Half of sheep farmers do not have a sorting gate, which is considered to be an essential piece of equipment for the sector.

Interim findings from a 'Labour on Sheep Farms Survey' were presented at the Teagasc national sheep conference in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway yesterday (Thursday, June 18).

Participants in the survey were asked, what handling facilities they had on their farms.

Just one third of respondents had the five handling facilities deemed to be essential i.e.,:

Weighing scales;
Collecting pen;
Footbath;
Handling race;
Sorting gate.

According to Teagasc, the most surprising result was that half of the sheep farmers that responded didn’t have a sorting gate.

Despite handling, fencing and housing being identified as labour-saving infrastructure, just 40% of sheep farmers had applied for supports through Targeted Agriculture Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) funding.

Survey of sheep farmers

There were 446 responses to the survey with all counties represented and a good spread across the main sheep areas in the country. 

The survey also presented insights into the numbers of farmers working off farm.

45% of the sheep farmers that responded to the survey work full-time off farm, five days per week, with a further 16% working part-time off farm for between one and four days per week.

Just 39% farm full-time. 

The survey also indicated that a higher percentage of younger farmers have off farm employment with 84% of the under-35-years-of-age category working off farm.

The authors, Damian Costello and Dr. Noirin McHugh of Teagasc said that the trend indicates sheep farmers of the future will be predominantly part-time. 

Achieving a work/life balance on sheep farms is a challenge, according to the authors.

Seven out of 10 farmers complete most sheep tasks on a Saturday and use 17 days per year annual leave for farm work.