After a difficult number of weeks, conditions appear to be turning the corner providing an opportunity to get grazing back on track, and on this week’s OviCast, we’re joined by Dr Philip Creighton to discuss some of the steps needed over the coming weeks. 

Philip starts by discussing the impact recent conditions have had on sheep systems.  He discusses grazing targets, fertiliser type and application rates for the coming weeks, emphasising the need to boost supplies during a period of high demand. 

Philip highlights need to plan for making a proportion of high quality silage and replenishing stocks that were depleted this spring. 

Finally, he discusses grazing groups, batching up and residence periods in grazing paddocks. 

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

Dr. Orla Keane is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the challenge of Nematodirus in lambs this spring. 

Orla first explains how the Nematodirus challenge can carry over on farms from year to year. 

She highlights the Department of Agriculture Nematodirus forecast and the implications for farmers. 

Orla explains what age it affects lambs, the clinical signs, as well as the risk for young calves. 

She also discusses the possibility of co-infection with Coccidia and explains the treatment options and best practice when administering doses to young lambs. 

Here is the link to the Department of Agriculture Nematodirus forecast for 2023:
https://bit.ly/Nematodirus_Forecast_23

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

On this week’s OviCast podcast, we’re joined by postgraduate student, Jake Delaney, and Teagasc Researcher, Dr Frank Campion, to discuss a new project that aims to examine lameness and associated issues on Irish farms. 

Jake first outlines the common causes and issues around lameness, while Frank discusses the impact it has on performance and some of the practical control issues that occur at farm level. 

Jake explains what they will be examining in the study and highlights an online survey that is currently available and that he encourages farmers to complete.

The survey can be accessed here:

https://bit.ly/Lameness23 

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

Conditions during March have been difficult and has thrown up many challenges for farmers. 

On this week's OviCast podcast, we’re joined by Teagasc’s Head of Sheep, Michael Gottstein, to discuss this in more detail and offer some advice on how to manage things through this period for those at different stages - from those lambed in early March, to those currently lambing and with outdoor lambing flocks. 

We discuss various aspects of management, grazing, nutrition and hygiene and highlight some of the disease risks during the period with Michael offering some useful tips and advice on each.  

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

Having access to some source of hot water in the farmyard is essential, especially in spring. 

For some farms however, there is a requirement to supply larger volumes either for artificial rearing of lambs or calves or for general farm use. 

So what are the options and which suits best? This week’s OviCast is joined by Teagasc Researcher, Dr John Upton, to shed some light on this topic. 

John first outlines the various heat sources that are available and emphasises the importance of knowing what the individual demand is on the farm. 

He discusses the capacity, energy efficiency and running costs of the various heating systems before offering some tips on the maintenance of these systems and highlighting some factors that will influence their longevity on farms.  

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

Sheep specialist, Michael Gottstein, is on this week’s OviCast podcast to talk about diagnosing and treating hypothermia in lambs. 

Michael explains what hypothermia is, the symptoms and predisposing factors. 

They discuss steps involved to warm these lambs up to normal body temperature based on age, severity and the type of energy source required. 

Michael explains why and how to use the glucose/intra-peritoneal injection, describing the technique, how to make up the glucose solution and why it’s a vital lifesaving technique that farmers can use. 

Here also is a link to a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar covering this and other lambing related topics: 

https://bit.ly/Letstalksheep_Mar23

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

Dr Emer Kennedy joins Ciarán Lynch on this latest OviCast podcast to talk about some key aspects of colostrum management on farms. 

Emer explains the importance of colostrum in newborn ruminants and discusses the importance of hygiene during the collection process, storage both fresh and frozen of the colostrum, as well as the correct thawing procedure. 

Emer highlights the impact management has on colostrum quality during each of these tasks and offers some useful practical tips that farmers can implement this spring.  

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

County Antrim veterinarian and sheep farmer, Paul Crawford, who is also the chairman of the Northern Ireland Sheep Scab Group joins us on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss sheep scab.

Paul starts by explaining what causes sheep scab, the clinical symptoms and how to diagnose it in flocks. 

We discuss the routes of transmission and risk factors for the spread of mites before Paul takes us through the treatment options and the challenge of developing resistance to some of these, highlighting the importance of best practice. 

We discuss some of the findings from his Ph.D. studies on the numbers of outbreaks, disease awareness and treatment in practice in Northern Irish flocks. 

Finally, Paul highlights a new project that launched last year to tackle the issue on farms. 

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

In this bonus episode from a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar, you'll hear from veterinarian Charles Chavasse who is the Area Veterinary Manager with Zoetis. 

Charles describes what the different clostridial diseases are and how they affect the animal. 

He goes on to explain the vaccination process adding some useful tips and highlights some common pitfalls. 

Charles also takes questions submitted by the audience on the night and a full recording of the webinar will be available on the Teagasc YouTube channel at:
https://www.youtube.com/user/TeagascMedia 

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

This week’s OviCast podcast is from a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar with Maresa Sheehan who is based in the DAFM RVL in county Kilkenny. 

Maresa talks about the flock health issues that they observe in the lab each spring, what causes them and explains what approach to take when issues occur. 

She goes on to discuss the thin ewe survey which is a new project being run by the RVLs across the country this year. 

Maresa also takes questions submitted by the audience on the night and a full recording of the webinar will be available on the Teagasc YouTube channel at:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TeagascMedia 

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