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

Niamh also highlights opening covers on farms and current growth rates, plus we discuss fertiliser prices and targeted application before finishing up with grazing management.

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

Kieran O’Mahony, Area Veterinary Manager at Zoetis, joins us on this week’s OviCast to discuss Clostridial vaccination in sheep. 

Kieran outlines the challenges posed by Clostridial disease, followed by an in-depth discussion on vaccination strategies and optimal timing for both ewes and lambs. 

We also cover key practical considerations, including proper vaccine storage and administration, and why these steps are crucial for effectiveness. 

Additionally, we address the supply challenges encountered this year and their impact on vaccination programmes.

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

As lambing season approaches, we're joined by Dr. Frank Campion to discuss key aspects of managing ewe condition at this critical stage of the production cycle. 

Frank begins by analysing the latest scan results from the BETTER farms and comparing them to previous seasons. We also examine the challenges posed by lower feed value silage this year and its implications for feeding plans.

Frank highlights the significant impact of ewe body condition score (BCS) on lamb survival, growth rates, and flock culling decisions. 

We explore practical short-term strategies to mitigate these effects, with a particular focus on the heightened vulnerability of younger ewes.

For more information: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/events/2025/Are-we-paying-enough-attention-to-ewe-body-condition-score-and-how-important-is-it.pdf

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

Jason Callaghan from the AIMS division in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine joins this week’s OviCast to discuss various aspects of the Sheep Census.  

Jason outlines the key dates and deadlines for submission and explains the three different methods available:

-        Written form

-        Agfood account

-        Using the AIMS Services app

He also walks us through the different census categories and provides guidance on how to complete the submission process. 

For more information contact: [email protected]

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 first discusses over-winter growth and the importance of assessing opening covers; she then explains the spreading dates for chemical and organic fertiliser and the need to ensure conditions are suitable before spreading. 

Finally, Niamh encourages anyone who has soil samples to collect to do so in the coming weeks to address soil fertility this year.

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

Environmental specialist, Tim Hyde, joins us on this week’s OviCast to discuss calculating nitrate stocking rates on farms. 

Tim explains how this figure is calculated for different classes of livestock. We discuss how to find the figures for cattle and how to calculate the contribution of sheep on the farm. 

With new regulations in effect this year, Tim explains how this may impact producers for the coming season and the importance of knowing your own farm figures. 

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

With the cold snap this week, there’s a bonus OviCast episode with sheep specialists Damian Costello and Michael Gottstein sharing valuable insights on managing sheep farms during the present conditions. 

Damian addresses challenges such as water supply and handling stock, emphasising the importance of safety during this difficult period and highlighting key considerations for farmers. 

Michael discusses the impact on livestock, providing guidance on managing hypothermic lambs and the importance of supplementing feed. 

He concludes by encouraging farmers to check in on their neighbours and reaching out for assistance when needed during this period.

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

Each year, the Teagasc Agricultural Economics and Farm Surveys Department reviews the current production year and examines the prospects for the upcoming agricultural season. 

For this week’s OviCast, recorded just before Christmas, I sit down with Teagasc researcher Anne Kinsella to discuss the performance of the sheep sector in 2024 and the outlook for 2025.

Our conversation covers key topics, including price trends, changes in input costs, export markets, and profit margins. We also explore the outlook for the coming season, the influence of international markets on producers, and recent trends in global trade.

For more detailed information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2024/Outlook-Sheep_DEC2024_AKFinal.pdf

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

Dr. Tim Keady is on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss feeding the ewe during mid-pregnancy and its impact on productivity. 

Tim outlines the energy requirements of the ewe during this phase, we discuss the impact of grass supply and feed value in outdoor scenarios and the impact of different qualities of silages indoors. 

Tim also talks about mobilising reserves, potential condition score loss and the impact that can have on next year’s lamb performance. 

We finish up discussing feed management introducing supplementation to thinner ewes and planning ahead for next year.  

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

Kilkenny sheep farmer, Brian Nicholson, joins this week’s OviCast to talk about the changes to his farm system in recent years. 

Brian describes how he has converted part of his farm over to an organic system, we discuss the sheep, beef and tillage systems and their integration and how he has adapted his farm to suit. 

We finish up discussing how he is incorporating agro-forestry into his farming system.  

 
The Teagasc/FBD Environmental Sustainability Awards video of Brian Nicholson’s farm:

https://youtu.be/jXgk4ZnJxxo

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