OviCast

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Latest Episodes:

Vet lab submissions Feb 13, 2024

Show notes

For this week’s OviCast, we’re joined by Seamus Fagan from the Department of Agriculture’s regional veterinary lab in Athlone.

As a follow-on from his talk at the recent Sheep Conference, we discuss the importance of records to highlight flock health issues on farm and to help provide a better flock history, particularly in the case of abortion. We discuss the submission process and the timeline for results.

We also discuss some of the challenges seen in the lab this spring with a notable fluke challenge present on farms.

Finally we finish up discussing some of the findings from the ongoing thin ewe survey.

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

Completing a profit monitor Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

For this week’s OviCast, I’m joined by my Teagasc colleague, Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, as we discuss financial management tips on drystock farms with Teagasc Financial Specialist, Kevin Connolly.

Kevin first explains the benefits of completing a profit monitor and we discuss what data is required and the ways to simplify this process.

Kevin takes us through the information the profit monitor can generate and how it can be used to highlight key areas to focus on, allowing farmers to benchmark their own farm performance.

We finish up with Kevin offering his three key pieces of advice for listeners to undertake in 2024.

For those interested in completing a profit monitor you can find out more at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/rural-economy/farm-management/financial-analysis/farm-profit-analysis/

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

Farmer Focus: Michael Forde on managing a sheep & beef system on a fragmented farm Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

For this week’s OviCast we head west to Corrandulla, Co. Galway to hear from sheep and beef farmer Michael Forde who is a participant on the BETTER farm programme.

Michael first discusses his farming system and some of the challenges of a managing a fragmented farm.

We chat about the impact of a difficult 2023 on lamb performance, sales and ewe condition and how he managed the flock this winter.

Plus we discuss the steps he has taken to address ewe condition since housing, this year’s scanning results and his feeding plans for ewes in late pregnancy.

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

National Sheep Conference Preview Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

On this week’s OviCast we look forward to the Teagasc National Sheep Conference with Dr Philip Creighton previewing the topics being covered.

Philip discusses the times and locations of this year’s conferences and highlights the speakers and the topics they are covering.

These include ‘Nutrition during pregnancy: management and the consequences’, to ‘Simplifying farm transfers: key considerations and strategies’ and ‘Diagnosing and managing flock health issues - on farm experiences’.

For more details visit:

www.teagasc.ie/sheepcon24

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

Scanning - making use of the information Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

With scanning complete on many flocks, on this week’s OviCast we chat to Sheep Specialist Michael Gottstein about making use of this information.

We start off talking about this year’s scanning results and move on to discuss the immediate management changes that can be made by setting up feeding groups.

Michael discusses why we need to divide them on the basis of scanned litter size and lambing date but also highlights the importance of assessing and managing ewe condition score this season.

We also discuss pregnancy rate and the causes of higher empty rates. Scan results are also a useful benchmark and we finish up the episode chatting about using this information to highlight key areas to focus on in the short and longer term.

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

Management at housing this winter Dec 26, 2023

Show notes

For this week’s OviCast, we hear from a recent Let’s Talk Sheep webinar with Sheep Specialist Damian Costello speaking about key management advice at housing this winter.

Damian covered various aspects from some of the challenges faced this year to managing ewe condition to practical advice at housing.

Damian also answers some audience questions on the topic.

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

Alternative bedding options Dec 19, 2023

Show notes

For this week’s OviCast we talk to independent sheep and beef consultant, Dr Liz Genever, about an on-farm project she was involved in examining various bedding options.

Liz gives us a background to the project, what bedding options they compared, how they set it up and what they examined.

We discuss the levels of usage of the various bedding sources, labour input, ewe cleanliness and ultimately costs involved.

We move on to discuss the suitability of each, a hybrid bedding model incorporating different bedding options and how the farm where the project was conducted changed practices.

Finally, Liz highlights the ways to stretch supplies with key areas to focus on.

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

Silage testing - what the results mean Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

On this week’s OviCast we talk to Dr Tim Keady about the importance of silage testing and what the results mean.

Tim emphasises the importance of getting a silage test conducted correctly early to know the feed value of your winter forage.

He explains the variation in results nationally, what each of the measures mean and most importantly, the implications for feeding.

We discuss how the results could highlight areas to focus on for next year’s silage harvest.

We finish up with Tim discussing the implications of feeding different feed value silages has on animal performance and the amount of supplementation required.

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

Tackling the fluke challenge this winter Nov 28, 2023

Show notes

Veterinarian, Shane McGettrick, who is Laboratory Manager at the Department of Agriculture Regional Veterinary Laboratory in county Sligo is on this week’s OviCast to talk about the fluke challenge this winter.

We start with Shane discussing what fluke-related issues they are seeing in the lab at this point in the season. We discuss the Department’s fluke forecast and how this may be a more challenging season for fluke.

We move on to discuss treatment with Shane highlighting the importance of choosing the correct active ingredient, potential flukicide resistance, and why it’s important to work with your vet to put a control programme in place on farm.

We finish up discussing rumen fluke and the risk it may poses on certain farms.

Read the 2023 DAFM fluke forecast at:

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/ec21e-liver-fluke-forecast-november-2023/

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

Managing forage brassicas Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

On this week’s OviCast we’re joined by post-graduate student, Mark Dolan, to discuss different aspects of management of forage brassicas.

Mark gives us some background to some of the work he has been involved in using forage brassicas to finish store lambs.

We discuss yields of the different crops, utilisation rates and the factors that influence them and how they have adapted management during periods of poor weather conditions.

We finish up discussing lamb kill out on the crops and the impact of regular drafting on grazing days.

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

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