First Teagasc National Sheep Conference to take place on Tuesday

The two Teagasc National Lowland Sheep Conferences will take place next week, with plenty of information set to be dished out to farmers.

The first of these two events takes place next Tuesday, January 28, in the Great Southern Hotel, Killarney, Co. Kerry.

The second conference takes place on Thursday, January 30, in the Springhill Court Hotel, Co. Kilkenny.

The conferences start at 6:00pm; they are free to attend and all farmers are welcome.

What’s in store?

There will be a number of speakers at each event, with opportunities to improve the efficiency of sheep production in Ireland as the main aim of the talks.

David Wall, a soil science researcher from Teagasc, Johnstown, will present a paper on how farmers can use nutrients to meet grazing and environmental targets on sheep farms.

He will outline how using protected urea can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and how slurry and farmyard manure can be applied to optimise the nutrients for grass growth and to minimise emissions.

Teagasc sheep geneticist Noirin McHugh will outline how the use of improved genetics can boost lamb production on farms in Ireland, through increased litter size and lamb growth-rates.

She will emphasise the importance and benefits of having data from commercial flocks and how this improves the sheep breeding indexes in Ireland.

Teagasc researcher Orla Keane will outline sustainable strategies for stomach worm control and steps for farmers to take when selecting and administering wormers to slow the further development of resistance.

Stomach and gut worms have developed resistance to anthelmintics (wormers) on many farms in Ireland and this now a major challenge not only on these farms but for the wider sheep industry.

The last talk of the day will see John O’Connell – who farms near Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim – talk about how he is working to a business plan to develop his enterprise.