Grass supplies: Growth rates are hugely variable across farms. Those with grass supplies running ahead of demand are recording growth rates of 60kg DM/ha to as high as 90kg DM/ha or even 100kg DM/ha this week. This is in sharp contrast to farms still under pressure to get back on track, where growth rates range from as low as 20kg DM/ha on exposed swards with a low cover to 40kg DM/ha.
The two situations require different approaches in terms of management. Farms where grass growth is significantly exceeding demand should identify and remove paddocks that have gone too strong for grazing for baling. With a harsh wind and slow regrowths, it is worth being cautious and not taking an excessive area out of the rotation. Alternative approaches include splitting paddocks and having a safety valve if required.
For farms with low covers, the aim is to continue to batch animals into larger grazing groups where this has not already been carried out. This will reduce the period of time animals are spending in paddocks and improve regrowth potential. Fertiliser should continue to be applied after grazing. Swards that are under pressure will benefit from receiving a compound fertiliser as opposed to a straight nitrogen product while light and sandy soils will benefit from the addition of sulphur.
Cyperguard availability: Bimeda has this week announced that Cyperguard non-organophosphate sheep dip is back on the market in Ireland. It gives farmers an option again to access a non-op dip. The product contains the active ingredient cypermethrin 10% w/w and is licensed for the prevention and treatment of blowfly strike with a claim of up to nine weeks’ prevention along with lice, keds and ticks on sheep by plunge dipping. It is also licensed for the prevention and treatment of sheep scab caused by pyrethroid-sensitive mites. The meat withdrawal period is 14 days which may also provide greater opportunities for farmers to treat isolated strikes or to dip lambs approaching slaughter. Next week’s focus on sheep handling, dipping and tagging will review all blowfly protection and treatment products on the market. .
Nematodirus reminder: Reports suggest an increasing number of lambs are exhibiting the clinical signs of nematodirus this week (scouring, poor appetite and dehydration). This tallies with the Department of Agriculture’s forecast, which advised that dosing for most farmers would be required in the first week to 10 days of May. Remember, the advice is to use a white wormer (benzimidazole) to reduce the risk of resistance developing to other important anthelmintics.
Health survey: A new EU-wide project called EuroSheep focused on knowledge exchange between participating countries is looking to identify what the main challenges and needs of stakeholders in the Irish industry are in terms of flock health and nutrition management.
The aim is to get feedback from farmers, vets, advisers, researchers etc to firstly identify the challenges and then provide workable solutions, taking the latest advice from Ireland, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Turkey that will ultimately increase profitability. The survey can be accessed here.
Grass supplies: Growth rates are hugely variable across farms. Those with grass supplies running ahead of demand are recording growth rates of 60kg DM/ha to as high as 90kg DM/ha or even 100kg DM/ha this week. This is in sharp contrast to farms still under pressure to get back on track, where growth rates range from as low as 20kg DM/ha on exposed swards with a low cover to 40kg DM/ha.
The two situations require different approaches in terms of management. Farms where grass growth is significantly exceeding demand should identify and remove paddocks that have gone too strong for grazing for baling. With a harsh wind and slow regrowths, it is worth being cautious and not taking an excessive area out of the rotation. Alternative approaches include splitting paddocks and having a safety valve if required.
For farms with low covers, the aim is to continue to batch animals into larger grazing groups where this has not already been carried out. This will reduce the period of time animals are spending in paddocks and improve regrowth potential. Fertiliser should continue to be applied after grazing. Swards that are under pressure will benefit from receiving a compound fertiliser as opposed to a straight nitrogen product while light and sandy soils will benefit from the addition of sulphur.
Cyperguard availability: Bimeda has this week announced that Cyperguard non-organophosphate sheep dip is back on the market in Ireland. It gives farmers an option again to access a non-op dip. The product contains the active ingredient cypermethrin 10% w/w and is licensed for the prevention and treatment of blowfly strike with a claim of up to nine weeks’ prevention along with lice, keds and ticks on sheep by plunge dipping. It is also licensed for the prevention and treatment of sheep scab caused by pyrethroid-sensitive mites. The meat withdrawal period is 14 days which may also provide greater opportunities for farmers to treat isolated strikes or to dip lambs approaching slaughter. Next week’s focus on sheep handling, dipping and tagging will review all blowfly protection and treatment products on the market. .
Nematodirus reminder: Reports suggest an increasing number of lambs are exhibiting the clinical signs of nematodirus this week (scouring, poor appetite and dehydration). This tallies with the Department of Agriculture’s forecast, which advised that dosing for most farmers would be required in the first week to 10 days of May. Remember, the advice is to use a white wormer (benzimidazole) to reduce the risk of resistance developing to other important anthelmintics.
Health survey: A new EU-wide project called EuroSheep focused on knowledge exchange between participating countries is looking to identify what the main challenges and needs of stakeholders in the Irish industry are in terms of flock health and nutrition management.
The aim is to get feedback from farmers, vets, advisers, researchers etc to firstly identify the challenges and then provide workable solutions, taking the latest advice from Ireland, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Turkey that will ultimately increase profitability. The survey can be accessed here.
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