Sheep
Preparation for weaning of lambs
Preparation for weaning of lambs Damian Costello, Sheep Specialist, discusses the importance of timely weaning of lambs to ensure optimal health and performance of both lambs and ewes, and outlines practical weaning strategies. For early March lambing flocks weaning time has arrived and it is important to have a plan in place. […]
18 June 2024
Key management tips for June on sheep farms
Key management tips for June on sheep farms Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch provides some key advice on grassland management, blowfly control measures, plans for weaning and shearing for the month of June. Grassland management Grass demand has been increasing. By June, most March-born lambs will be eating 1.0-1.2kg DM per day, […]
13 June 2024
Focus on wool quality and shearing
Focus on wool quality and shearing Jayne Harkness-Bones, Depot Manager with Ulster Wool, joins this week’s OviCast to discuss the factors that influence the quality of wool, the challenges in the marketplace in recent years and what happens to the wool from purchase until it reaches market. Joining OviCast host Ciaran Lynch, […]
11 June 2024
Watch: Steps to make shearing easier
Watch: Steps to make shearing easier As we approach mid-June, the shearing season is well and truly underway. In terms of annual workload, shearing is one of the busiest days on sheep farms. David Heraty of the Irish Wool Council provides some key tips in the below video to not only make […]
11 June 2024
Stomach worm control in lambs
0 Stomach worm control in lambs Stomach worms are one of the major production-limiting diseases of growing lambs, writes Orla Keane, Teagasc Research Officer. They reduce feed intake and heavy worm burdens result in failure to thrive, scour and in severe cases even death. There are a number of different worm species that […]
4 June 2024
How the lamb trade is shaping up for the summer
0 How the lamb trade is shaping up for the summer Seamus McMenamin, Sheep Sector Manager with Bord Bia, joins this episode of the OviCast podcast to look at the lamb trade. Joining host Ciaran Lynch, Seamus discusses factory throughput this year to date, what’s been happening with international trade, falling ewe numbers […]
4 June 2024
Diary date: BETTER Sheep Farmer to host farm walk
Diary date: BETTER Sheep Farmer to host farm walk Shane Moore, a participant in the BETTER Farm Sheep Programme, will host a farm walk on his farm in Co. Roscommon later this week. Operating a mid-season lambing flock near Athleague, Co. Roscommon, Shane has grown his lowland sheep enterprise, along with a […]
29 May 2024
Listen: Time to think about blowfly control
Listen: Time to think about blowfly control With blowfly strike a risk on farms, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello joins host Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the risk factors, how it occurs and treatment options available to farmers. Discussing the blowfly season, Damian highlights the importance of taking […]
28 May 2024
Put a plan in place to deal with blowfly strike
Put a plan in place to deal with blowfly strike As we head into June, we are entering a high risk period for blowfly strike with a number of cases appearing on farms, writes Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch. For blowfly, the season starts as early as April as temperatures increase and […]
28 May 2024
Sheep Farmers’ Survey Reveals High Incidence of Infectious Lameness and Insights into Management Practices
Sheep Farmers’ Survey Reveals High Incidence of Infectious Lameness and Insights into Management Practices Infectious lameness in sheep can pose a significant burden to farmers annually due to its potential negative impact on flock performance and increased veterinary costs, alongside its welfare impact on infected animals. Jake Delaney tells us more. There […]
28 May 2024