Grass management: Grassland management is challenging at present with low grass growth rates in some areas and a standstill in growth in other areas witnessing farm covers being depleted.

There is some rainfall in the longer-term forecast.

If this materialises it will help to boost growth rates but rain alone will not be enough to bring grass covers back to the desired levels. Strategic use of fertiliser will be required to leave the farm in a position of being able to build grass covers heading into the autumn.

Fertilser application should be targeted ahead of forecasted rainfall for optimum N uptake in swards.

Ram effect: Last week’s sheep breeding supplement generated a few follow-on queries. Starting with the ram effect to compact the mating and lambing season, preparations must begin at least a month in advance. Female sheep must be out of sight and smell of rams for at least the previous month.

The timing of the practice includes introducing rams on day one for a period of 24 to 48 hours. Introducing rams will trigger a silent heat (not detected by rams) in most ewes that are not already cycling within 36 hours while a proportion of ewes will have a silent heat after six days.

Allowing vasectomised or aproned rams to mix with ewes works best but it can also successfully work by running rams on one side of a fence such as sheep wire and rams on the other.

Ewes will generally cycle about 17 days after the final silent heat giving rise to two peak mating periods – at day 18 after rams were first introduced and at day 23. It is advised to introduce fertile rams; however, at day 14 to allow for any variation in cycle length and also to pick up any sheep which were actively cycling at the time of ram introduction.

2027 festival dates: There were also a few queries regarding the most appropriate lambing date to be in a position to take advantage of potential higher demand during religious festivals. Easter Sunday falls on 28 March in 2027. The Islamic religious festival of Ramadan is expected to commence on 8 February and end in March 2027 while the later religious festival of Eid al-Adha is expected to run from 16 to 19 May 2027.

Store lamb calculator: Teagasc has updated its store lamb finishing calculator with updated costs and animal sale values. The calculator which can be found here is a useful tool for farmers considering purchasing store lambs and can also be used for farmers weighing up whether to retain and finish lambs or sell them as stores. It is summarised in more detail on page 31 and is worth farmers looking at.

SWS condition score: Farmers participating in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme who selected the body condition score (BCS) action should note that the first BCS assessment should take place by 31 July with the second taking place between 1 August and 15 October. The number of breeding ewes at BCS 1 or 2 should be clearly recorded in the action booklet and such ewes offered preferential treatment.