OviCast

Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins us to discuss the key management tasks for October. We discuss grassland management, including protecting autumn regrowth, planning winter fodder supplies and closing paddocks for spring grass.  Attention then turns to lamb finishing, with advice on drafting lambs regularly, assessing market options and ensuring flock health is not limiting performance. W...

Dr. Veronica Nyhan, Teagasc Soil and Plant Nutrition Specialist, joins us to discuss farmyard manure and how farmers can get the most from it.  We look at the nutrients contained in FYM, how these are affected by storage and spreading, and the difference in how nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium become available to the crop. We also discuss some of the wider soil benefits of FYM before finishing w...

Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, chats to Ciaran Lynch about some of the key management tasks for the month ahead.  They discuss grassland management, fodder budgeting and supplementation options for store lambs, as well as ewe and ram management in the coming weeks.  They also highlight the risk of blowfly strike at this time of year and look ahead to the Teagasc stand at the National Ploughing...

Grass10 advisor, Nikki Kennedy, joins us to discuss some key grassland management tips for the month ahead. We look at current grass growth rates on farms and the recovery in areas that were impacted by the drought.  We discuss the steps farmers can take now to build grass covers as we move into autumn, including fertiliser application and the opportunity to spread lime. Nikki also discusses manag...

We catch up with Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, to discuss the options for selling store lambs this autumn.  We start by looking at the current market and the impact the drought has had on lamb performance and grass supplies. We discuss feeding options, key health traits to consider and the potential for finishing lambs on farm. Michael also highlights the importance of preparing lambs for s...

We catch up with Mountbellew Agricultural College farm manager, Ronan Grealis, and enterprise lecturer, Barry Boner, ahead of the upcoming Irish Grassland Association Sheep Event on Thursday, 27 August. We get an overview of the college farm and its various enterprises before focusing on the sheep system.  Ronan and Barry discuss the flock, split-lambing system, breeding and performance recording,...

We catch up with sheep specialist, Damian Costello, to discuss some of the key management tasks for the coming weeks. We start by looking ahead to the breeding season, with Damian highlighting the importance of assessing ewe body condition score (BCS) and taking the necessary steps now to correct any issues ahead of mating.  We also discuss ram management, including what to consider when purchasin...

With ram sale season underway, we chat to Sean Godfrey from Sheep Ireland.  Sean highlights the impact a ram can have on a flock for a number of seasons; we discuss locating your next ram and the tools on the Sheep Ireland website to make this process easier.  Sean also explains some of the key information in the sales catalogues and how you can easily access more via the ram search tool.  We fini...

We catch up with organic sheep and tillage farmer, Joe Nolan, and Teagasc Organic Advisor, Marianne Mulhall. Joe, who farms near Fenagh, Co. Carlow, outlines his farming system, including the sheep enterprise, tillage rotation and the background to the farm.  He discusses the changes made to the flock in recent years, the organic conversion process and how sheep and tillage are integrated on the h...

Amanda McEvoy joins us to discuss the impact of recent weather conditions on worm burdens in sheep flocks.  Amanda begins by explaining how lambs become infected and how weather influences the development and survival of parasites on pasture.  We discuss how the recent dry spell has affected worm burdens and why changing weather conditions, particularly increased moisture, can quickly alter the ri...

In this episode of OviCast, Dr Frank Campion discusses the role of forage crops within an integrated livestock system and the value they can bring to sheep enterprises.  Frank outlines the different forage crop options, their expected yields and the classes of stock they are best suited to. He also discusses the impact of sowing date, the importance of estimating crop yield and key grazing managem...

Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, joins Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, to chat with Roscommon farmer and Future Beef Programme participant, Olivia Hynes, ahead of the upcoming open day on her farm.   Olivia discusses her mixed suckler and sheep enterprise, explaining how paddock grazing has improved grass utilisation and overall farm performance. She also outlines her use of AI wi...

