Selecting replacements:

While it is still early for many March lambing flocks to be drafting lambs, those lambing in February will be doing so now. It is important where retaining your own replacements to select lambs early to avoid bringing in poorer-performing lambs (of a similar age to lambs being drafted, but significantly behind in terms of performance). Ideally, some form of a marking system will have been used at birth to allow decisions to be based on a combination of birth records and performance since then.

Selecting 5% to 10% extra replacements will allow for a second draft to be taken from potential replacements at a later stage, when their performance post-weaning can be assessed.

Weather conditions:

Significant variance remains in weather, with growth rates in general much slower in the northern half of the country.

Ciaran Lynch, Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme adviser, reports growth rates of participants in the midlands and north on average only 50% to 60% of those in the south, at 45kg to 60kg DM/ha/day, for the last few weeks, although growth rates have improved in the last week.

The focus in recent weeks has been to try to keep a supply of good-quality grass ahead of ewes and lambs by balancing pre-grazing and post-grazing heights and offering the best-quality grass to priority stock.

This is in contrast to the southern half of the country, where growth rates have allowed surplus grass to be taken out of the rotation for silage.

Where it is unlikely that silage will be harvested to provide a source of high-quality aftergrass for grazing lambs post-weaning, it is important to take steps to ensure top-quality grass is present for lambs post weaning.

Where growth has been running ahead of demand, this may include grazing an area of ground down to between 3.5cm and 4cm with dry ewes or hoggets grazing after ewes and lambs, or topping to promote high-quality regrowth.

In the northern half of the country, it is likely that tight supplies have led to tight grazing, preventing an accumulation of poor-quality grass at the base of the sward.

Applying fertiliser once weather conditions allow will help to boost growth rates and improve grass quality.

The recommendation is 25 to 30 units nitrogen on higher stocked farms (seven to 10 ewes/ha), or where grass supplies are scarce and the aim is to push growth rates. Applying 15 units on lowly stocked farms will help to maintain sward quality.

Faecal egg tests:

Last week’s sheep feature on worm treatment and the benefits of faecal egg tests in determining the requirement to treat lambs or identifying resistance issues through Task 3 of the sheep technology adoption programme (STAP), included a table listing the designated laboratories for testing. Westlab, located in Bellaghy, Charlestown, Co Mayo, was listed as having no sampling kit included in its package.

The company contacted me earlier this week to say a sampling kit is included with the €30 test price quoted for both tests, adding that farmers can apply to receive a kit by texting STAP to 087-9815658.