LATEST ARTICLES
Sheep
Sheep Management: weather challenges intensify amid torrential rainfall
Darren Carty
Flocks lambing at present are facing big challenges, with a drop in temperatures compounding this week’s torrential rainfall and waterlogged soils.
20 March 2024 Grass & feeding
Early lactation feeding advice for all situations
The continued inclement weather is creating many challenges for flocks lambing, with grass reserves being depleted fast on many farms, where it was impossible to get slurry or fertiliser applied.
13 March 2024 Grass & feeding
Prioritising fertiliser to get grass moving
Above normal winter temperatures supported relatively positive winter grass growth but fertiliser will now be required to drive on spring grass growth.
Sheep Management: early lactation feeding and suitability of sheep for slaughter
Grass supplies are fair-to-good on many farms, but adverse weather is hampering utilisation in many areas and complicating early lactation feeding.
6 March 2024 Management
Five tips for turning cattle out to grass
Although ground conditions are currently poor, mid- to late-March will hopefully see lighter cattle filtering out to grass as weather improves. Outlined are some tips for turnout.
2 March 2024 Management
Steps to conserve straw supplies this spring
The combination of tighter supplies in the market and earlier housing is said to be concerning many producers heading in to the lambing season, Darren Carty writes.
7 February 2024 Lambing
Sheep Management: supplementary feeding and winter shearing
A high percentage of flocks should now be assessing winter diet options for ewes, with feed reserves built up during autumn now, in most cases, depleted.
10 January 2024 Management
The Grass Week: time to complete closing cover
With it now being the beginning of December, the final grass cover should be completed for the year to assess grass supplies for spring.
2 December 2023 Grass & feeding
Keeping condition on ewes this winter
The body condition of ewes is under the radar with inclement weather presenting continual challenges, grass supplies diminishing rapidly and utilisation at a low level.
29 November 2023 Grass & feeding
Mid-season flocks should have first paddocks closed
Research carried out in Teagasc Athenry shows that mid-season flocks with a stocking rate of 10 to 12 ewes/ha should have 20% of the grazing area closed by mid-October.
25 October 2023 Grass & feeding
Sheep Management: safeguarding against ram infertility and handling store lambs
With breeding well underway on farms, care needs to be taken that grass supplies are not negatively affected by remaining store lambs, while the clean livestock policy also needs to remembered.
25 October 2023 Management
Time to put autumn grazing plans in motion
Mid-season lambing flocks have a few weeks before the first paddocks for grazing next spring will be closed, but flocks lambing earlier need to put plans in motion.
14 October 2023 Management