OviCast is the Teagasc Sheep podcast. Presented by Ciaran Lynch it brings you the latest advice, insights and technical updates for the sheep industry. Visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast/
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We catch up with Mountbellew Agricultural College farm manager, Ronan Grealis, and enterprise lecturer, Barry Boner, ahead of the upcoming Irish Grassland Association Sheep Event on Thursday, 27 August. We get an overview of the college farm and its various enterprises before focusing on the sheep system. Ronan and Barry discuss the flock, split-lambing system, breeding and performance recording,…
We catch up with sheep specialist, Damian Costello, to discuss some of the key management tasks for the coming weeks. We start by looking ahead to the breeding season, with Damian highlighting the importance of assessing ewe body condition score (BCS) and taking the necessary steps now to correct any issues ahead of mating. We also discuss ram management, including what to consider when purchasing…
With ram sale season underway, we chat to Sean Godfrey from Sheep Ireland. Sean highlights the impact a ram can have on a flock for a number of seasons; we discuss locating your next ram and the tools on the Sheep Ireland website to make this process easier. Sean also explains some of the key information in the sales catalogues and how you can easily access more via the ram search tool. We finish…
We catch up with organic sheep and tillage farmer, Joe Nolan, and Teagasc Organic Advisor, Marianne Mulhall. Joe, who farms near Fenagh, Co. Carlow, outlines his farming system, including the sheep enterprise, tillage rotation and the background to the farm. He discusses the changes made to the flock in recent years, the organic conversion process and how sheep and tillage are integrated on the…
Amanda McEvoy joins us to discuss the impact of recent weather conditions on worm burdens in sheep flocks. Amanda begins by explaining how lambs become infected and how weather influences the development and survival of parasites on pasture. We discuss how the recent dry spell has affected worm burdens and why changing weather conditions, particularly increased moisture, can quickly alter the risk…
In this episode of OviCast, Dr Frank Campion discusses the role of forage crops within an integrated livestock system and the value they can bring to sheep enterprises. Frank outlines the different forage crop options, their expected yields and the classes of stock they are best suited to. He also discusses the impact of sowing date, the importance of estimating crop yield and key grazing…
Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, joins Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, to chat with Roscommon farmer and Future Beef Programme participant, Olivia Hynes, ahead of the upcoming open day on her farm. Olivia discusses her mixed suckler and sheep enterprise, explaining how paddock grazing has improved grass utilisation and overall farm performance. She also outlines her use of AI…
Grass10 Advisor, Nikki Kennedy, joins us for an update on grass growth across the country. Nikki discusses how the recent dry spell has affected grass growth, highlighting the varying impact on farms in different regions. She offers practical advice for farmers where grass supplies are becoming restricted and outlines the key management decisions to consider in the weeks ahead. We also discuss…
Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Michael Gottstein, joins us to discuss the key management tasks for the month ahead. We start by looking at grassland management, including how to maintain sward quality through the remainder of the grazing season and the opportunities that autumn reseeding can offer. Attention then turns to flock management, with Michael outlining best practice around weaning lambs,…
Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, joins us to discuss the preliminary results of the labour survey. We explore some of the key findings from the latest analysis, including the age profile of farmers, levels of off-farm employment, and how farm tasks are managed throughout the year. Damian discusses the facilities available on farms, the challenges created by farm fragmentation, and how…
Teagasc's Amanda McEvoy, joins us as we preview the 2026 National Sheep Conference. Amanda outlines the new format for this year's event and discusses the speakers and key topics that will feature in the indoor conference sessions. A first for the National Sheep Conference will be an on-farm evening programme, where attendees will have the opportunity to hear about ongoing sheep research studies…
