OviCast – Details, episodes & analysis

Seamus Fagan from the Department of Agriculture’s Regional Veterinary Lab in Athlone joins us for the latest OviCast episode as we discuss various health issues this autumn. 

With many flocks completing the final check over ewes before going to the ram, Seamus highlights some of the teeth problems they have been seeing in the lab in recent years that are going under-diagnosed and how this is contributing to thinner ewes. 

We focus in particular on molar teeth problems in ewes, how they present and the impact that it can have. 

We also discuss other health issues seen this autumn - in particular clostridial challenges. 

Finally Seamus emphasises the importance of monitoring ewe condition over the coming months and investigating causes of ill-thrift. 

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

Bimeda Vet, Rachel Mallet, joins us on this week’s OviCast as we discuss sheep scab and treatment options. 

Rachel first explains how sheep scab occurs, how it is spread and correct diagnosis. We then discuss the various treatment options for both conventional and organic flocks. 

We finish up discussing plunge dipping with Rachel highlighting best practice when completing this task.

For more information on mobile sheep dip operators go to:

https://www.bimeda.ie/mobile-sheep-dippers

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

Catherine Egan, host of the Beef Edge podcast, joins us on this week’s OviCast as we catch up with Grass10 advisor, Niamh Doyle, to get an update on the current situation and discuss management tips in the coming weeks.

Niamh first highlights the factors that have limited grass growth over the last number of months. 

She also comments on the long term Nitrogen fertiliser type trial at Teagasc, Johnstown Castle, which provides an insight as to how different fertiliser types/formulations have performed under the same conditions and with N applied at the same time and at the same rate. 

Niamh discusses ways to reduce demand by scanning early to remove empty cows and cull ewes and the introducing of creep to lambs and weanlings.  

Coming into August, it is important to focus on building grass covers and Niamh explains the ways farmers can achieve this, as well as discussing fertiliser plans and the need to target slurry to replenish offtakes and completing fodder budget. 

Niamh then finishes up discussing her key tips for management in the coming weeks.

Further information is available at:

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/

Subscribe to the Grass10 newsletter here: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/grassland/grass10/grass10-enewsletter/

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, is on this week’s OviCast podcast to discuss current trends and the outlook for the sheep market in the coming months. 

Seamus begins by discussing current trade and throughput this year to date. Since spring, Seamus explains the impact reopening has had on lamb consumption both on the domestic and international market as well as the trends in international trade. 

He then discusses the prospects for the lambs and ewe trade over the coming weeks and months. 

Finally, Seamus highlights the potential market for organic lamb and some of the challenges both the organic and conventional lamb trade could face going forwards. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Patrick Dunne, who is a participant in the Teagasc BETTER Farm Sheep programme, is on this week’s OviCast to discuss the impact of OPA on his flock and how he has addressed the issue over the past number of years. 

Patrick goes back a number of years to explain how it was impacting the flock and  the lack of awareness of what was causing it. He discusses how he went about getting a diagnosis and how he enlisted the services of Vet Patrick Grant to screen the flock via ultrasound scanning to detect infected ewes at an earlier stage.  

Using this information, he was able to reduce the level of OPA in the flock and the impact that has had in subsequent years on the health and productivity of the flock.

He discusses OPA, or to give it its full title Ovine Pulmonary Adenocarcinoma, which is also referred to as Jaggsiekete or more commonly wheelbarrow disease, and it is an infectious cancerous tumour that affects the lungs of sheep.  

The disease is spread through the inhalation of the virus from respiratory secretions, it is production limiting and as the condition progresses, the virus leads to the development of multiple tumours in the lungs which lead to the overproduction of fluid in the lungs and is nearly always fatal. 

Early detection relies on the use of ultrasound to detect tumours in the lungs at an early stage thereby for culling of these infected animals at an early stage and limit the spread and incidence in a flock. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Dr Philip Creighton joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss grazing management as we head into the autumn. 

Philip starts off by discussing grass supply and demand across the country and the need to take stock of these for the coming weeks and months. He goes on to outline the grazing targets for the coming weeks. 

He discusses August fertiliser applications, the importance of  targeting P & K and lime applications at key areas before finishing up with some grazing tips for newly established clover swards and explaining the impact this has on a successful establishment. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

With ram sales in full swing, Kevin Mc Dermott, Sheep Ireland Manager, joins Ciarán Lynch on this week’s OviCast to discuss using genetic information when making your purchasing decisions. 

First, Kevin highlights the benefits genetic improvement has in a flock as he discusses the results from on-farm validations. 

There is a discussion on what information is available for recorded rams in sales catalogues with Kevin highlighting and explaining the key areas to focus on. 

With over 1000 pedigree breeders recorded in LambPlus, Kevin explains the online ram search tool and how it can be used to identify rams right across the country. 

Finally, Kevin discusses this year’s sheep Ireland multibreed rams sale. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Post-graduate student, Sarah Woodmartin, and Dr Fiona McGovern join Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss ongoing work examining the effect of companion forages influence intake, digestibility and methane production in sheep as part of a wider Grass2Gas project. 

Sarah first gives a bit of background to the project before discussing what is being examined, some of the preliminary results and their implications as well as future areas of interest. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Dr Frank Campion joins Ciarán Lynch for this episode of OviCast with an update of how performance has stacked up on the lowland flocks at weaning. 

He discusses lamb performance and its implications for sales, feeding and finishing strategies on the farms. 

Frank emphasises the importance of assessing the weight of lambs and their expected finish time at this stage of the season. 

Finally, Frank highlights the importance of internal parasite control and monitoring worm burdens as the season progresses. 

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

With ewes being weaned across the country it provides farmers with an opportunity to check udders for mastitis and other issues and remove these problem ewes from the flock.  

Ryan Duffy, Technical Vet with HIPRA, joins Ciarán Lynch on the latest OviCast podcast to discuss the implications of mastitis in ewes and offers some practical advice on the topic. 

Ryan explains the different types of mastitis that occurs, the need to cull ewes exhibiting any signs of infection, as well as the impact of udder and teat structure. 

He also discusses the drying off process and the impact that can have before moving on to discuss mastitis that can occur in the dry period.

Finally, Ryan offers his advice for flocks that encounter a high incidence of mastitis annually.

For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at: 

https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast