OviCast

On this week’s OviCast we look forward to the Teagasc National Sheep Conference with Dr Philip Creighton previewing the topics being covered.    Philip discusses the times and locations of this year’s conferences and highlights the speakers and the topics they are covering.   These include ‘Nutrition during pregnancy: management and the consequences’, to ‘Simplifying farm transfers: key considerat...

With scanning complete on many flocks, on this week’s OviCast we chat to Sheep Specialist Michael Gottstein about making use of this information.    We start off talking about this year’s scanning results and move on to discuss the immediate management changes that can be made by setting up feeding groups.    Michael discusses why we need to divide them on the basis of scanned litter size and lamb...

For this week’s OviCast, we hear from a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar with Sheep Specialist Damian Costello speaking about key management advice at housing this winter. Damian covered various aspects from some of the challenges faced this year to managing ewe condition to practical advice at housing. Damian also answers some audience questions on the topic. For more episodes from the OviCast pod...

For this week’s OviCast we talk to independent sheep and beef consultant, Dr Liz Genever, about an on-farm project she was involved in examining various bedding options. Liz gives us a background to the project, what bedding options they compared, how they set it up and what they examined. We discuss the levels of usage of the various bedding sources, labour input, ewe cleanliness and ultimately c...

On this week’s OviCast we talk to Dr Tim Keady about the importance of silage testing and what the results mean.    Tim emphasises the importance of getting a silage test conducted correctly early to know the feed value of your winter forage.    He explains the variation in results nationally, what each of the measures mean and most importantly, the implications for feeding.    We discuss how the...

Veterinarian, Shane McGettrick, who is Laboratory Manager at the Department of Agriculture Regional Veterinary Laboratory in county Sligo is on this week’s OviCast to talk  about the fluke challenge this winter.    We start with Shane discussing what fluke-related issues they are seeing in the lab at this point in the season. We discuss the Department’s fluke forecast and how this may be a more ch...

On this week’s OviCast we’re joined by post-graduate student, Mark Dolan, to discuss different aspects of management of forage brassicas.    Mark gives us some background to some of the work he has been involved in using forage brassicas to finish store lambs.    We discuss yields of the different crops, utilisation rates and the factors that influence them and how they have adapted management dur...

Teagasc sheep specialists, Damian Costello and Frank Campion, are on this week’s OviCast to discuss the challenging grazing conditions in recent weeks that has put pressure on farms both in terms of lamb performance and grass utilisation and supply.    We discuss the option of housing remaining lambs for finishing indoors and also discuss some of the key factors to consider at housing, levels of p...

Darren Carty, Sheep and Schemes Editor with the Farmers Journal is on this week’s OviCast episode to look back on the trends in the national ewe flocks over the past decade and the implications of this for the sheep industry.    Darren discusses the change in ewe numbers, the regional shift and the impact this has had on the sector.    We discuss breeding sales this year, opportunities and resilie...

Fergus O’Rourke and Niall Conaty from Teagasc Ballyhaise Agricultural College in Co. Cavan join us on the latest OviCast podcast for an update on the flock.    We start with Fergus giving us a bit of background to the farm and flock.  Niall discusses the breeding plan, keeping an eye on ewe condition mating management.    With the difficult grazing conditions Niall discusses how they have adapted...

Dr Tim Keady joins us on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss joining ewe lambs and some of the factors that influence its success.  Tim discusses what the key drivers of the system are, we discuss the impact of joining weight and the influence that the ram effect can have.  Tim offers his insights on the duration of the breeding season and ram management during the mating period.  We discuss pos...

As part of Sustainability Week, on this week’s episode of OviCast we chat to signpost programme participant, John O’Connell, to discuss how he has implemented the 12 steps to reduce gaseous emissions from his farming system.    We chat about the various measures he has implemented from addressing soil fertility to better grassland management.   John explains the importance of animal health plannin...

Michael Gottstein re-joins us for the second part of the episode on store lambs, with a focus on those purchasing lambs.      He highlights the importance of getting health treatments in place on arrival and what impact this has.    We discuss expected performance, diets and mineral nutrition particularly for those lambs that will be intensively finished on farms, and explain the importance of fee...

