The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has issued advice on preventing bluetongue from entering Ireland.

This comes as the DAFM announced Ireland is currently entering a “higher risk period” for the transmission of the bluetongue virus (BTV).

Bluetongue virus is spread by infected biting midges (Culicoides species) which are generally most active between April and November.

The virus update detailed that “it is critical that all livestock farmers maintain vigilance for any suspicions of this disease”.

It added that it is “especially” important at this time of year as “temperatures continue to rise during spring and summer.

DAFM guidelines

Instead of purchasing bluetongue-susceptible animals from mainland Europe, consider if there is another way you can achieve the breed/genetic changes you seek (e.g., via artificial insemination) to reduce risk.

If you must purchase live animals from outside Ireland, only do so during times when midges are less active (December to March).

Only purchase animals, germinal or biological products from reputable sources. Animals from certain countries require vaccination against bluetongue prior to import; proof of vaccination status for the BTV strains recently circulating in those countries/regions should be obtained.

Ensure the animals are bluetongue virus-free before they leave their country of origin by requesting a pre-movement PCR test for the virus.

Although this can give a certain level of assurance, it is important to remember that animals may be harbouring the virus which is not yet detectable by laboratory testing, or they may become infected if bitten by an infected midge en route.

All susceptible ruminants need to be tested after their arrival to Ireland even if they have had a negative pre-movement test.

Isolate imported animals indoors as soon as they arrive onto your holding and monitor them closely for any signs of illness.

Ensure all animals arriving from mainland Europe are visited by an RVO (Regional Veterinary Office) vet within five days of arrival into Ireland.

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The Virginia Show in Virginia, Co. Cavan, is set to return on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, with entries now open for the almost 500 classes to be contested on the day.

The official launch of the show took place at the Lakeside Manor Hotel in Virginia, Co. Cavan, on Thursday, June 27, and the special guest on the evening was the deputy president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), Alice Doyle.

The show draws huge numbers of spectators from both farming and non-farming backgrounds, and some of the highlights in the livestock section will include the 39th annual Diageo Baileys Champion Dairy Cow Competition which takes place in conjunction with Tirlán.

This event has a total prize fund of €13,000.

The Carnaross Mart All-Ireland Male and Female Weanling Championship will also take place on the day with a total prize fund of €5,000.

Other major competitions in the livestock section include:

• The Liffey Meats €2,000 Champion Beef Bullock;
• The Tirlán Virginia Friesian in-calf-Heifer;
• The Lakeland Dairy Champion of the Show;
• Francie Brady Charolais Champion of the Show;
• A.W. Ennis Interbreed Champion of the Show;
• Lisgrey House Restaurant Commercial Champion of the show
• Young Handlers in Dairy, Beef and Sheep.

According to the organisers, there are dairy and beef classes “for all types of cattle”.

“These include the usual Holstein Friesians dairy classes and non-Friesian dairy breeds. There are also commercial classes, continental, and pedigree classes for breeds including Herefords, Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Simmental, and Belgian Blue.”

Other classes at Virginia Show

As well as livestock, the Final of the All Ireland Art Competition takes place at the show and this is sponsored by Fleetwood Paints.

SuperValu Virginia is also sponsoring the ICA Guild Skills of the Year again and the theme this year is based on ‘the Seasons of the Year’.

The ‘Quality Onion All Ireland Championship Final’ takes place at the show again this year also.

Qualifiers will take place in:

• Irish Draught Filly Foal Championship;
• The Connemara Three-Year-Old Filly All Ireland Championship;
• All Ireland Donkey Mare and Foal Championship
• North-Eastern Limousin Club Calf Qualifier;
• The Gain Dog Food All Ireland Championship;
• The All-Ireland Gun Dog Championship;
• The All-Ireland Irish Native Breed Dog Championship;
• The All-Ireland Soft Feather: Heavy Breeding Pair Chicken Championship;
• The All-Ireland True and Rare True Bantam Breeding Pair Chicken Championship.

