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Latest Episodes:

Animal Health Awareness week – focus on AMR Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

As part of Animal Health Awareness week, on this week’s OviCast are Department of Agriculture Vets Caroline Garvan and Damian Barrett. Damian begins by explaining the objective of Animal Health Awareness week and its importance in the current climate while Caroline explains why Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major concern and the concept of the one health approach. They discuss the usage within the sheep sector and how the overall industry figure is calculated and Caroline explains why some types of antibiotics are deemed critically important due to their use in human medicine and how the route of administration can impact the development of AMR. Both Damian and Caroline discuss how good animal health can impact productivity, how we should approach health issues on farms and ways sheep farmers can reduce their antibiotic use. They move on to discuss some of the health challenges facing the sector at present and discuss the programme of informative webinars that will take place as part of this year’s Animal Health Awareness week that runs from 18th-24th November. For more information: https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/45f45-antimicrobial-resistance-amr/ http://www.animalhealthsurveillance.agriculture.gov.ie/currentnews/lambliverflukeantibodytestresults-september2021.html For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

The importance of the Clean Livestock Policy Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

Presenting lambs clean at the abattoir becomes more challenging as the year progresses and on this week’s OviCast, Ciarán Lynch is joined by Michael Gottstein, Head of Sheep in Teagasc to discuss this topic further. Michael starts by explaining the Clean Livestock Policy (CLP) and its importance, highlighting the key areas on the lamb that cause issues and how the industry has implemented changes to address this. He discusses the predisposing factors that will lead to lambs becoming dirtier and what practical steps can be taken at this time of the year to reduce this. He also discusses remedial clipping and its role, with Michael highlighting the need to ensure that transport vehicles are clean and suitable for the task. Finally, Michael summarises the key areas for producers that are finishing lambs in the coming weeks and months can focus on to help keep lambs clean. Find out more: https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2017/clean-livestock-policy-for-sheep-a-guide-for-sheep-producers.php https://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2017/clean-livestock-policy-for-sheep-a-guide-for-sheep-transport.php For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Choosing the appropriate liver fluke dose Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

As liver fluke is a large risk at the moment, Teagasc’s Dr Orla Keane joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss selecting the appropriate treatment for this stage of the season. Firstly Orla gives a quick recap on the risk that fluke poses and the stages of its development. She discusses the various classes of flukicide available with Orla explaining what stage of fluke they are suitable to treat and the role others could play later in the season. Orla highlights the challenge of using combination fluke and wormers as part of routine fluke treatment in adult sheep and why it’s better to use a targeted flukicide; she also discusses the situations where these combinations could be put to better use. Finally, Orla highlights the need to use a flukicide that targets the immature stage of liver fluke at this point in the season. A summary of flukicides licensed for sheep in Republic of Ireland can be found here: https://www.teagasc.ie/media/website/publications/2018/Products-licensed-for-control-of-parasites-in-sheep.pdf For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Why you should consider temporary grazing Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

Damian Costello, sheep specialist with Teagasc, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss temporary grazing this back end. Damian highlights some considerations when taking on temporary grazing and how it can benefit both parties involved. He emphasises the need to ensure all animals are tagged before leaving farm and he discusses at length the various movement notification considerations for a variety of scenarios. Damian also takes us through the need to retain movement records afterwards and how to apply for credit under the nitrates regulations. For more detail, here is the link to the NSIS guide: https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/93969/c539786b-96ba-4500-89ec-a9f020779cea.pdf#page=1 For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Cleaning out swards and closing up on time Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

As we enter the final grazing rotation of the season, Ciarán Lynch is joined on this week’s OviCast by Dr. Philip Creighton who offers some grazing advice to keep us on track from now to set up our spring grazing. Philip starts by discussing the importance of achieving good graze outs and how that influences sward production next spring. Philip also offers tips on dealing with heavy covers that are on many farms this October and he discusses the closing targets and why they are important. Finally, Philip highlights why it’s important to avoid the temptation of re-grazing closed paddocks and why we need to prioritise these for spring grazing. Teagasc sheep autumn closing planner: https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/sheep/teagasc-sheep-autumn-closing-planner.php For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

