The warm weather was certainly welcome on Tullamore farm this week. The good spell will, hopefully, boost grass growth after silage was cut two weeks ago and help build a good supply of quality swards before lambs are weaned in the coming weeks.

This week saw the tillage get its final spray. The winter barley will, hopefully, not require another spray. It was also a week in which Tullamore Farm manager Shaun Diver got spraying done after the grass reseed, sown following harvesting of the forage rye in May.

This year's reseed has been slow to establish, and Shaun has put that down to cold weather. It’s now up and growing but has some grass weeds, which Shaun will keep under control. He has selected a clover-safe spray as there has been a good establishment of clover, and there is a low number of docks, which is a good sign. There was, originally, an issue with docks, and the tillage crops were sown in an effort to get a good kill on the docks. Hopefully they will now remain under control.

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First lamb draft

The last of the slurry has been spread this week following silage. There will only be a small second cut as there is a good supply of silage in the yard, and Shaun is targeting the slurry at the silage ground, to replenish the off-take of nutrients.

This week saw the first draft of lambs sold, albeit a small number. With only seven drafted, Shaun will have a good marker as to when he will wean the lambs. With the strong price for cull ewes, Shaun is pulling any culls that were marked back in spring, to capitalise on the current trade before a flush of ewes after weaning.