Sheep Newsletter - December 2024

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In this month's edition:

• Grassland
  Improved grass growth rates and grazing conditions were a welcome boost that have helped stretch supplies as we approach year end. Growth rates were on average 6kg DM/ha higher than normal. This has led to good regrowth on closed paddocks.
• Forage testing
  Do you know the feed value of your silage/hay this winter? Following a difficult year for harvesting, high-quality silage testing of your winter forage is a good investment that will provide you with the true feed value of forage.
• Keep a handle on ewe condition
  Ewe body condition is varied again this year in both lowland and hill flocks, as indicated in the Better Farm Update. Ewes in poor body condition will be more problematic at lambing and have lower lamb performance post turnout. It is good practice to go through the ewes post mating and assess ewe condition, paying particular attention to the thinner ewes in the group.
• Sheep Census
  The annual Sheep Census will take place on December 31. Every flock owner must have counted the number of sheep on their holding on that day and must notify the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). Flock keepers must submit their returns as soon as possible after that date.
• Scanning
  To get the best results, aim to scan ewes as close to 80 days post ram turnout as possible. For farmers who selected the scanning task as part of the Sheep Welfare Scheme, ewes must be scanned between 70 and 100 days post ram turnout.
• BETTER Farm Update - Mating on the hill farms
  Frank Campion of the Teagasc Animal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway looks at the condition of ewes at mating time on the BETTER farm hill flocks. As with the lowland flocks, the results are mixed, with some of the flocks on target (average 3.0, less than 10% under BCS 2.5), while others have not hit these targets.
• Health and Safety - Staying safe over Christmas
  The Christmas holidays will see children spending more time out and about. If children are out on the farm, they must always be supervised. This time of year can be a great opportunity to talk to them about the dangers of a farm.
  The risk of fire also increases during Christmas. Give preventing fires in your home and on your farm special attention during this period. It’s important that safety is kept to the fore in everyone’s minds over the festive period.