In the equine section as well as the qualifiers, there are show classes for brood mare, light and coloured horses, ridden hunter and cob, heavy horses, palomino horses and ponies, welsh and Connemara as well as the miniature horses and donkeys.

The ever expanding classes for sheep will see strong competition in the pedigree Suffolk, Texel, Charalois, and Vendeen as well as recent additions of Native Galway, Blue Texel and Dassenkop breeds that will compete for the Paddy Keoghan Cup for Pedigrees.

In the crossbred section, there will be strong classes with the overall winner receiving the Hugh Faulkner Cup. There are also classes for Goats.

There are many classes for:

• Farm and Garden Produce;
• Home Industries, Arts and Crafts;
• Fruit and Flowers;
• Home industries;
• Craftwork;
• Hand writing;
• Short stories, poetry and paintings;
• Photography, confined sections to Active Age Groups and more than 20 Children’s classes which are some of the best supported classes at the show.

As well as the many classes, there are a number of other attractions including a fashion show which “is always a huge crowd puller” according to the organisers.

Irish celebrity chef and author, Chef Adrian Martin, originally from Cavan, will demonstrate his culinary skills at the cookery demonstration at this year’s Show.

A staple at Virginia Show, crowds gather at the marquee near the school building for entertainment by a host of musicians.

As well as this, nearby artisan food markets and trade stands allow visitors to interact, ask questions, and discuss with those involved in all sorts of food production.

The ever-popular dog show has grown from strength to strength with great competition for these highly sought-after red rosettes.

The birds of prey exhibition is back with a new feature this year with a display and interactive hub.

The show organisers expressed its thanks to all its sponsors and appealled to all show visitors to shop local.

In total, almost 500 classes showcasing the finest of agriculture and lifestyle will be on display at Virginia Show on Wednesday, August 21, not forgetting the over 200 trade stands to meet all tastes.

More details are available on the show social media and website.

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The most recent sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown that supplies of sheep have dropped significantly following the peak week for slaughter in 2024 to-date.

Last week, during week 25 (ending Sunday, June 23) there were a total of 47,048 sheep slaughtered.

This represents a drop of over 16,000 head of sheep, or a 25% decrease in the space of a week in throughput.

A significant decrease was also seen in Great Britain during this same period, as numbers were down 14% on the week before, following a spike in kill due to procurement for Eid-ul-Adha.

This was according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) that stated that compared to the equivalent post-Eid weeks in 2023 and 2022, numbers of sheep were back “considerably”.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 25 (ending Sunday, June 23) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

This week it is spring lambs that are making up the bulk of the kill figures, as there were 37,163 slaughtered.

Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by over 50,000 head.

78,565 fewer hoggets have been slaughtered to-date this year when compared to the same period last year, while the overall throughput in 2024 is behind the cumulative total up to the same period of 2023 by over 147,000 head.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,194,634 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.

Of that figure, 886,570 have been lambs/hoggets, 192,877 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (115,097), and a small portion of light lambs (90).

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A new Teagasc organic farming research project, Growing Resilient Organic Farming Systems (GROFarmS), is being undertaken to demonstrate to farmers efficient organic systems of production.

The project is in conjunction with University College Dublin (UCD) and it aims to address the current “research gaps” in organic farming.

The research will develop evidence on best practice technologies to support “profitable and sustainable organic” beef and lamb finishing systems, according to Teagasc.

A certified organic holding at Kildavin/Johnstown Castle in Co. Wexford will develop clear guidelines for “efficient and profitable” organic-beef finishing systems.

The conversion of the Kildavin farm to organic certification standards will be overseen by Johnstown Castle enterprise leader Dr. David Wall.

The beef finishing research will be led by Teagasc, Grange, Co. Meath and beef enterprise leader, Dr. Paul Crosson.

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon met the GROFarmS team to hear the progress with the project and the plans to spread the information through organic specialists.  

Teagasc researcher and GROFarmS project leader, Kevin Kilcline said:

“The area of organic farming has more than trebled since 2020. There is a pressing need for scientific research on organic farming practices to support evidence-based best practice adoption.

“This project will provide new information on economic and environmental aspects of organic conversion and best practice adoption.”  

