OviCast

Sheep specialists, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello, are on this week’s OviCast as they discuss the focus on lamb finishing at the sheep section of the Teagasc stand at this year’s National Ploughing Championships. 

Michael talks to us about some of the decisions that need to be made with regards to lamb finishing and purchasing stores this autumn. 

Damian takes us through some of the technical areas they will focus on and they discuss the demo that will be there on the day. 

We finish up with Michael encouraging those visiting to drop in and visit the team to discuss the options for finishing lambs and all other sheep related queries.

Link to the store lamb calculator:

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/animals/sheep/Store-lamb-finishing-calculator_2024.xlsx

 For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, gives her monthly update on the latest OviCast podcast discussing grass management tips for the month ahead. 

Niamh discusses current growth rates and grass covers and some of the variation across the country. We discuss building covers and planning ahead for closing up paddocks. 

Niamh also discusses the fertiliser register and upcoming deadlines for fertiliser slurry and FYM. 

We finish up with Niamh offering tips on grazing autumn reseeds.

For more, you can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

For this week’s OviCast, we catch up with postgraduate student, Jake Delaney, to discuss some of the results of a survey he collected last year looking at ovine lameness in Ireland and assessment of farmer management. 

Jakes gives us some background to the issues and his survey and we discuss the type and level of lameness reported and the increased levels of CODD. 

Jake talks to us about correct identification and the impact that can have on control. We discuss management practices on farm to reduce lameness, prompt treatment, culling repeat offenders and quarantine. 

We finish up with Jake summarising some of the key findings and other ongoing work in the area.  

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Dr. Frank Campion re-joins us as we discuss lamb performance post-weaning on the latest OviCast podcast.

Frank talks about lamb performance on farms post-weaning and some of the factors that influence this. 

We discuss lamb growth rates since weaning on the BETTER farms and how they have been managing lambs. 

We move on to discuss lamb management, finish times, supplementation and where the priorities lie on farms for the coming weeks.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Dr. Frank Campion joins us on this week’s OviCast as we discuss getting the ewe flock in the right condition for mating. 

Frank discusses some of the tasks that need to be completed at the moment. We discuss the ewe condition on the better farms post weaning and some of the causes of low body condition at present and the management of replacement hoggets.  

We move on to discuss nutritional requirements, grazing management and keeping sufficient replacements. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, gives her monthly update discussing grass management tips for the month ahead. 

Niamh discusses current growth rates and grass covers and some of the variation across the country. 

We discuss building covers as we head into the autumn with Niamh offering advice on reducing demand and fertiliser application. 

We finish up with Niamh offering tips on grazing management at present.

For more, you can subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

We’re joined on this week’s OviCast by Dr Philip Creighton to discuss autumn redesign. 

We start by discussing the impact of timing on reseeds. We discuss field prep, different reseeding methods and their suitability and fertiliser and lime applications. 

Philip also explains variety selection and the inclusion of clover, plus we discuss post-sowing management, the grazing of new reseeds this autumn and the impact that can have on production next spring. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

We’re joined on this week’s episode of OviCast by Jaynell Anderson, Programme Manager with Sheep Ireland, to discuss the SIS Genotype ram task. 

With ram sales underway, Jaynell gives us a recap on what the requirements of the SIS ram task are for hill and lowland flocks and how to identify eligible SIS approved rams in sales catalogues and using the ram search tool. 

We also discuss some of the frequently asked questions about the task and we finish up discussing ram supply and the upcoming multibreed sale in August and the new hill ram sale later this Autumn.

For the ram search go to: 

https://appsh.sheep.ie/ram-search

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, joins us on this week’s OviCast as we catch up with Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, to get an update on the current situation and discuss management tips in the coming weeks.

Niamh first highlights the factors that have limited grass growth over the last number of months. 

She also comments on the long term Nitrogen fertiliser type trial at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, which provides an insight as to how different fertiliser types/formulations have performed under the same conditions and with N applied at the same time and at the same rate. 

Niamh discusses ways to reduce demand by scanning early to remove empty cows and cull ewes and the introducing of creep to lambs and weanlings.  

Coming into August, it is important to focus on building grass covers and Niamh explains the ways farmers can achieve this, as well as discussing fertiliser plans and the need to target slurry to replenish offtakes and completing fodder budget. 

Niamh then finishes up discussing her key tips for management in the coming weeks.

Further information is available at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/

Subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

This week we talk to Dr Orla Keane about monitoring the parasite challenge in lambs. 

We discuss the challenge stomach worms poses from this point of the season onward with Orla talking about using faecal sampling to monitor worm burden, explaining the process, what’s being tested and what the results mean. 

Orla also discusses the thresholds for dosing and the factors that influence the rise in worm counts. 

We move on to discuss drench testing to determine dose efficacy and we finish up highlighting best practice around faecal sampling and why it should be used on farms. 

For more information go to: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/flock-health/anthelmintic-resistance/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast