Sheep
Farmer Focus: Leitrim farmer John O’Connell on managing ewes this winter, scanning & setting the flock up for lambing
0 Farmer Focus: Leitrim farmer John O’Connell on managing ewes this winter, scanning & setting the flock up for lambing For the latest OviCast podcast, Ciarán Lynch is joined by county Leitrim farmer, John O’Connell, who is a participant in the Teagasc Signpost programme. John discusses what’s been happening on the farm in […]
6 January 2023
Reducing labour requirement on your farm
0 Reducing labour requirement on your farm It is often said “there is a lot of work in sheep” but trying to put an exact figure on how much labour is required on a sheep farm is very difficult. There are a number of variables that will affect labour requirement but likewise there […]
6 January 2023
Conversion to organic sheep farming
0 Conversion to organic sheep farming In terms of the most suitable holding to produce organic lamb, a mixed livestock and arable farm works well, Eamonn Dempsey, Teagasc Advisor, tells us more. The performance benefits of co-grazing of cattle and sheep are long established but where a beef enterprise runs along with a […]
3 January 2023
Paul Boyle Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme Participant
0 Paul Boyle Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme Participant The lowland flock on Paul Boyle’s farm, comprising of 65 crossbred ewes this year, are now in the latter stages of the mating season. They are carried on just over 8ha of medium quality land close to the village of Dunkineely. Paul runs his […]
2 January 2023
Turkey – a major sheep producer
0 Turkey – a major sheep producer Tim Keady and Brid McClearn, Teagasc, recently had the opportunity to visit Turkey as national coordinator and project manager of the EuroSheep project. Eurosheep is an EU funded project with the aim of exchanging knowledge and experience to improve sheep nutrition, health and management, thus flock […]
1 January 2023
New Sheep Welfare Scheme – SIS
New Sheep Welfare Scheme – SIS The Department of Agriculture has recently announced a new Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS). The aim of this scheme is to build on the Sheep Welfare Scheme that has now come to an end. The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan. It provides […]
25 December 2022
Nutrition during late pregnancy – the key factor influencing flock profitability
Nutrition during late pregnancy – the key factor influencing flock profitability Nutritional management during late pregnancy impacts: colostrum quality and quantity, ease of lambing, lamb survival, lamb birth weight and the formation of the ewe-lamb bond. All of these factors impact lamb performance from birth to sale, flock productivity and labour requirement […]
24 December 2022
Tomas O’ Leary BETTER Sheep Farm Participant Farm Update
Tomas O’ Leary BETTER Sheep Farm Participant Farm Update Tomas O’ Leary, his wife Eileen and Children Míchéal, Yvonne and Sinead farm just over 40 adjusted hectares in two blocks of land in Kerry. Traditionally a suckler and sheep farm, the O’Leary’s joined the Teagasc BETTER Sheep Farm Programme in 2013 with […]
13 December 2022
Know the feed value of silage for ewe flock
Know the feed value of silage for ewe flock Damian Costello, Sheep Specialist, Teagasc Athenry, tells us that for the majority of ewe flocks that are housed during mid and late pregnancy, grass silage is the most common forage offered. The cornerstone of any feeding plan should be maximising the use of […]
13 December 2022
The care of the ram post mating
The care of the ram post mating Rams purchase costs represent a significant cost on sheep farms. Ideally rams should live long and fruitful lives and produce lots of lambs over a five year period. However the reality is that the expected lifespan for rams on Irish sheep farms is much shorter […]
29 November 2022