Grass10 Advisor, Nikki Kennedy, joins us for an update on grass growth across the country.   Nikki discusses how the recent dry spell has affected grass growth, highlighting the varying impact on farms in different regions.    She offers practical advice for farmers where grass supplies are becoming restricted and outlines the key management decisions to consider in the weeks ahead.   We also disc...

Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins us to discuss the key management tasks for the month ahead. We start by looking at grassland management, including how to maintain sward quality through the remainder of the grazing season and the opportunities that autumn reseeding can offer. Attention then turns to flock management, with Michael outlining best practice around weaning lambs, dryi...

Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, joins us to discuss the preliminary results of the labour survey.   We explore some of the key findings from the latest analysis, including the age profile of farmers, levels of off-farm employment, and how farm tasks are managed throughout the year.   Damian discusses the facilities available on farms, the challenges created by farm fragmentation, and ho...

Teagasc's Amanda McEvoy, joins us as we preview the 2026 National Sheep Conference.   Amanda outlines the new format for this year's event and discusses the speakers and key topics that will feature in the indoor conference sessions.    A first for the National Sheep Conference will be an on-farm evening programme, where attendees will have the opportunity to hear about ongoing sheep research stud...

For this week’s OviCast, grass management, weaning decisions, cull ewe selection and shearing are all discussed. Damian Costello and Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch, break down the key messages from the June Sheep Advisory Newsletter, discussing how to maintain grass quality, prepare for weaning, assess ewes for culling and get the most from shearing day. This is a practical episode full of...

Dr. Frank Campion joins us as we discuss lamb performance on the BETTER farms this spring.  We discuss lamb mortality levels and how they compare with previous years, while also examining strong lamb growth rates seen on farms so far this season.  Frank outlines some of the key factors driving performance and finishes with practical advice for the weeks ahead to help maintain progress. For more ep...

Grass10 advisor, Nikki Kennedy, joins us to take a look at grazing management priorities for the weeks ahead.    Nikki discusses current grass growth rates, grazing targets and managing farm covers, along with the options around taking out surplus paddocks for silage.    We also cover fodder budgeting and fertiliser and slurry applications as farmers plan ahead for the season.   For more episodes...

Teagasc Sheep specialist, Damian Costello, joins us as we run through the key management priorities for sheep farmers in May.   We cover practical advice on grassland management, maintaining lamb performance, and planning ahead for first-cut silage.    There’s also a timely reminder of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) deadline and what’s required to maximise payments.   On the flock health...

Jake Delaney, Teagasc Walsh Scholar, joins us this week to discuss scald in lambs and why it’s such a common challenge at this stage of the season.  Jake explains what causes scald, how it affects animal performance and welfare, and why it should never be ignored. We also explore how scald can act as a gateway for more severe conditions such as footrot and CODD, making early detection and treatmen...

In a joint episode with Catherine Egan from the Beef Edge, we’re joined by Chris Maughan from TP Whelehan to explore practical weed control strategies. Chris outlines a wide range of control options for common problem weeds, including docks, thistles, and ragwort. We also discuss clover-safe sprays and how to plan weed control programmes when establishing or maintaining clover and multispecies swa...

Dr James O’Shaughnessy from the Department of Agriculture’s Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston joins us to discuss this year’s Nematodirus forecast. James explains what Nematodirus is, how it impacts young lambs, and the key symptoms to watch out for. We discuss this year’s forecast and what it means for farms across the country this spring. He also outlines treatment strategies...

Sheep specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins this week’s OviCast to outline the key priorities for the month ahead. We discuss the challenges around fertiliser use and rising costs, why replacing fertiliser with concentrates can be a false economy, and how simple management changes like grouping ewes and subdividing paddocks can boost grass growth.  We also cover key flock health risks, including pa...

Dr. Orla Keane joins us to discuss coccidiosis in lambs, a common but often underestimated issue affecting flock performance.    We cover what causes coccidiosis, its impact on lamb health and growth, and the key symptoms farmers should watch for.   With the challenging spring weather conditions, we also look at why the risk of infection may be higher this year and what that means for on-farm mana...