Grassland management: With grass growth rates remaining high, challenges continue in managing grass, with many swards heading out. The next few weeks are critical on most farms, with a focus on weaning lambs and minimising any associated setback in performance.

Where silage aftergrass swards will not be available for lambs to graze, steps should be taken to ensure a source of top-quality grass. This may include topping swards with a high volume of stem or lower-quality material at the base of the sward. If progressing down this route, it is important to cut swards tight to 3.5cm to 4cm to get the full benefit of topping.

While grass growth rates are high, spreading even a small amount of nitrogen (10 to 15 units) will help to maintain grass quality in swards at risk of heading out. Once grass management is back on track, operating a leader-follower system – where lambs graze ahead of weaned ewes – will help ensure lambs have access to top-quality grass, while ewes can be used to graze out paddocks tighter. Splitting paddocks with temporary fencing will also help to better control sward quality and allow surplus grass to be taken out of the rotation as baled silage. This source of high-quality silage can be fed in late pregnancy to reduce the concentrate requirement and lower feed bills.

Pedigree breeders workshops: Sheep Ireland, in association with Teagasc, is holding a number of on-farm evening workshops for pedigree ram breeders. The objective of the workshops is to explain the workings of the Sheep Ireland genetic evaluations to current and potential LambPlus breeders. Workshops take place as follows: Mon 4 July, Aidan and Anne Murphy, Belcarrig, Gorey, Co Wexford; Tues 5, Arthur and Patrick O’Keeffe, Annakisha House, Mallow, Co Cork; Fri 8, Eamon Duffy, Ethelstown, Kells, Co Meath; Mon 11, James McKane, Whitehall, Killygordan, Co Donegal and Fri 15, Michael Murphy, Moneen, Cummer, Tuam, Co Galway.

An industry meeting will also take place at 4:30pm on 7 July in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise, Co Laois. Initial results of the OVIGEN project and an update on the INZAC flock are among topics to be presented. For more information on workshops or to reserve a place to attend next week’s industry meeting, contact 1850 601 901 or email query@sheep.ie.

Weaned ewes: The difficult spring is still apparent in the body condition of ewes, with a higher percentage in poor body condition. Once ewes are sufficiently weaned and cull ewes have been removed, it is important to group ewes on body condition so that preferential treatment can be given to those requiring a longer recovery period. On good-quality grass, it will take ewes eight to 10 weeks to gain one body condition score. This may take even longer where ewes have lost excessive weight during lactation.

Special attention should also be paid to yearling hoggets that are suckling lambs. While grass supplies are good, hoggets that have performed poorly during lactation and are falling well behind target may benefit from weaning a couple of weeks early. This will allow more time for hoggets to regain condition ahead of this year’s breeding season.