Sheep
Options for finishing lambs on Irish Sheep Farms
Options for finishing lambs on Irish Sheep Farms Michael Gottstein discusses the challenges sheep farmers face due to difficult weather, impacting lamb performance, grass growth, and the need for strategic lamb drafting and sales to ensure sufficient resources for ewes. It has been an unusual and difficult year for sheep farmers. The […]
30 July 2024
Are your sheep wormers working the way they should?
Are your sheep wormers working the way they should? Monitoring worm burdens through faecal egg counts is a tool available to sheep farmers to save on costs and reduce labour input. Additionally, when used as part of the drench test protocol, it allows farmers to test the effectiveness of the dosing products […]
23 July 2024
Ewe management after weaning
Ewe management after weaning Weaning time gives farmers a chance to press the reset button on thin ewes, writes Michael Gottstein, Teagasc Head of Sheep Knowledge Transfer, who looks at strategies to ensure ewes recuperate after weaning. We are seeing a lot of thin ewes on farms at mating time. It is […]
19 July 2024
Best practice for managing newly purchased sheep
Best practice for managing newly purchased sheep A lot of stock – whether it is rams, breeding females or store lambs – will move directly between farms or indirectly through marts over the coming weeks. With this movement of stock, Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch reminds us of the importance of having […]
17 July 2024
Monitoring parasite burden and interpreting the results
Monitoring parasite burden and interpreting the results As part of this week’s OviCast podcast, Ciaran Lynch is joined by Dr Orla Keane where they talk about monitoring the parasite challenge in lambs. The challenge stomach worms pose from this point of the season onward is discussed, with Orla talking about using faecal […]
16 July 2024
Watch: Key dates and details for the National Sheep Welfare Scheme
0 Watch: Key dates and details for the National Sheep Welfare Scheme JohnEnda Flannelly, Drystock Advisor in Teagasc Claremorris, reminds farmers of the key dates and details of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme – a one year scheme launched by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine earlier this year. The National […]
6 July 2024
A guide on the Genotyped Ram Task
0 A guide on the Genotyped Ram Task Sheep Ireland’s Sean Godfrey provides key information on the Genotyped Ram Task of the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), focusing on the criteria, the benefits and where to find a SIS Eligible Ram. In 2023, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine launched the new […]
2 July 2024
Grazing Focus: Grass supply, sward quality and fertiliser
Grazing Focus: Grass supply, sward quality and fertiliser Joining host Ciaran Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast is Dr Philip Creighton, where the focus is placed firmly on grazing. The factors influencing grass supply and sward quality at the moment are detailed, before moving on to discuss management options for the coming […]
30 June 2024
Investing in a sheep handling unit is an investment in yourself
Investing in a sheep handling unit is an investment in yourself Edward Egan, Drystock Advisor, Navan, Co. Meath, looks at the important factors to consider when designing a sheep handling unit. If I was to give you one piece of advice it would be to always invest in yourself. Invest in the […]
23 June 2024
Time to wean?
Time to wean? Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins this week’s OviCast to discuss weaning options on farms. The current situation on farms, challenges with grass quality and why weaning now is beneficial is discussed Michael explains the weaning process with some useful tips and management of the ewes and lambs post-weaning. The […]
22 June 2024