Sheep Newsletter - June 2022

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In this month's edition:

• Teagasc Sheep Open Day - Athenry, June 18, 2022 – 10.00am to 4.00pm
  Join us in Athenry on Saturday, June 18 for our Teagasc Sheep Open Day and take the opportunity to review the latest research and technical advice from the Teagasc Sheep programme. On the day, we will be dealing with all the main areas important to Irish sheep production. Find out more here
• Grassland
  In June, target a pre-grazing yield of 1,250-1,500kg DM/ha or 7-9cm, grazing to a residual of 4.5cm. Where swards have become stemmy, increase the residual on this rotation and ensure a good graze out on the next rotation with either dry ewes or by mechanical means.
• Fodder supplies
  Have you checked your silage stocks? Why not use the online calculator and complete a fodder budget for your farm? Having enough fodder is essential but equally, having quality will have a big impact next winter. Complete the online calculator here
• Prevent blowfly
  Blowfly is a high risk on farms at present. It’s advisable to get in early and treat rather than wait for the occurrence of strike. Once strike occurs on one animal, it increases the risk for others on farm.
• BETTER Farm Update - Lamb growth
  Frank Campion, Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway reports on lamb growth and silage making on the BETTER sheep farms. Some of the flocks have seen exceptional lamb performance, with the combination of good grass supplies and comparatively settled weather conditions (particularly initially after lambing) for most helping flocks to maximise performance at grass.
• Health & Safety - Keeping children safe on the farm
  The health and safety of children is paramount on farms, especially during the busy summer months. In recent years, there has been an increase in children dying on farms. What can be done? Firstly, a farm childhood safety code of practice is available on the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) website, giving authoritative guidance. The Teagasc Jessy’s Smart Kids newsletter series for children can be downloaded from the Teagasc website.