Sheep enterprises continue to face significant challenges with regards to escalated input costs. Fertiliser prices are slowly reducing and all forecasts point to lower concentrate and energy costs as the year progresses.

This will be a welcome relief when it materialises but there is still a long road ahead. As such, the focus must be to keep costs in check and utilise production efficiencies, where possible, to help drive high levels of performance.

There is no silver bullet here but a combination of practices or technologies can deliver significant benefits. The Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), which opened earlier this year, includes a requirement for participating flocks to purchase genotyped rams.

The full requirements are detailed here.

Recent studies have shown that a flock utilising five-star genetics has the potential to generate €18 more profit per ewe. There are huge opportunities in hill sheep flocks to use the SIS as a way to kickstart data collection and harness demand for rams with accurate breeding information.

Health planning is another area where significant gains can be made. The risk of blowfly strike and tick-borne diseases will increase substantially in the coming weeks. A good preventative programme will ensure performance is not compromised and that there is no rise in mortality.

While the aim for many flocks is to keep spending to a minimum, it is important that the business continues to move forward.

Investments that will improve production efficiencies or reduce labour should be considered where finances allow.

The opening of the new Farm Safety Capital Investment Scheme (FSCIS) is highly anticipated, with this TAMS entry route offering grant aid of 60% on a range of handling equipment. The full details are outlined here.