On this week’s OviCast podcast Ciarán Lynch caught up with Dr Dave Leathwick following this year’s National Sheep Conference. Dave, who is principal scientist in parasitology at the Pastoral Agricultural Research Centre in New Zealand, has for almost 35 years been researching nematode parasites of grazing livestock, with a focus on their biology and control, and the development and management of anthelmintic resistance. Dave discusses the challenge posed by anthelminthic resistance in New Zealan...
Jan 31, 2023•19 min•Ep. 162
Seamus McMenamin, Sector Manager with Bord Bia, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast with an update on the current market trends. Seamus first discusses the throughput in the back end of 2022 and the carryover of lambs into this year before moving on to some of the challenges seen in the current trade and lamb consumption figures in our main markets as well as the domestic trade. Seamus also highlights the current lamb supply and demand on the global market and what the prospects ar...
Jan 26, 2023•16 min•Ep. 161
Dr Tim Keady joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss managing ewe lamb replacements and the influence that has on their subsequent productivity. Tim first outlines the various sources of replacements in the national flocks. With the majority of these replacements not entering flocks until 18-19 months of age, he discusses the various factors during the rearing phase that influence their subsequent productivity. Tim breaks down the rearing phase into winter and summer managem...
Jan 10, 2023•17 min•Ep. 160
For the latest OviCast podcast, Ciarán Lynch is joined by county Leitrim farmer, John O’Connell, who is a participant in the Teagasc Signpost programme. John discusses what’s been happening on the farm in the past few weeks as he has housed the ewe flock. He also talks about grazing management this autumn and some of the challenges and benefits of winter grazing off farm. John explain maintaining ewe condition and the move to winter shearing ewes in recent seasons as well as why he has moved to ...
Jan 06, 2023•17 min•Ep. 159
Sheep Specialists, Michael Gottstein and Damian Costello, join Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss the sheep farming year and look ahead to what’s in store for 2023. Michael first looks back at 2022 and some of the challenges it posed discussing how some farms were better able to adapt to these challenges and what made their systems more resilient. Damian discusses some key tasks that need to be completed early in the New Year to set farms up for 2023. Both Michael and Damian f...
Dec 20, 2022•28 min•Ep. 158
Dr. Frank Campion and postgraduate student, Mark Dolan, join Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast with an update on the ongoing work examining finishing hill-bred lambs on a range of forage crops. Mark first gives the background to the project and what crops they are grazing, followed by an update on crop yield and utilisation this year and the reason for some of the differences observed. They also discuss lamb performance across the different crops and how they have been managed up to thi...
Dec 13, 2022•20 min•Ep. 157
Teagasc Advisor, Serena Gibbons, is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss farm safety this winter. Serena first discusses the recent data from the Teagasc National Farm Survey (NFS) highlighting the number and location of accidents on farms. She highlights the extra challenges the recent cold snap poses and has some practical tips to deal with it as well as the need for some caution around routine tasks. With a lot of work conducted in the evenings in farm yards, Serena details the importanc...
Dec 08, 2022•12 min•Ep. 156
Michael Gottstein, Teagasc's Head of Sheep, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the new Sheep Improvement Scheme launched by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Michael starts by outlining the timeframe for the scheme and the payments available. He discusses how to apply for the scheme and the options for new entrants. He explains how the reference number is calculated for each flock and discusses the tasks involved for both lowland and hill farmers, deta...
Nov 29, 2022•18 min•Ep. 155
Dr. James O’Shaughnessy from the Dept. of Agriculture Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Backweston joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast for a broad discussion on the risk fluke poses this winter. James describes the impact it has on animal health from acute to chronic infection and discusses the forecasted fluke risk for this winter and how that can vary across the country and amongst farms with James explaining detection, sources of information and the importance of farm hi...
Nov 22, 2022•27 min•Ep. 154
Dr Tim Keady is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss some key aspects of finishing lambs in the latter half of the season. Tim gives some context on the numbers finished in the latter half of the season and the levels of performance achieved at grass in late autumn along with the impact of concentrate supplementation. He also discusses indoor finishing systems and some of the key considerations from expected finish date to facilities available. With high concentrate prices, producers will b...
