OviCast

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.  ...

This week’s OviCast catches up with Ger Carey from Gurteen College in this week’s episode to give us a run down on the 450 strong sheep system they operate in Gurteen.    Ger brings us through the early and mid-season production systems, how this has changed to accommodate students and future plans on the flocks.    We discuss breeding, wintering on forage crops and managing ewe condition.    We t...

Why are ewes leaving the flock and can we reduce the level of ewe wastage? On this week’s OviCast podcast, we discuss this topic in more detail with Prof. Paul Keynon from New Zealand’s Massey University.    Paul discusses the reasons ewes are culled and lost out of the system and explains the impact this can have on flock output, lamb performance and costs in the system.    Paul also talks to us...

On this week’s OviCast, we talk to Dr. Frank Campion about the impact this spring has had on lamb performance.    Frank gives us an update of the lamb growth rate on the BETTER farms and we talk about the variation among the flocks and how the performance compares to previous years.     Frank discusses some of the reasons for this and how the difficult conditions following turnout made this worse....

For this week’s OviCast episode, Ciarán Lynch caught up with Prof. Paul Keynon, Head of School, School of Agriculture & Environment/Professor in Sheep Husbandry at Massey University in New Zealand to discuss the option of early weaning as a management tool for certain sheep systems.    Paul defines what early weaning is and at what age and weight lambs need to be for it to be considered.     T...

With the shearing season underway, for this week’s episode we chat to shearer and Mayo native David Heraty.   First David describes a typical shearing season for him and how this year has started off. David tells us how he got started and built up his shearing contracting business over the past decade.    We discuss the importance of shearing courses to equip farmers with this skill and the challe...

For this week’s OviCast, we chat to post-graduate student, Lisa McGrane, about some of the factors influencing the establishment and persistency of companion herb and legume forages in sheep swards.    Lisa discusses some of the work they have undertaken in the area, examining the impact of herbs (chicory & plantain) and legumes (white and red clover) on performance and productivity.    We dis...

This week on OviCast, I got the opportunity to sit down with father and son duo, Eddie and Aidan Connell, who farm at Clonbullogue, Co Offaly, and who are hosting this year’s Irish Grassland sheep event.    The father and son partnership are running a 400 ewe mid-season flock, finishing upwards of 150 bulls and grow winter barley and maize for their own use.    Eddie and Aidan talk about how each...

Darren Carty, sheep and schemes editor from the Irish Farmers Journal is on this week’s OviCast to talk about the Sheep 2023 industry event which takes place in Gurteen Agricultural College on June 18th.    Darren explains where this year’s event is happening and the background to it and previous events.    He discusses the broad range of activities that are on display from sheep shows and breed e...

On this week’s OviCast, I’m joined by Catherine Egan host of the Teagasc Beef Edge podcast for a joint episode to discuss all things clover with Dr. Mike Egan, Teagasc researcher.    Mike starts by highlighting the potential role of clover in drystock systems, how it works and the potential cost savings.    We discuss the impact of soil fertility and weed control has on successful establishment an...

After a difficult number of weeks, conditions appear to be turning the corner providing an opportunity to get grazing back on track, and on this week’s OviCast, we’re joined by Dr Philip Creighton to discuss some of the steps needed over the coming weeks.    Philip starts by discussing the impact recent conditions have had on sheep systems.  He discusses grazing targets, fertiliser type and applic...

Dr. Orla Keane is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the challenge of Nematodirus in lambs this spring.    Orla first explains how the Nematodirus challenge can carry over on farms from year to year.    She highlights the Department of Agriculture Nematodirus forecast and the implications for farmers.    Orla explains what age it affects lambs, the clinical signs, as well as the risk for yo...

On this week’s OviCast podcast, we’re joined by postgraduate student, Jake Delaney, and Teagasc Researcher, Dr Frank Campion, to discuss a new project that aims to examine lameness and associated issues on Irish farms.    Jake first outlines the common causes and issues around lameness, while Frank discusses the impact it has on performance and some of the practical control issues that occur at fa...