The benefits of raddling rams Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

Sheep specialist, Damian Costello, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss why farmers should consider raddling rams this breeding season. Damian discusses the two types used - either raddle paste or ram harnesses - and offers tips on their use and ways to leave it easier to catch rams to top these up. He explains which order different raddle colours should be and discusses how to make use of changing raddle colour to better predict lambing date and plan feeding programmes in late pregnancy. Damian and Ciarán discuss how raddling can be used to monitor ram fertility and the level of repeats and finally Damian offers some practical tips to safeguard against this in flocks. For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Farmer focus: Brian Nicholson - breeding season kicking off in Kilkenny Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

This week’s OviCast is a farmer focus interview with Brian Nicholson who farms just outside of Johnstown in Co Kilkenny. Brian runs a large-scale sheep flock and is a participant CPT flock with Sheep Ireland. Brian discusses sales in this year’s lamb crop and his plans for finishing the remaining lambs this autumn before moving on to discuss the breeding plan for the farm and he takes us through the various breeding groups from the commercial flock of 290ewes to the ewes that will be AI’D and natural mated as part of the central progeny test programme with Sheep Ireland. Brian discusses the various breeds used and how he manages this aspect of his flock. He moves on to talk about his grazing management for the autumn and how he used forage rape to winter part of his flock and how it fits into his overall system. Finally, Brian discusses why he has moved away from joining ewe lambs to lamb at 1 year old opting to run them dry and how they are used as a grazing management group the following year. For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

A group with a difference: Ólas Hill Farms Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

On this week’s OviCast, Ciarán Lynch heads to Westport in Co. Mayo where he was joined by Tom Gill and Teagasc Advisor John Noonan to find out more about Ólas Hill Farms. Centred around Westport, Ólas Hill Farms was initially set up with a focus on breeding sales which then expanded to encompass a producer group that now has more than 400 members. Tom is a member and one of the co-ordinators of the group and he explains how it has delivered for his own system and that of the other members. The group works closely with Kildare Chilling where they send more than 30,000 lambs annually. With stock all produced locally and with transport leaving Westport three times a week, they discuss the type of lamb being sent, with Tom explaining how the group co-ordinates this, acknowledging the efforts of the committee and staff within the group. The breeding sales are still very much a part of Ólas Hill Farms and John and Tom explain more about this. John also discusses how the group has worked with the various stakeholders to develop a dedicated website where customers can find out more about their story and how the lamb was produced and the Ólas Hill Farms brand that they hope will be on the shelves in European markets. For more information visit: https://olashillfarms.ie/ For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Time to consider plunge dipping Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

Head of sheep in Teagasc Michael Gottstein joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss the control of external parasites in sheep. Michael starts by describing how plunge dipping was common practice on many farms and now needs to be considered once again for external parasite control particularly to replace the use of injectable macrocyclic lactones (Group 3-ML) products for whole flock treatment. They discuss best practice when it comes to dipping with Michael emphasising how the duration the sheep are dipped for has a big impact on its efficacy. He highlights the need to replenish the dip concentration as the active is removed during the dipping process and explains the option of using mobile plunge dipping providers or considering incorporating it into a handling unit. He also discusses dip disposal and why it’s vital this is done in a safe manner before finishing up encouraging farmers to consider dipping as a control option for external parasites. For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Farmer focus: John Joe Fitzgerald – a hill farm in transition Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

John Joe Fitzgerald, a participant in the Teagasc BETTER farm sheep programme and the new Teagasc Signpost Programme joins Ciarán Lynch on the latest farmer focus on OviCast. John Joe first describes his farming system with some insights into the type of hill he is working on five miles west of Dingle in county Kerry. He then discusses his ewe flock, the breeds used and how it has transitioned during the past few years as he pushed the flock back onto the hill more. John Joe explains the new handling facility he built which includes a dipping tank and batch footbath and how this has improved flock health, performance and the efficiency of carrying out basic tasks with the flock. Finally he discusses selling this year’s lamb crop in the store lamb market. 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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