For the programme farmers mainly in the west of the province, silage season has kicked off, with the recent spell of dry weather providing ideal growing conditions on farms with heavier land types.
For others, silage fields are being walked regularly to assess the change in sward covers. By walking swards, the farmers are better placed to determine when grass is ready to cut.
Clement Lynch, Park, Co Derry
Clement Lynch has been busy weighing his lambs to determine liveweight gains up to eight weeks of age.
Clement has been using electronic identification (EID) to record his sheep performance for several years and considers the information vital when reviewing flock performance.
Within this year’s lamb crop, weight gains have been pleasing, with a group of twins lambs having a daily liveweight gain of 350g/day.
These lambs have yet to receive their first worm dose and are on a grass diet, with zero concentrates being fed.
Clement also undertook faecal egg counts (FEC) from the same lamb group, which indicated that animals were virtually free of worms at this stage of the year.
With little sign of a worm burden, this will also undoubtedly have had a positive effect on lamb performance.
Read more
Newford update: breeding progress, cutting silage and weighing calves
Sheep prices: trade for Tuesday is relatively steady
For the programme farmers mainly in the west of the province, silage season has kicked off, with the recent spell of dry weather providing ideal growing conditions on farms with heavier land types.
For others, silage fields are being walked regularly to assess the change in sward covers. By walking swards, the farmers are better placed to determine when grass is ready to cut.
Clement Lynch, Park, Co Derry
Clement Lynch has been busy weighing his lambs to determine liveweight gains up to eight weeks of age.
Clement has been using electronic identification (EID) to record his sheep performance for several years and considers the information vital when reviewing flock performance.
Within this year’s lamb crop, weight gains have been pleasing, with a group of twins lambs having a daily liveweight gain of 350g/day.
These lambs have yet to receive their first worm dose and are on a grass diet, with zero concentrates being fed.
Clement also undertook faecal egg counts (FEC) from the same lamb group, which indicated that animals were virtually free of worms at this stage of the year.
With little sign of a worm burden, this will also undoubtedly have had a positive effect on lamb performance.
Read more
Newford update: breeding progress, cutting silage and weighing calves
Sheep prices: trade for Tuesday is relatively steady
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