Nov 15, 2022•20 min•Ep. 153
David Coen from Sheep Ireland joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to explain genotyping rams. David outlines the benefits of genotyping rams and the kind of information it can provide from scrapie genotypes to parentage verification to genomic evaluations. David and Ciarán also discuss the processes and costs involved for producers. David then explains the ram genotype task in the Proposed DAFM Sheep Improvement Scheme highlighting the criteria for both lowland and hill flocks. Finally, in...
Nov 08, 2022•12 min•Ep. 152
Teagasc advisor, David Argue, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss some important aspects of ram lamb management as the breeding season draws to a close. Management during the first season can have an impact on ram longevity, David begins by emphasising the importance of having rams acclimatised prior to turnout. He discusses management of ram lambs during the breeding season and in particular the duration of the joining period. David also highlights the importance of mee...
Nov 01, 2022•11 min•Ep. 151
Sean Godfrey from Sheep Ireland is on this week’s OviCast podcast with an update on what’s happening in the Central Progeny Test (CPT) farms. Sean first explains the role of the CPT flocks and the other sources of commercial data that goes into the evaluations. He discusses the number of ewes and rams involved, plus the mating strategy on the farms from the use of cervical AI to mob mating and the role of genotyping to identify parentage. With a lot of traits being measured on the farm Sean take...
Oct 27, 2022•14 min•Ep. 150
As part of Sustainability Week, Teagasc advisor Tom Coll joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the 12 steps from the Teagasc Signpost team to reduce gaseous emissions on sheep farms. Tom starts by highlighting how some of these steps will require a change of mindset, others are common practice on sheep farms which will not only have environmental benefits but will also result in better welfare and profitability on farms. Tom breaks down the 12 steps into 3 key sections: la...
Oct 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 149
Teagasc sheep specialist, Damian Costello, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast with key tips around ram management during the mating period. Firstly, Damian emphasises the need to make sure the ram is physically sound and any aliments are addressed prior to turnout and how this could impact ram fertility. Damian talks about the use of raddle and the need to observe mating activity and in particular repeats during the mating period. He discusses dealing with injured rams and why it’s a good...
Oct 11, 2022•13 min•Ep. 148
Dr Philip Creighton is on this week’s OviCast to discuss some key aspects of grazing management this autumn. Philip first talks about current grazing conditions and supply on farms as well as some of the challenges this autumn. He then discusses the closing plan and how this may need to be modified on farms where supplies are tight. Philip explains how clover or multi species swards may have to be managed slightly differently at closing to get the best out of these swards. Finally, Philip encour...
Oct 04, 2022•18 min•Ep. 147
Shane Moore, BETTER Farm Participant who is farming just outside Athleague in county Roscommon, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to talk about lamb performance and drafting. With the breeding season around the corner, he discusses breeding ewe lambs and how this year’s cohort are shaping up. Shane also discusses grassland management, overall production this year and how he has made some changes to his management from using protected urea to using a dribble bar for slurry to establishing...
Sep 27, 2022•15 min•Ep. 146
Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss some important aspects of lamb drafting at this point in the season. Michael discusses the national kill and type of carcass being supplied and he discusses the expected kill out percentage in lambs and what can influence it. He also explains the issues with under-fleshed carcasses, both in terms of delivering returns to the producer and the type of carcass they produce. Michael then highlights the key area...
Sep 20, 2022•12 min•Ep. 145
With another college year starting off, Emma Tobin from Kildalton Agricultural College joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to highlight the different full time and part time courses that are available. Emma discusses the blended approach to learning from the classroom to the practical side of flock management as well as some of the newer technologies they use. She also discusses the college sheep flock and its management and how it forms a vital part of student education before finishing u...
Sep 13, 2022•15 min•Ep. 144
Séamus Fagan from the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Veterinary Lab in Athlone joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep. Séamus explains how this parasite is sometimes referred to as the barber’s pole and how it affects sheep. With some cases appearing around the country this year, he discusses the symptoms, transmission and control options as well as diagnosis in flocks. Finally, Séamus encourages farmers to be vigilant when it c...
