Last December, an article discussing how Waterford sheep farmer Ned Morrissey winters 370 ewes on five acres of fodder beet and operates a grassland stocking rate of 13 ewes/ha attracted keen interest and discussion from sheep farmers.

Farmers will get a chance to see first-hand how the system works and witness management practices on the farm as Ned is hosting the upcoming IGA sheep farm walk. The walk, registered as a national event for the Sheep Technology Adoption Programme or STAP, takes place next week on Tuesday 19 May at 2pm in Dunhill, Co Waterford.

Numerous lessons

While grazing beet in-situ will offer visitors a chance to see preparations for a different winter feeding system, there are numerous valuable lessons to be taken from the event. Grassland management in particular is extremely impressive with high levels of management required to graze at a stocking rate of 13 ewes and their lambs (typically weans 1.6 lambs/ewe joined) per hectare, without taking into account 40 to 50 replacement ewe hoggets.

Given that 4ha (10 acres) of the 30.35ha (75 acres) grassland area is currently out of the rotation (two 2.5 acre beet plots and last year’s beet plots recently sown and reseeded respectively), the current stocking rate is running above 14 ewes/ha. There has also been 6ha or 15 acres of grassland taken out of the rotation as surplus grass about 10 days ago, further increasing the stocking rate.

Growing more grass

Land type on the farm is mainly dry free-draining soils which aids grass growth. However, this alone will not sustain a higher stocking rate.

Ned is a believer in getting the basic principles right and building a strong platform for favourable grassland performance. Soil samples are taken regularly with lime applied as soon as possible to rectify any deficit in soil pH.

Phosphorus and Potassium are generally maintained through rotational applications of pig slurry, sourced from a local farm. Swards are incorporated into a reseeding programme with fodder beet. Any poor performing areas are also reseeded if the opportunity arises.

Grass growth is maximised and optimum quality maintained by operating a rotational grazing system. Fertiliser is being applied at 20 to 27 units N/acre after each grazing. Ned explains the system that works best for him is batching animals into three big groups of about 120 ewes and their lambs.

Each group has access to three or four to five-acre paddocks which are also split temporarily to better manage grass quality in periods of peak growth. A batch of 40 to 50 dry, home-bred yearling hoggets (40-50 also purchased in autumn) is also split across the three groups and grazed with ewes and lambs.

Explaining the reasoning behind the move, Ned says running hoggets on their own would add another grazing group to contend with. The group would also not be big enough to graze down any area quick enough. Increasing the grazing group size also ensures paddocks are grazed quicker, reducing the incidence of grazing regrowths and offering fresh grass more frequently.

Weather woes

Ned says lamb performance has been marginally affected by recent weather conditions. “Grass growth is holding up OK but there has been no big lift in growth rates that you would normally expect in late April/early May.

“Temperatures have also been lower than normal and lambs are showing the effects with a drier coat.”

The harsh weather also led to a higher incidence of mastitis this spring. “About 10 ewes got mastitis. I think it was probably caused in some of the younger ewes by orf. Two died, the rest are culls but they’ll go some way in purchasing replacements later in the year.”

The changeable weather has also led to an increase in scald in lambs. Lambs are run through a solution of zinc sulphate with repeat treatments at two- to three-day intervals if needed.

Balancing labour and output

A significant theme on the day is balancing labour with output. Up until recent years, all ewes were housed over the winter and lambed indoors. Ned says high labour demands clashing with tillage field work and high costs of housing ewes on an all-concentrate diet caused him to re-evaluate the system, with question marks about the future of a sheep enterprise in that form. Since moving to outdoor lambing, labour has been greatly cut. Lessons focused on at the walk include the importance of closing paddocks from October onwards, matching lambing date to grass supply, having a back-up plan in place for poor weather and the system of supervision operated during the lambing period.

Components of physical and financial performance and their impact on helping the farm achieve an excellent gross margin of over €800/ha will be discussed in detail by Ned and his B&T adviser Paddy O’Brien. This includes weaning 1.6 lambs per ewe joined to rams, finishing regimes and sales pattern for lambs and keeping costs in check.

The walk is free to attend with pre-booking registration not required. Further information on the walk can be found online at www.irishgrassland.com while the article detailing winter feeding and breeding printed last December can be found at www.farmersjournal.ie.

There will be presentations on the farm on the following subjects:

Benefits of producer and purchasing groups: Longford sheep and beef farmer and IGA committee member Kevin Farrell will discuss his experience of partaking in beef and lamb producer groups along with the pros and cons of being a member of a farm input purchasing group.

Faecal egg count testing: Teagasc sheep specialist Frank Hynes will give a step by step practical demonstration detailing how and when to carry out a faecal egg test along with information on interpreting its results. Frank will also give advice on optimum dosing practices to ensure optimum efficiency of treatment.

From M8 North/Wford

Take the Cork/W’Ford road (tolled road). Take the first exit for W’ford (R710)/Tramore (R675). Go straight through the first roundabout. Take second exit at next roundabout and take third exit at next roundabout signposted Kilmeadan/Whitfield Clinic R680. At second crossroads, take left signposted Tramore/seaside resort (R682). Pass three crossroads and at fourth take a right, signposted Dunhill. Farm will be signposted from there. For patrons coming from Dunhill direction, the farm will be signposted from there.