Sheep
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
Farmer Focus: Olivia Hynes’ mixed grazing system in Roscommon
Farmer Focus: Olivia Hynes’ mixed grazing system in Roscommon On a recent episode of OviCast Roscommon beef and sheep farmer, Olivia Hynes, gave an overview of her system, discussed breeding and the use of AI in her suckler herd, lamb performance this spring and some of the challenges it has posed. With […]
25 May 2024
Identifying and managing poor performing ewes
Identifying and managing poor performing ewes A difficult season will always highlight the poorer performing ewes, writes Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch. One of the most effective ways of boosting flock performance is to remove the poorest performers or put in place the necessary interventions to address the underlying issues. Some of […]
22 May 2024
Deadline fast approaching for National Sheep Welfare Scheme
Deadline fast approaching for National Sheep Welfare Scheme Farmers wishing to apply to the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, who have not already done so, have a limited timeframe to submit their applications. Launched by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) in early April, the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) […]
19 May 2024
Trebling of organic lamb supplies expected
Trebling of organic lamb supplies expected Influenced by higher payment rates available under the Organic Farming Scheme and the desire of some farmers to move away from conventional farming systems, the land area dedicated to organic farming has increased significantly in recent times. This will result in production of more organic lambs. […]
17 May 2024
Flukicide residues – observing withdrawal dates and correct usage
Flukicide residues – observing withdrawal dates and correct usage For this week’s OviCast, Terry McElvaney, Veterinary Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, joins host Ciaran Lynch to discuss some issues that have occurred with flukicide residues in lamb carcasses. They discuss the problems encountered and the follow up […]
14 May 2024
Lameness in sheep – don’t allow your profits to limp away
Lameness in sheep – don’t allow your profits to limp away How easy sheep farming would be if we didn’t have to deal with lame sheep! Lameness is a significant issue on many sheep farms, writes Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep Programme at Teagasc, who questions is it time you made some […]
14 May 2024