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.   We finish up discussing what impact this will have on lamb sales this year as well as some of the steps farmers are taking to mitigate this.   For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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.   They discuss when and where it could be considered an option for flocks and what impact it can have on their system and Paul talks about post weaning management, highlighting the need to ensure high quality feed is available to ensure these weaned lambs perform.  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 challenge of getting the next generation involved.  We also talk about the preparation on the day of shearing to make the job that bit easier on all involved.  David who is the Irish Sheep Shearer’s Association representative on the newly formed wool council talks about its aims and what they hope to achieve over the coming years.  We finish up the episode talking about the challenge of improving wool presentation and what steps farmers can take.  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

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 discuss the impact of various establishment methods on sward content of companion herbs and legumes, issues around their persistency and challenges associated with re-establishing them in sheep swards.  We also discuss the impact of seeding rate at establishment and type of ryegrass used in the mix has on both the content and persistency in a sward.  As with all reseeds, post-sowing grazing management has an impact and Lisa discusses what they have found by altering the post-grazing sward height on these different forages.  Finally we finish up the episode with Lisa offering some advice for those sowing it this year on targeting finishing lambs and getting the grazing infrastructure right to get the best out of their reseed.  To find out more about the work Lisa has been undertaking you can watch her presentation from this year’s National Sheep conference at: https://youtu.be/eNdAmoM9Nik  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast 

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 of the enterprises operate and the integrated nature of the farm.  We discuss some of the challenges this spring and the carry-over impacts of last year’s drought on flock productivity.   We discuss grassland management, paddock setup and silage and the impact on lamb performance.  With a lot of stock purchased on the farm each year, Eddie talks about the importance of a good vaccination programme for the purchased ewes and weanlings each autumn.  Managing the workload on the farm is also important and Aidan talks about the sheep shed they constructed in 2018, some of the key adaptions made to it as well as upgrades made to their handling system to improve overall labour efficiency on the farm.  For more details of Irish grassland Association sheep event go to:https://www.irishgrassland.ie/event-detail/sheep-event/ For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast