Sheep
Trebling of organic lamb supplies expected
Influenced by higher payment rates available under the Organic Farming Scheme and the desire of some farmers to move away from conventional farming systems, the land area dedicated to organic farming has increased significantly in recent times. This will result in production of more organic lambs.
17 May 2024
Flukicide residues – observing withdrawal dates and correct usage
For this week’s OviCast, Terry McElvaney, Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, joins host Ciaran Lynch to discuss some issues that have occurred with flukicide residues in lamb carcasses.
14 May 2024
Lameness in sheep - don’t allow your profits to limp away
How easy sheep farming would be if we didn’t have to deal with lame sheep! Lameness is a significant issue on many sheep farms, writes Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep Programme at Teagasc, who questions is it time you made some changes to your lameness control strategy?
14 May 2024
New Sheep Welfare Scheme Welcomed by Sheep Farmers
On the 8th April the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched a National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) for sheep farmers with payment paid on eligible breeding ewes. Enda Maloney tells us more.
13 May 2024
Knowing the chemical fertiliser limit for your farm
Environmental Specialist, Tim Hyde is on this week’s OviCast to discuss fertiliser limits on farms.
07 May 2024
An update from Brian Keane’s BETTER Sheep Farm
Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep KT Programme at Teagasc, talks you through the happenings on Brian Keane’s BETTER Sheep Farm in Co. Wexford, highlighting the challenges that have occurred on the farm this spring.
07 May 2024
Target quality silage for sheep farms
Damian Costello, Sheep Specialist, shares key advice to ensure you produce enough high-quality silage for your ewes next winter.
30 April 2024
The key aspects of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme
David Buckley from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss key aspects of the new National Sheep Welfare Scheme.
23 April 2024
Management tasks for the present on sheep farms
Sheep Specialists, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello are on this week’s OviCast to discuss some of the key management tasks to do on farms at present.
20 April 2024
Dealing with health challenges on sheep farms
Poor weather not only created grassland management difficulties on sheep farms, it has resulted in a higher than usual number of problem cases in both ewes and lambs. Here, the Teagasc Sheep Specialist team look at the main health challenges, while outlining strategies to overcome them.
17 April 2024
Fertiliser, grassland and supplementation advice for sheep farmers
Difficult weather and poor ground conditions have delayed turnout and created other difficulties on sheep farms. In this article, the Teagasc Sheep Specialist team look at steps to get the grazing year back on track.
16 April 2024
Nematodirus forecast 2024
Dr James O’Shaughnessy from the Department of Agriculture’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston joins the latest episode of OviCast to discuss this year’s Nematodirus forecast.
16 April 2024
Weather delays turnout
Frank Campion of Teagasc AGRIC, Athenry, Co. Galway, reports from the BETTER sheep farms around the country.
14 April 2024
Overcoming the adverse weather challenges on sheep farms
Eamon Patten, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Ballinrobe, discusses challenges faced by sheep farmers during lambing season due to adverse weather, including maintaining hygiene, ensuring strong ewe-lamb bonding, managing grass supplies and preventing health issues.
13 April 2024
Details of Fodder Transport Support Measure revealed
As part of the meeting of the National Fodder and Feed Security Committee, today, April 9, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D, revealed details of a measure to support the transport of fodder to areas where supplies are running tight.
09 April 2024
New €8/ewe National Sheep Welfare Scheme open to applications
The opening of applications for a new National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS), which will offer a financial incentive to sheep farmers for shearing or body condition scoring of ewes, or clostridial vaccination or plunge dipping of ewes, has been announced.
09 April 2024
Maintaining positive wellbeing during this challenging spring weather
Finola Colgan, Development Officer at Mental Health Ireland, and Francis Bligh, Health and Safety Specialist at Teagasc, give advice on maintaining positive wellbeing during this challenging spring weather.
09 April 2024
Body of work needed to prevent organic lamb leaking to conventional systems
The organic sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years, enabled by additional funding available through the Organic Farming Scheme. Through this scheme, 2,000 new farmers commenced conversion to organics at the beginning of 2023, followed by a further 1,000 at the beginning of this year.
09 April 2024
Supporting farmers through this difficult period
Following a difficult spring and no immediate respite from the weather challenges being faced at farm level, Teagasc has moved to introduce a number of measures to support farmers.
08 April 2024
Managing the challenging grazing conditions
On this week’s OviCast, host Ciaran Lynch is joined by Dr Philip Creighton to discuss grazing management.
08 April 2024
Major turnout at least 7-10 days away on drystock farms
High levels of rainfall, resulting in challenging grazing conditions, have created difficulties on beef and sheep farms this spring, Pearse Kelly, Teagasc Head of Drystock Knowledge Transfer, told the National Fodder and Food Security Committee on March 29.
03 April 2024
Fragmented farm? That shouldn’t prevent you managing grass for sheep
It boils down to providing a constant supply of high quality grass to ewes and lambs throughout the grazing season. Damian Costello, Sheep Specialist, and Keith Fahy, Drystock Advisor, tell us more.
03 April 2024
Management of ewes and lambs post turnout - grouping up to kick-start rotational grazing
Damian Costello and Philip Creighton, Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research & Innovation Programme, Mellows Centre, Athenry, offer practical advice on managing spring grass on sheep farms.
02 April 2024
Advisory messages from the National Fodder and Food Security Committee meeting
An online meeting of the National Fodder and Food Security Committee (NFFSC) took place on Friday, March 29, at the request of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD.
29 March 2024
Sheep trade update
Sheep and Schemes Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, Darren Carty is on this episode of OviCast to talk about the current sheep trade.
26 March 2024
Colostrum: The best way to improve lamb survival and performance
The most recent Teagasc Sheep newsletter emphasizes the importance of adequate colostrum intake for improving lamb survival and performance, outlining its benefits, necessary feeding rates and alternatives when insufficient.
24 March 2024
Key actions to slow the development of anthelmintic resistance
Glen Corbett discusses planning for sheep dosing during lambing season 2024, focusing on combating gastrointestinal nematodes (stomach worms) in lambs, highlighting the types of worms, their impact, and methods for effective worm control and treatment to combat anthelmintic resistance.
23 March 2024
Preventing grass tetany post turnout
Grass tetany is one of the challenges in early spring and on this week’s OviCast, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, talks to us about this in more detail.
12 March 2024
As lambing progresses the challenges increase
At this stage many flocks are well and truly in the middle of the 2024 lambing season. Michael Gottstein writes about some key areas that should be considered when attempting to reduce losses at lambing time.
12 March 2024
Hill Flocks: feeding & health advice in the run up to lambing
Michael Gottstein, Teagasc Head of Sheep Knowledge Transfer, joins host Ciaran Lynch, Teagasc Sheep Specialist on this week’s episode of OviCast to give some timely advice for hill flocks in the run up to lambing.
05 March 2024