OviCast Teagasc

Jayne Harkness-Bones, Depot Manager with Ulster Wool, joins us for this week’s OviCast to discuss the factors that influence the quality of wool, the challenges in the marketplace in recent years and what happens to the wool from purchase until it reaches market. 
 
We talk about shearing, wool handling and storage, with Jayne highlighting some simple practices to make the process easier and improve the quality of the wool harvested. 
 
In the latter half of the podcast, Jayne who is also a council member of the Irish Grown Wool Council, discusses some of the work they have been involved in to realise the potential of wool, develop further opportunities and provide support to the industry. 
 
For more information on some of the items discussed see the following links:
https://irishgrownwoolcouncil.com/
Preparing for Shearing: https://youtu.be/QiyvrF9g-dc 
Top tips on how to harvest wool at shearing time: https://youtu.be/qO8HJdMsmME 
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Seamus McMenamin, sheep sector manager with Bord Bia, joins us on this week’s OviCast as we look at the lamb trade. 
 
Seamus discusses factory throughput this year to date; we discuss what’s been happening with international trade; falling ewe numbers in the UK and Europe and the impact that this could have on lamb trade this summer. 
 
We finish up discussing trends in demand and attracting younger consumers. 
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

With blowfly strike a risk on farms, for this week’s OviCast we’re joined by sheep specialist Damian Costello to discuss the risk factors, how it occurs and treatment options available to farmers.  
 
For more information: 
https://www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/sheep/put-a-plan-in-place-to-deal-with-blowfly-strike.php
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

For this week’s OviCast, we’re also joined by Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, as we catch up with Co. Roscommon beef and sheep farmer, Olivia Hynes.  
 
Oliva starts by giving us an overview of her system, we discuss breeding and the use of AI in her suckler herd, lamb performance this spring and some of the challenges it has posed. 
 
We discuss mixed grazing, grassland management and investing in grazing infrastructure, before finishing up with Olivia highlighting the three things she has focused on that have had an impact in her farming system. 
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

For this week’s OviCast, we’re joined by Terry McElvaney, Veterinary Inspector with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, to discuss some issues that have occurred with flukicide residues in lamb carcasses. 
 
We discuss the problems encountered and the follow up investigations with Terry explaining some of the issues caused and issues they have encountered. 
 
We also discuss the key areas to focus on when using anthelminthic and antibiotics to avoid these type of issues occurring.  
 
Details of licensed veterinary products can be found on the HPRA veterinary medicines webpage: 
https://www.hpra.ie/homepage/veterinary/veterinary-medicines-information
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Environmental specialist, Tim Hyde, is on this week’s OviCast to discuss fertiliser limits on farms. 
 
We discuss how the introduction of the fertiliser register has put purchased fertiliser more in the spotlight on farms. 
 
Tim explains the implications of this, how farmers can work out their stocking rate and what the limits are on farm. 
 
We discuss the importance of soil sampling, how this impacts your fertiliser limit and the importance of a fertiliser plan. 
 
We finish up discussing some changes to slurry spreading and the use of LESS technology on farms that are in place this season and coming down the tracks. 
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast