This week’s OviCast is the second part of the discussion on colostrum with Professor Tommy Boland and he discusses how colostrum impacts the lamb.

Tommy starts by explaining the various roles colostrum has once it is consumed by the newborn lamb and how each of these affects lamb survival and performance.

He highlights the importance of ensuring the lamb consumes sufficient quantities of colostrum quickly after birth and how this affects the transfer of immunity from the ewe to the lamb.

Tommy discusses the colostrum alternatives that are available and what role they play, and why caution is needed when using them.

Finally, Tommy offers his insights on how colostrum intake not only influences lamb survival and passive immunity,, but also plays a role in the early development of the rumen and impacts on subsequent lamb performance.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Ensuring lambs receive adequate colostrum is vital to get them off to the best possible start and making sure ewes have adequate supplies is the starting point for this.

In a 2-part special, Professor Tommy Boland joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss this important topic in more detail.

Firstly, Tommy focuses on the factors that influence colostrum production in the ewe and he explains the various functions of colostrum.

Tommy discusses how production starts and the quantity a ewe needs to produce with Tommy explaining the various nutritional factors that have an impact on the quantity and quality of colostrum a ewe produces.

He also explains the effects that ewe body condition, age and breed have on colostrum production and details some of reasons for poor milk let down in ewes post-lambing.

Finally, Tommy discusses why the importance of getting management right not only ensures adequate colostrum production, but also sets the ewe up for early lactation.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Following on from last week’s OviCast, Michael Gottstein joins Ciarán Lynch on the latest episode to discuss planning a fertiliser budget for your farm this year.

Michael starts by discussing the challenge that increased fertiliser prices pose on farms and why it’s important to take action now.

He explains why it’s important to look at your overall fertiliser spend on farm now and take into account what merchant credit and alternative credit is available to avoid the situation of unforeseen debt later in the year.

Michael outlines a practical example of a fertiliser budget that he completed for a farmer this spring. He details how the farmer will incur an increase in spend but, through product substitution and a slight reduction in application rate, it will still allow the farmer to spread 80% of the nitrogen he used last year with the budget available.

Michael discusses the option for some farms to reduce stocking rate by selling unproductive stock and why it’s a year to focus on the basics of grassland management and correcting soil pH.

Finally, Michael encourages farmers to complete a fertiliser budget and seek assistance from advisors in completing this task where necessary.

For more information:

https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2022/virtual-sheep-conference-2022.php

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Grassland researcher, Dr Philip Creighton, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss various aspects of grassland management this spring.

Philip starts by discussing current grass availability on farm with the higher than average winter growth. He moves on to the topic of fertiliser purchases this spring and Philip emphasises the need to complete a budget for the fertiliser spend on the farm this year.

Philip explains the impact that timing, conditions and grass covers have on response rates for fertiliser this spring and he also discusses tailoring fertiliser application rates depending on stocking rate and demand on farm.

With producers considering alternative feed supplies, Philip highlights the pitfalls of relying on purchased concentrate to make up the shortfall in feed supply where fertiliser isn’t applied.

Philip also discusses using available slurry and FYM and why compound P & K will need to be applied on recent reseeds, where clover has been established, and low indexed silage ground where needed.

He encourages farmers to consider conducting a soil test this year and to apply lime where needed.

Finally, Philip highlights how getting grazing groups established early will be key to managing supply this spring with reduced fertiliser input – a topic OviCast will revisit as spring progresses.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

With the Teagasc National Sheep Conference just around the corner, this week’s OviCast was joined by Dr. Fiona McGovern to give us a preview of what’s in store this year.

Fiona starts by discussing the format and topics covered in this year’s conference which takes place online over two nights on Tuesday and Thursday the 25th and 27th of January at 8pm.

Fiona and Ciarán discuss the line-up of speakers with Fiona giving the highlights of the papers on both nights.

Finally, they finish up with Fiona explaining how you can register for this year’s conference.

To find out more and register please visit: www.teagasc.ie/sheepcon22

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc Advisor, Christy Watson, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss the importance of tacking soil fertility.

Christy starts by explaining why now is the ideal time to take soil samples on farms to determine the fertility status and identify areas that need attention.

Christy takes us through the soil sampling process from how many samples per hectare to the correct collection method and he discusses the importance of acting on the result with Christy highlighting potential savings that can be made by reducing compound usage on high indexed grazing ground this year.

However, Christy also highlights the need to make best use of slurry and farmyard manure on silage ground, highlighting the P and K offtake that occurs on an annual basis and the impact this has on yields.

Finally, he explains the importance of liming and why this is the first port of call when addressing soil fertility issues.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Shane Moore, a Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme participant who is farming outside Athleague in Co Roscommon, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast.

Shane starts by giving a quick re-cap on how mating went this year before discussing closing up his grazing ground this winter and housing the flock earlier than expected in December.

Shane describes the new sheep house that he put up last year and how it left management of his flock a lot easier. He explains this year’s scan results and how he plans to split the flock up for penning on the basis of litter size and expected lambing date.

Finally, he discusses silage results, his feeding plans and why he feels it’s important to start supplementing his pregnant ewe lambs early.

For more on the Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme visit:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/better-farm-sheep/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Tomás O’Toole, a Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme participant, who is farming in Moyard outside of Clifden Co Galway, and sheep specialist Damian Costello, join Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast.

Tomás runs a split hill and lowland flock and a suckler to weaning system which he explains in more detail. He discusses the changes in his flock over the past number of years and his decision to run two separate sheep enterprises, his breeding decisions and the progress and challenges he has encountered on the way.

Tomás explains the move away from selling store lambs to finishing all lambs on the farm and his reasons for doing so, while Damian highlights how this suits Tomás’ system but that it may have limitations for others.

With the lighter hill lambs housed in October, they discuss the indoor finishing of these and how Tomás feels it’s delivering a greater margin for his system.

Finally, Damian highlights the need for regular drafting and assessing fat cover on these type of lambs during intensive finishing period.

For more from the Teagasc BETTER Sheep farm programme:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/better-farm-sheep/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Drs. Tim Keady and Bríd McClearn join Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to explain the EuroSheep project which is a thematic network involving eight partner countries.

Tim gives some background to the project and its aims while Bríd explains how the project is being implemented, firstly by identifying the needs from each of the countries. Bríd also explains how they drew on the resources within each country to come up with solutions to these needs.

Tim discusses how practical ‘tips and tricks’ are being collated to facilitate the implementation of the solutions at farm level and Bríd explains how the distinct messages from the project are being disseminated to the wider industry through social media and the EuroSheep website as well as the upcoming national workshop which will be held next May.

To find out more about the project visit their website at: https://eurosheep.network/ or the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/EuroSheep/

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep Programme participant, Eddie Gavin, his Teagasc advisor Eoin Wolfe and Programme manager Dr Frank Campion join Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss wintering on forage crops.

Eddie, who is farming near Bagenalstown in Co Carlow, gives a bit of background to his farming system and flock. Managing a split flock, Eddie discusses the performance of the early lambing ewes and how mating has gone for the mid-season ewes.

He moves on to discuss his use of forage crops to carry the ewe flocks during the winter months, describes what was sown and how he is managing grazing the crop.

With a good autumn Eoin chats about how crops have yielded locally this year and the high levels of utilisation that was achieved during the early stages of grazing.

Eddie explains how he plans to graze the crops post-lambing with the early lambing ewes and how the multiples in the mid-season flock will be housed after scanning with only the singles and replacements remaining on the crop during February.

Transition of these crops with ewes in late pregnancy can be tricky and Frank explains the potential risks and offers advice on how best to manage the nutritional change during this period.

Finally, Eoin tackles the question of possibly using these crops to finish store lambs as opposed to wintering ewes.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast