Central points of recording

There have been some queries of late about central points of recording (CPRs) and the requirement to complete dispatch documents. The Department of Agriculture lists the five main export-orientated sheep plants (Dawn Meats, Ballyhaunis; Irish Country Meats, Camolin and Navan; Kepak Athleague; and Kildare Chilling Company) as operating as CPRs meaning farmers should be able to present sheep tagged and a dispatch document without tag numbers and detailing the number of sheep in the batch. This has bedded in well in most cases but reports show that some plants still require certain sheep such as those traded through producer groups to have their dispatch document completed, which is frustrating farmers. If in doubt, it is worth asking the question when booking in sheep.

The majority of farmers presenting sheep in marts are still required to complete dispatch documents. In terms of marts operating as CPRs, the Department listing has not changed in recent weeks with Carnaross Mart, the three Cork Mart centres in Fermoy, Macroom and Cahir, Clare Marts and New Ross Mart included. Carndonagh Mart has also contacted the Irish Farmers Journal to state it is operating as a CPR.

Farm-to-farm movements

In farm-to-farm movements concerning the permanent movement of sheep through a sale, it is the requirement of the purchaser of sheep to submit the pink copy of the dispatch document to their local Department office. If the movement is notifying a temporary grazing movement, then the onus lies with the owner of the sheep as ownership is not changing.

Clean livestock policy

Heavy rainfall has led to lambs falling foul of the clean livestock policy. As expected, the greatest challenge is with lambs drafted straight from grass swards which have a lower dry matter content and transported with a wet fleece. It is easier said than done but drafting lambs between downpours when their fleece is drier and housing temporarily, pre-loading or grazing on bare paddocks may help. Using sufficient absorbent material on the floor of trailers is also critical where sheep are travelling significant distances.

Sheep Ireland Sale

The annual Sheep Ireland multi-breed €uro-Star sale takes place this Saturday 24 August in Tullamore Mart, commencing at noon. The elite ram sale has the largest catalogued entry in Ireland with 400 rams on offer (129 Texels, 123 Charollais, 68 Suffolk, 39 Belclare, 13 Vendeen, seven Lleyn, four Rouge de L’Ouest and four Hampshire Down).

There is a high entry requirement with all rams rated as five star on the terminal or replacement index and requiring a minimum accuracy of 35% and coming from flocks with a minimum data quality index of 70%. The flock must also have carried out ultrasound scanning for muscle and back fat in 2019. For the first time, the sale will offer a number of DNA parentage verified rams. The sale catalogue can be viewed in advance of the sale at www.sheep.ie. The recently published 2019 LambPlus Guide and Directory of Breeders is also available on the website.