14 March 2023
Teagasc Ceardlann Ríomh Am Uáin i Ghleann Colm Chille
Le Pádraig Dé Bhrún
Thig leis am uain brú mhór a chuir ar feirmeoirí caorach ach tá sé ina dhúais doimh fósta mar tá sé ag féiceail uimhir a chúid caorach ag gardú. Ag cur díriú ar scór bhail na caoirigh, tá sé fír táblachta é a choinneail nó a aírdú san am dúl suas go dtí riomh am uain. Thig leis na feirmeoirí séo a dhéanadh tríd ná caoirigh a scaimheadh I ndiaidh scanóir thoirchis. Thig leófa ná caoirigh éadromach, caoirigh cúpla agus na caoirigh trírín a scaimhéadh déir réir mar tá siad cothú do cothaitheach agus fuinnéamh éileamh an caorach.
Cé acu feirmeoirí cnoic na talamh íseal, tá sé faór tálamhtachta an mhín chéart a thaibhairt don chaoragh ata sí ag iarraidh, ríomh am uain má tá tú ag tabhairt feír tírim / sadhlas ná comheadh amuigh. Tá seo fír tábhlamhta fá choinne baínne buí mhaith a bheith ag an chaorach, go mbeidh a lán baínne aicí agus fósta go mbéidh méachan maith san uain nuair ata sí bhreithe.
Ón cruinniú Teagasc Ceardlann Ríomh Am Uáin a d`admhaigh mé I Ghleann Colm Chille atá sna Ghaeltacht, ná poíntí is smó a bhi ag an grúpa feirmeoirí ná cothú ríomh am uáin agus cothú an túain óg sna dóigh go mbéidh tuas mhaith aige ar an chnoc.
Labhair Damian Costello, Speisialtóir le Teagasc, fósta ar an tábhlacht le sláinteachas, sláinte an tread le uimhir na húain marbh a laghdú.
Some of the farmers that attended the Teagasc Pre Lambing Workshop in Glencolmcille, including Paddy Browne local Teagasc Advisor, Damian Costello Teagasc Sheep Specialist and James Keane Teagasc Regional Manager for Donegal / Sligo / Leitrim.
Teagasc Pre Lambing Workshop in Glencolmcille
By Patrick Browne
Lambing time can be both the most stressful time, but also the most rewarding time for any sheep farmer, as it is when they begin to see their flock expanding. Concentrating on maintaining or improving the ewe`s Body Condition Score (BCS) pre lambing is vitally important through the separation of the flock by litter size after pregnancy scanning to enable the lighter ewes / twin / triplet bearing ewes an opportunity to meet their nutritional / energy demands by additional supplementation.
Whether it’s a hill sheep flock or lowland system, supplementing meal to a hay / silage or grass diet is very important that a farmer selects a good quality ration that meets the pregnant ewe`s demands. This is vitally important in ensuring that the ewe has good quality colostrum and milk yield as well as a good lamb birth weight when she lambs.
From a recent Teagasc Pre lambing Workshop I organised for a group of local farmers in Glencolmcille, West Donegal, which is in the heart of the Gaeltacht, the main issues that were raised was pre lambing nutrition and feeding the new born lamb to give the lamb the best possible start to life on the hill.
Damian Costello, a Sheep Specialist with Teagasc, also spoke about focusing on other issues such as hygiene practises and flock health aiming to reduce lamb mortality on sheep farms.
Photo of host farmer John James Byrne with local farmers along with Paddy Browne, Damian Costello and Paul Boyle Teagasc Better Farm Programme Farmer.