I farm: “100 pedigree and commercial ewes on 20ac owned and a small bit rented. We breed Irish sport horses and train dogs and I work as a vet in Kenmare.”

Lambing: “We’ve been lambing on and off since the start of the year. There’s a few repeats still left. They’re going well overall. We built a new sheep shed last year so they’ve been lambing inside. I keep 40 pedigree ewes. They’re Hampshire Down, Suffolk and Bluefaced Leicester and then the rest are commercial. We’re vaccinating, weighing lambs and dosing this week, all the usual that’ll keep you going.”

Weather: “From a grass growing point of view, it hasn’t been good. We’re higher here and we still have frost. We’re quite exposed.

Input costs: Meal costs have of course affected us. You want to feed high-quality ration to the ewes and creep for the lambs to give them the best chance but prices are nearly twice what they were the year before.”

Horses: “I have two breeding mares, both 10. They’re Irish sport horses, for eventing and show jumping. I just sold their yearlings and we’ve one three-year-old we’re putting to work. The mares haven’t foals at the moment as we usually don’t breed them back-to-back. But they’ll be put in foal in the next few weeks.”

\ Valerie O'Sullivan

Dogs: “I train a few sheepdogs in my spare time. We have five dogs in total including a seven-month-old in training. I would be really tempted to try the trials with him but we’ll see how he goes.”

Veterinary: “You get the farmer’s point of view when you have it both ways. It helps when they know you’re used to the hardship of it as well. My practice, Our Creatures Vet Centre, mainly does the horses and sheep but we do the odd calf here and there.”

\ Valerie O'Sullivan

Women in agriculture: “We need women but we need young people as well. Going to the marts, it’s all old farmers. You’d worry who’s going to take it on. Nowadays, female farmers are very well trained and educated. They just need the support.”