Lambing is progressing well here at the moment despite the inclement weather this spring. Weather and ground conditions between now and this time last year are nearly polar opposites. Grass growth is extremely poor and any covers that are on fields are disappearing rapidly where stock are out grazing.

Speaking to other farmers across the country, this seems to be a common picture and something that may have knock-on effects for the months ahead.

The first group of 230 ewes has been mobbed up in an attempt to utilise the grass more efficiently. The gates between a number of the fields were opened to let the ewes and lambs from each field make their own way between each field for a few days, allowing them space to get used to each other. Ewes and lambs are tightened up over a number of days by excluding them from fields at either end of the field network and closing the gates behind. This is repeated until all ewes and lambs have been grouped into one field which they are left to graze out before being moved into the next field.

With growth poor at the moment, I will probably introduce some meal to the ewes to help slow down the grazing rotation without reducing the dry matter intake of the ewes.

The artificially inseminated ewes have begun lambing down at full capacity. As a result, there hasn’t been much time to get out measuring the grass yet this week. It featured low down on the daily checklist of tasks needing to be done as we struggled to keep the lambing pens cleared and moved into grouping pens.

Hopefully, I will get a chance before this weekend as this batch of ewes lambing tapers off. Just from walking around the fields checking the ewes and lambs that I was able to bring out to the fields, covers appear to be good. However, with growth rates appearing to be well back on expectations for this time of year, these will not last long.

Things got off to a rocky start for the Central Progeny Testing (CPT) group, with a number of ewes aborting. It is always a nerve-wracking time when this happens, as you always expect the worst.

I will always try my best to get samples sent into the Regional Veterinary Lab in Kilkenny for testing because not doing so is like driving down a motorway blindfolded and expecting to arrive safe at your destination.

The results came back after a few days with positive readings for toxoplasmosis. This is something that I do vaccinate for, thankfully, as obviously we have had a storm and the vaccine has done its job for the majority of the flock in protecting them.

However, it is frustrating to lose lambs in this way. Fingers crossed that there will be no more cases this year. I will have to investigate and explore the causes of such issues and look for ways to reduce risks.

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