2016 in photos: December – early lambing, winter milking and festive farming

December is the most festive month of the year and our photographers captured all the action on farms ahead of Christmas.

Simon Brown, along with his father Rory, harvesting noble and nordmann fir christmas trees in Co Kilkenny. Photo: Jack Caffrey

Second generation turkey producer Paul Hogan with his tradtional free-range woodland bronze turkeys at Charelfort Estate, Corotown, Kells, Co Meath. Photo: Jack Caffrey

Joan Sullivan, Aughnakillmore, Ballinalee, Co Longford, with her Christmas turkeys. Joan is a Department of Agriculture-approved free-range turkey and chicken farmer. They also keep home-reared Angus and Hereford.

Joan featured in My Farming Week and you can watch her in action here.

Michael Roche and farm manager Brian Curtin are pictured washing up after milking cows on the farm at Ballybrack, Carrignavar, Co Cork, where Michael works with his son, Seamus. Seamus and Michael supply milk to Glanbia Ingredients Ireland and put milk through the co-op’s winter milk scheme that pays a top-up on the base price for the months of October to February. Photo Donal O’Leary

In December, the IFA remembered the farmers who marched in 1966 for Farmers’ Rights.

Here we look at three of the men who marched to Dublin.

Wicklow men Jim Porter, Aughrim; Joe O’Loughlin, Carnew, and Peader Shortt, Ashford, who is holding a photo of the three of them during the march, were among the surviving veterans of the Farmers’ Rights Campaign at a national IFA commemoration in the RDS to mark the 50th anniversary of the event. Photo: Finbarr O’Rourke

Early lambing and farm work

Ciaran Coughlan checking his newborn pedigree Vendeen lambs at Noggues, Ferbane, Co Offaly. Photo: Jack Caffrey

Padraic Niland with lambing Suffolk ewes, Chessy Niland Texel and Suffolk sheep, at Ardrahan, Co Galway. Photo: David Ruffles

Michael Kennedy feeding silage to his Belgian Blue cattle at Lissaleen, Kilconly, Co Galway. Photo: David Ruffles

Animals being brought back to pens after a sale at Ballyjamesduff mart.

Louise Quinn with her Charolais bulls, which were being prepared for the show and sale Christmas Cracker at Elphin Mart. Photo: Ramona Farrelly

At the Kingdom Mart, Tralee, fat stock show and sale. Photo: Valeria O’Sullivan

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