Our Organisation Search
Quick Links
Toggle: Topics
Placeholder image

Sheep Newsletter - March 2021

10 March 2021
Type Newsletter


Download Publication (PDF)

In this month's edition:

  • Grassland
    Opening covers on sheep farms are variable. Those with sufficient ground closed early last October and November are currently on target, while others have covers lower than desired.
  • Hygiene
    Maintaining good levels of hygiene in the lambing shed during this busy period is a vital step to reduce the level and spread of disease and improve lamb survival.
  • Getting off to the best start – colostrum
    Adequate colostrum intake is essential to improve lamb survival. In the majority of cases, none or very little intervention is needed to get lambs to suckle.
  • Yearling ewes
    Like a number of flocks in the BETTER Farm sheep programme, some farmers will have chosen a number of ewe lambs for lambing this spring.
  • Research Update - Scanning and body condition
    Philip Creighton, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc Athenry, Co. Galway reports on the start of the year at the Sheep Research Demonstration Farm. Ewes were scanned in early January. Preliminary analysis shows an overall scan rate of 1.96 lambs per ewe put to the ram. 
  • Let’s Talk Sheep Webinar Series
    A series of webinars for Irish sheep farmers will be hosted monthly by Teagasc.
  • BETTER Farm Update - Getting ready for lambing
    Frank Campion, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway reports on scanning rates in the BETTER Farm hill flocks and pre-lambing preparation on the lowland farms.