Sheep farming

The latest sheep farming news and sheep prices from the Irish Farmers Journal. Keep up to date with all farming and production news developments in the sheep farming sector.

Pedigree
Bumper entry for Galway Sheep Breeders show and sale
Darren Carty
The sale of the native breed is one of the largest in recent years with over 100 sheep entered including a strong ewe lamb class and 20 rams, 13 of which are SIS eligible.
Bumper entry for Galway Sheep Breeders show and sale
 
 
Dutch authorities unable to identify source of bluetongue strain
Beef
Dutch authorities unable to identify source of bluetongue strain
Farmers' opinions on animal health needed for European study
News
Farmers' opinions on animal health needed for European study
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Northern Ireland
‘Lack of awareness’ undervaluing local lamb - UFU
News
Bluetongue a ‘serious threat to Irish cattle and sheep’ - McConalogue
VIDEOS
MANAGEMENT
Bright start to Cheviot sheep sales
Darren Carty
Bright start to Cheviot sheep sales
A number of sales held in the last week all reported a similar trend of keen demand for relatively tight supplies of quality ewe hoggets and ewe lambs.
Sheep Management: inspection preparation, ram management and fertiliser deadline
Darren Carty
Sheep Management: inspection preparation, ram management and fertiliser deadline
Breeding is a good time to check for missing tags as it avoids unnecessary handling of sheep in early gestation.
MARKETS
Sheep Trends: kill climbs above 60,000 head
Darren Carty
Sheep Trends: kill climbs above 60,000 head
Higher ewe throughput has lifted the kill above 60,000 head for only the second time since spring, with good-quality fleshed lambs still sought after.
Sheep mart comment: steady trade with marginal increases in price
Martin Merrick
Sheep mart comment: steady trade with marginal increases in price
A steady week of liveweight sales has been underpinned by factories holding or increasing quotes.
GRASS & FEEDING
The Grass Week: farm covers slowly building ahead of autumn
Martin Merrick
The Grass Week: farm covers slowly building ahead of autumn
There has been a steady build-up of growth over the last while, with farm covers now sitting at 714kg DM/ha on average.
The Grass Week: moderate growth leads to little surplus
Martin Merrick
The Grass Week: moderate growth leads to little surplus
While soil temperatures have increased marginally, grass growth is still below average for the time of year.
BREEDING & HEALTH
'Merchants hung out to dry on medicines bill' - ILMA
Adam Woods
'Merchants hung out to dry on medicines bill' - ILMA
Adam Woods speaks to Offaly merchant Ollie Ryan about the signing into law of the new veterinary medicines bill.
Texel ram lamb sells for €3,750 at second Texel premier sale
Rachel Gallagher
Texel ram lamb sells for €3,750 at second Texel premier sale
Rachel Gallagher reports from Carnaross Mart for the Irish Texel Sheep Society's second premier sale.
FARM PROGRAMMES
Barley passing for malting but yields vary
Conor Kehoe
Barley passing for malting but yields vary
This week, Conor Kehoe talks to farmers in Waterford, Galway, and Meath as the spring barley harvest begins to wrap up.
Harvest continues with varied yields
Conor Kehoe
Harvest continues with varied yields
This week, Conor Kehoe talks to farmers in Kilkenny, Westmeath, and Down as farmers continue to battle the weather to harvest their crops.
In pictures: planting and managing hedgerows on the Footprint Farms
Kelsey Daly
In pictures: planting and managing hedgerows on the Footprint Farms
Across the country, the lush hedgerows of Footprint Farms display rich biodiversity, showcasing the role these living borders play in supporting wildlife and sustainable farming. Kelsey Daly reports.
Malting barley and planting oilseed rape
Conor Kehoe
Malting barley and planting oilseed rape
This week, Conor Kehoe talks to farmers in Derry, Dublin and Tipperary, as spring crops begin to be harvested.
Capper Trading’s Complete RationsSPONSORED
Capper Trading’s Complete Rations
Assuming protein and mineral levels are sufficient in the diet, the performance of finishing cattle is driven by the energy content of the overall diet
How Cultivate’s quick loan approval process is making life easier for farmersSPONSORED
How Cultivate’s quick loan approval process is making life easier for farmers
With a growing herd and on-farm enterprise, dairy farmers Andrew and Aodhagon Smith recognised the need to invest in their farm...
Sustainability in Irish agriculture: rising to the challenge SPONSORED
Sustainability in Irish agriculture: rising to the challenge
Sustainability is a key focus in agricultural discussions, sparking a range of perspectives. For Irish farmers, it represents both a challenge and an opportunity.
Lidl gives Kickstart to more than 250 irish producersSPONSORED
Lidl gives Kickstart to more than 250 irish producers
Over 220 Lidl stores across Ireland are set to stock their shelves with over 100 new artisan products from 45 producers across 20 counties, thanks to Lidl Kickstart Supplier Development Programme.
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