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.
Opening the conference will be Teagasc Director, Professor Frank O Mara, while Regional Manager of the Waterford/Kilkenny Advisory Region, Richard O’Brien will take up the role of chair for the evening’s conference to follow.
Farming in the Comeraghs
Catriona Foley, a Drystock Advisor based in Teagasc Dungarvan and also a member of the Comeragh Upland Communities EIP operational group, will kick off the presentations on the night. Through this EIP, a group of likeminded farmers came together to acquire new knowledge on the Comeragh Mountains, the area in which they farm, in order to preserve the traditions, history, place names and farming practices for the next generation, as well as knowledge sharing with local communities.
The causes of thin ewes
Seamus Fagan of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) Regional Veterinary Laboratory will be next to take the rostrum, covering the topic of the: ‘Thin Ewe Scheme – The Findings’. The Regional Veterinary Laboratories and Teagasc undertook the study to provide information on the causes of ill thrift/poor body condition score in ewes. It investigated ewes from flocks where thin ewes were a substantial problem, despite receiving adequate nutrition.
Unexplained losses
Where you have sheep, you will have losses, but what about the unexplained ones? To shed more light on this area, Dr. Fiona McAuliffe of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will share findings of research undertaken across the water which investigated the unexplained losses in Scottish hill flocks.
A lecturer of ecology with SRUC, with particular research interests in agroecology, animal health and welfare, and sustainability, Dr. McAuliffe’s presentation will outline the extent of unexplained loss of lambs on extensive hill grazings, while the various causes and underlying factors responsible for lamb losses will be discussed.
Making sheep movements easier
The final presentation on the night will take the form of a demonstration. Jason Callaghan, Higher Executive Officer with the Animal ID and Registration Department of DAFM will show those in attendance the AIM Services App for Sheep. The development of this new digital app means sheep farmers can now notify their farm-to-farm movements from their phone.
Flock keepers receiving or purchasing stock no longer need to post the pink dispatch docket that accompanies the sheep to their local DAFM Regional Offices. Instead, once the app is downloaded, the receiving keeper will be able to submit a digital movement by submitting a photo of either the pink/white dispatch document that accompanied the animals. They will, however, continue to be required to record the movement data in their flock register and to keep copies of the pink and white dispatch documents there for record keeping purposes.
When and where?
The Teagasc National Hill Sheep Conference takes place on Wednesday, 19th February at 7pm in the Park Hotel, Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, X35 CC97. The conference will close at 9.10pm; all are welcome and tea/coffee and finger food will be served after the conference.