management tips for a successful breeding season.
22 October 2024
Grass10 October update for sheep farms
Teagasc Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle joins Ciaran Lynch on this episode of the OviCast podcast to share grass management tips for the month ahead.
15 October 2024
Autumn grassland management guidelines on sheep farms
Autumn is the starting point of the grassland year, writes Ciaran Lynch, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, who explains why the management and decisions made in this period have a direct effect on the quality and availability of grass the following spring.
15 October 2024
Adding clovers or herbs to sheep grazed swards
Philip Creighton and Lisa McGrane share details of research work undertaken at Teagasc Athenry, which examined how the addition of clovers or herbs to a sheep grazed sward impact upon animal and sward performance.
13 October 2024
National Farm Survey 2023 - Sheep Enterprise Factsheet
The National Farm Survey 2023 Sheep Enterprise Factsheet provides an analysis of sheep enterprises across Ireland, focusing on financial performance, technical variations, and key trends affecting sheep farming.
12 October 2024
Teagasc’s Labour on Sheep Farms Survey
Sheep Specialist at Teagasc, Damian Costello joins Ciaran Lynch on this episode of the OviCast podcast to discuss a new survey just launched that is examining labour on sheep farms.
12 October 2024
Mating underway for 2025 season
Fiona Mcgovern, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Athenry, Co. Galway reports on mating on the INZAC and breeding flocks at Athenry.
10 October 2024
OviCast: Checking teeth, molar problems and other health issues this autumn
Seamus Fagan from the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Veterinary Lab in Athlone joins us for the latest OviCast episode as we discuss various health issues this autumn.
08 October 2024
Developing the farm business in Co Monaghan
Ciaran Lynch, Sheep Specialist, and Conal Murnaghan, Drystock Advisor, discuss Darragh Cassidy's efforts to improve his mixed sheep and beef farm, including investments in infrastructure, reseeding, and starting a direct meat sales business.
08 October 2024
Farmers warned of bluetongue risk
Following the spread of bluetongue widely across Eastern England and the detection of isolated cases in south-west England and north-west Wales, Irish farmers have once again been reminded of the risks of bluetongue.
04 October 2024
OviCast: Focus on sheep scab and treatment options
Rachel Mallet, a veterinarian at Bimeda, joins Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss sheep scab and treatment options.
01 October 2024
Countdown on for Sheep Expo 2024
Sheep Expo 2024, an event of interest to everyone involved in the sheep industry, will take place on Wednesday, October 9.
01 October 2024
Slurry Spreading - Advice for Farmers and Slurry Contractors
As the slurry spreading season comes to a close across the country over the coming days, Noel Meehan and Sinead Devaney of the Teagasc ASSAP Programme explain why it is very important that farmers and agricultural contractors apply slurry very carefully so as to prevent nutrient losses to water.
27 September 2024
Meet the Tillage and Sheep Finalists of the Environmental Sustainability Awards 2024
The Teagasc FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards showcase tillage and sheep farmers commitment to sustainable farming. These awards honor progress made in reducing environmental impact while ensuring the sustainable production of high-quality crops and livestock in a profitable manner.
26 September 2024
Weighing up store lamb options
Damian Costello and Dr Frank Campion write on the options available to farmers finishing store lambs this autumn, focusing on the important aspects of budgeting and feeding.
24 September 2024
Top tips for store lamb production
Stephen O’Callaghan, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Mullingar, provides practical tips for store lamb production, highlighting key considerations like lamb weight, grass availability, health management, and budgeting to optimise lamb finishing and profitability.
22 September 2024
Teagasc Sheep Specialists focus on lamb finishing at Ploughing 2024
Teagasc Sheep Specialists, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello are on this week’s OviCast as they discuss the focus on lamb finishing at the sheep section of the Teagasc stand at this year’s National Ploughing Championships.
17 September 2024
Completing a drench test to identify what wormers are still working
As some farms are reporting very high stomach worm egg counts over recent weeks, Head of Sheep Knowledge Department at Teagasc, Michael Gottstein discusses the importance of completing a drench test to identify what wormers are still working on your farm.
17 September 2024
Ram Mating Management
To optimise lambing rates, ensure rams are in good health and body condition, use multiple rams, and maintain proper ram-to-ewe ratios, James Doran, Teagasc Drystock Advisor, tells us more.
15 September 2024
Can white clover inclusion lower sheep methane emissions?
Methane is the primary greenhouse gas of concern for ruminant production systems globally, but research conducted at the Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Athenry, has shed new light on the potential of white clover inclusion in sheep diets to reduce its production.
12 September 2024
September grassland management of sheep farms
As we head into the latter half of the grazing season, farms need to put a plan in place for the later rotations, Sheep Specialist at Teagasc, Ciaran Lynch tells us more.
10 September 2024