We’re joined over the next two episodes by Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep knowledge Transfer in Teagasc, to discuss store lambs.    In this first part, Michael discusses the current market condition for stores, some of the challenges and the potential of store lamb finishing.    We discuss the options for lowland and hill farmers with remaining lambs on farms, the importance of feed and financia...

David Coen from Sheep Ireland is on this week’s OviCast to talk about progress in breeding in the hill sector.  David discusses the impact hill genetics has on the national flock, SIS scheme and ram eligibility.   We discuss the work by the 17 breeding groups over the past year to get rams genotyped and the impact this has had on developing flock books.  Finally we finish up with David discussing...

Dr. Fiona Mc Govern is on this week’s OviCast to discuss the impact of ewe condition at mating on ewe productivity.    Fiona discusses the usefulness of body condition scoring as a management tool.  She also explains the impact of condition on litter size and its carry over effects on lambing assistance, lamb birth weight and productivity next spring.    We finish up with Fiona discussing the impo...

Dr. Finbarr O’Regan from the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine (DAFM) Inspectors joins us on this week’s OviCast.    Finbarr discusses the introduction of the National Fertiliser Database and the fertiliser register taking us through the key dates, registration process and how it will work for the coming season including some of the implications for both merchants and farmers.    We...

At a point in the season where we’re looking at how lambs perform and where the tail end lambs come from, on this week’s OviCast podcast, we chat to Dr Frank Campion about how foster lambs perform in commercial flocks.    Frank discusses some work he has recently presented on the topic, we discuss how these lambs grow in early and late lactation, the variation among them and their counterparts and...

Sheep enterprise leader, Dr Philip Creighton, is on this week’s OviCast to discuss planning ahead for this autumn.    We discuss the impact poor grazing conditions has had on lamb performance this year and the knock-on effect this has on management for the autumn. Philip emphasises the importance of accessing grass supply and increased demand on farms.    We discuss grass growth rates, fertiliser...

Bord Bia Sheep Sector manager, Seamus McMenamin, joins us on the latest OviCast podcast to give a market update.    Seamus discusses current throughput and some of the challenges with light carcass at present.    He also discusses the international trade, in particular the increased volumes of Australian lambs and what impact that has had on our export market.    Seamus has an update on plant appr...

Teagasc Advisor, Edward Egan, joins us on the latest OviCast episode to discuss designing a sheep handling unit.    Having good handling facilities can reduce labour, improves both safety and welfare for handler and sheep alike and also encourages timely preventative actions.     Edward talks about the booklet he produced, ‘A Guide to Designing a Sheep Handling Unit’ and he discusses the key aspec...

We’re joined on the latest OviCast episode by Teagasc Advisor, Edward Egan, to talk to us about the sheep handling equipment available under the TAMS III Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme.    We discuss what the grant aid rates are and how these are calculated; Edward outlines what fixed and mobile equipment covered under the scheme; and he takes us through the application process highlighting...

Dr Frank Campion joins us on this episode of OviCast with an update on lamb performance and management on the BETTER farms.    Frank starts off describing the bounce back in lamb growth rate on the farms in May and June. We tease this out discussing grassland management, parasite challenge and the impact of early weaning.    We move on to discuss the current state of play on the farms with regards...

Kevin Mc Dermott, Sheep Ireland manager, joins us on this week’s OviCast to talk about the genotyped ram task that forms part of the Sheep Improvement Scheme.    Kevin first explains what’s involved in the task for lowland and hill producers.  He talks about ram eligibility and how to identify these rams using the Sheep Ireland ram search tool or the sales catalogues.    Finally, he discusses the...

Sheep specialist, Damian Costello, is on this week’s OviCast to talk about managing the parasite challenge over the coming weeks.    Damian explains what the burden is and he and Ciarán discuss the current challenge, monitoring worm burden and deciding when to dose.    Damian explains the importance of knowing how effective your wormer is, how to conduct a drench test and interpret the results.  ...