OviCast

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 finish up discussing this year's upcoming multibreed sale.  

For more info visit: 
https://www.sheep.ie

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 holding.

We also discuss lamb finishing, with Joe explaining the role of different grass and clover leys, forage crops and supplementation within the system.

Marianne outlines the current opportunities and challenges facing the organic sheep sector, highlighting the importance of strengthening linkages between organic livestock and tillage farms to improve feed sourcing and the opportunities for lamb finishing. 

She also discusses the series of upcoming organic farm walks, including one taking place on Joe's farm on Wednesday 12th August. 

To register for one of the events please click here:
https://teagasc.ie/rural-economy/organics/events/#lambfinishing

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 risk on farms. 

Amanda also highlights the importance of monitoring worm burdens closely at this stage of the season, especially following this summer's weather patterns.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 management considerations. 
Finally, Frank explains the levels of lamb performance that can be achieved and highlights how forage crops can improve flock profitability by generating additional income during the winter months.
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 within the suckler herd and why it is well suited to her system. 
 
The conversation also explores the sheep enterprise, how she manages the spring workload across both enterprises, and the key changes she has implemented on the farm in recent year.
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast