Sheep producers can now access additional information focused on improving reproduction, gestation and lamb survival. The resource gives access to the latest research on sheep productivity from participating countries, along with sheep fact sheets, tips and practical videos.

Producers can gain access to the extensive knowledge reservoir by simply logging on to www.sheepnet.network. Producers can also create an account which will give access to regular newsletters and provide an opportunity to participate in workshops.

The aim of SheepNet is to harness information and a better understanding of sheep production within each country and use this to improve productivity and profitability of sheep enterprises right across the EU and Turkey. While open to all producers, it is being underpinned by the six major sheep-producing countries in the EU – France, Ireland, Italy, Romania, Spain and the UK – along with Turkey, which has a significant flock of over 20m ewes. The initiative is being taken to stem the decline in sheep production. While current EU sheep numbers are in the region of 85m animals on 830,000 farms, this represents a sharp decline with ewe numbers falling by about 15%, while 50% of producers have exited the sector since 2000.

Steady demand

The prospects for this season’s breeding sales are hard to pinpoint. On one hand, numbers of hoggets available could be much tighter. Higher factory prices and a difficult spring encouraged many producers to take advantage of favourable returns and draft ewe hoggets that would normally be retained. The contrast to this is possibly tempered demand in some parts of the country due to continued drought challenges.

Specialist ewe lamb and hogget breeding replacement groups are predicting steady demand with many pointing to some producers experiencing higher ewe mortality or a higher cull rate, while others are looking to get replacements in early and move on cull ewes to comply with the Sheep Welfare Scheme.

There are some changes on the calendar for 2018. The season will start as normal with the first big sales of Suffolk x Cheviot cross-breeding sheep taking place with the Tullow Sheep Breeders Association holding its first sale on Wednesday 8 August and the Borris Ewe Breeder Association’s first sale the following week, on Thursday 16 August.

The Mayo Mule and Greyface Group is changing its normal sale routine and is holding a two-day sale with hoggets only on offer on Friday 24 August, while ewe lambs will be offered for sale on Saturday 25 August. The recently formed Donegal-Mayo Mule Group is also making a change and is bringing its sale date forward to meet demand from producers who are keen to source replacements earlier. Their sale will be held on Friday 31 August at 6pm. Meanwhile, the Cooley Sheep Breeders Association multi-breed annual ewe lamb and ewe hogget sale, which will be held on Saturday 1 September, will this year be overseen by Jimmy Reilly, Cootehill Mart.