Sep 06, 2022•11 min•Ep. 143
BETTER Farm participant, Francis Gonley, and programme manager, Dr. Frank Campion, are on this week’s OviCast podcast to chat about Francis’ system and lamb finishing this autumn. Francis starts off explaining his lowland and hill system, grass growth and how the lambs have performed this season. He discusses his reasons for selling off the lighter lambs from both flocks as stores, while Frank discusses the level of performance of the long keep lambs and how they don’t suit every system. Francis...
Aug 30, 2022•16 min•Ep. 142
Sheep BETTER Farm Programme participant, Brian Keane, and his Teagasc Advisor, James Doran, join Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to get an insight into the system he is operating and how he is managing this season. Brian, who is farming near Enniscorthy in Co Wexford, first gives some background to his farming enterprise which comprises of sheep suckers and tillage. He discusses how the dry spell has affected his farm over the past few weeks and James highlights what steps Brian has taken to...
Aug 23, 2022•15 min•Ep. 141
Seamus McMenamin, Sheep Sector Manager with Bord Bia, is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss current trends and the outlook for the sheep market in the coming months. Seamus begins by discussing current trade and throughput this year to date. Since spring, Seamus explains the impact reopening has had on lamb consumption both on the domestic and international market as well as the trends in international trade. He then discusses the prospects for the lambs and ewe trade over the coming week...
Aug 16, 2022•14 min•Ep. 140
Patrick Dunne, who is a participant in the Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep programme, is on this week’s OviCast to discuss the impact of OPA on his flock and how he has addressed the issue over the past number of years. Patrick goes back a number of years to explain how it was impacting the flock and the lack of awareness of what was causing it. He discusses how he went about getting a diagnosis and how he enlisted the services of Vet Patrick Grant to screen the flock via ultrasound scanning to detect...
Aug 09, 2022•22 min•Ep. 139
Dr Philip Creighton joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss grazing management as we head into the autumn. Philip starts off by discussing grass supply and demand across the country and the need to take stock of these for the coming weeks and months. He goes on to outline the grazing targets for the coming weeks. He discusses August fertiliser applications, the importance of targeting P & K and lime applications at key areas before finishing up with some grazing tips for newly e...
Aug 02, 2022•17 min•Ep. 138
With ram sales in full swing, Kevin Mc Dermott, Sheep Ireland Manager, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss using genetic information when making your purchasing decisions. First, Kevin highlights the benefits genetic improvement has in a flock as he discusses the results from on-farm validations. There is a discussion on what information is available for recorded rams in sales catalogues with Kevin highlighting and explaining the key areas to focus on. With over 1000 pedigree br...
Jul 29, 2022•21 min•Ep. 137
Post-graduate student, Sarah Woodmartin, and Dr Fiona McGovern join Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss ongoing work examining the effect of companion forages influence intake, digestibility and methane production in sheep as part of a wider Grass2Gas project. Sarah first gives a bit of background to the project before discussing what is being examined, some of the preliminary results and their implications as well as future areas of interest. For more episodes from the OviCast...
Jul 21, 2022•12 min•Ep. 136
Dr Frank Campion joins Ciarán Lynch for this episode of OviCast with an update of how performance has stacked up on the lowland flocks at weaning. He discusses lamb performance and its implications for sales, feeding and finishing strategies on the farms. Frank emphasises the importance of assessing the weight of lambs and their expected finish time at this stage of the season. Finally, Frank highlights the importance of internal parasite control and monitoring worm burdens as the season progres...
Jul 13, 2022•13 min•Ep. 135
With ewes being weaned across the country it provides farmers with an opportunity to check udders for mastitis and other issues and remove these problem ewes from the flock. Ryan Duffy, Technical Vet with HIPRA, joins Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss the implications of mastitis in ewes and offers some practical advice on the topic. Ryan explains the different types of mastitis that occurs, the need to cull ewes exhibiting any signs of infection, as well as the impact of udd...
Jul 05, 2022•21 min•Ep. 134
With weaning occurring around the country, sheep specialist Michael Gottstein joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss some of the key management tasks over the coming weeks and the opportunity it presents to benchmark performance. They discuss various aspects of flock performance from ewe output to lamb performance to reasons for culling. Michael advises as to why it’s a good opportunity to assess lamb weights, batch lambs accordingly and establish finishing lamb group early and pla...
Jun 28, 2022•13 min•Ep. 133