Organic sheep farming research

Research on sustainable organic lamb production will be conducted at the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre in Athenry, Co. Galway led by sheep enterprise leader Dr. Philip Creighton.

They will be researching finishing options and management systems for organic hill and lowland lambs and will be conducting the research in collaboration with UCD.

According to Teagasc, this work will take into account effects on animal performance, environmental impact and economic returns.  

The Teagasc Rural Economy and Development Programme in Athenry will develop the Teagasc National Farm Survey to include a representative sample of organic farms.

The commercial organic farms will provide “in-depth socioeconomic and environmental sustainability data” to compare the performance of organic and conventional farms.

This research will be led by Teagasc rural development specialist, Dr. Mary Ryan and an organic farm recorder, Niall Stinger.

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The Australian House of Representatives has passed legislation aimed at banning live sheep exports by sea from May 1, 2028.

The move, as part of the Export Control Amendment (ending live sheep exports by sea) Bill 2024, now advances to the senate for further debate and a vote.

The bill passed in the lower house, by a margin of 89 to 54.

The federal government has highlighted the economic context and welfare considerations driving the ban.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in Australia, Murray Watt pointed out that while the live sheep export industry contributes $77 million to the national economy, sheep meat exports are valued at $4.5 billion annually, with domestic demand for sheep products reaching $3.5 billion.

Live sheep exports

The transition from live exports is also supported by a $107 million package intended to help farmers and the supply chain in Western Australia, according to the government.

Minister Watt stated: “The transition plan strikes a balance between improving sheep welfare and providing time for a sustainable pathway for sheep farmers, the supply chain participants and communities in Western Australia, and for our trading partners to adjust.”

However, the bill still faced significant scrutiny.

Nationals leader, David Littleproud previously criticised the plan as being “senseless”, arguing that it would merely shift the market to other countries with lower animal welfare standards.

CEO of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council, Mark Harvey-Sutton said the passage of the sheep ban bill through the House of Representatives was an act of “political bastardry”.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development, Catherine King said she acknowledged the industry’s concerns but insisted that the ban was necessary to end uncertainty for sheep producers and related businesses.

The bill still has to be passed in the senate and the decision may significantly influence the future trajectory of Australia’s sheep industry depending on the result.

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The Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC) and Teagasc have jointly filmed two short videos to provide “tips and techniques” for sheep shearing, so farmers can present wool to merchants “in the best possible condition”.

The videos, which the IGWC calls “comprehensive” are intended to support sheep farmers and shearers during shearing time to retain the quality and value of wool.

The videos also come with a digital PDF with the same information.

One video is on preparing for shearing, the provides insights in the shearing process, including guidance on optimal shearing conditions to ensure the sheep’s welfare and wool quality.

This video also explains some shearing techniques, with instructions on shearing preparations that minimise stress on the sheep and prevent damage to the wool.

The other video provides tips on harvesting wool, including how to roll and store wool immediately after shearing to preserve its integrity and value.

Part of this video includes advice on how to maintain the cleanliness and avoid contamination of wool.

The IGWC said that the videos are part of an ongoing commitment to supporting the sheep farming community on the island of Ireland “by providing practical resources that help farmers increase the value of their wool”.

“Proper shearing and handling not only retains the quality of the wool but also enhance its market value, benefitting both farmers and the wider wool industry,” the council said.

Alison Gault, interim chairperson of the IGWC, said: “Our Wool Quality and Presentation Working Group have prepared these video and digital supports for sheep farmers and shearers to support them during shearing season to retain the quality and value of the wool.”

The videos feature sheep farmers David Heraty and Jayne Harkness-Bones, who Gault said are experienced sheep farmers and wool handlers.

“Presenting wool in the best possible condition at the farmgate helps to ensure a better return for everyone all along the value chain. Value can be lost at shearing time due to a lack of preparation.

“Additional resources are then required by the wool merchants to bring wool up to standard, which reduces the price for the farmers and the potential development for the wool. This is an opportunity for sheep farmers to apply some simple steps before, during and after shearing to maximise their wool at harvesting time,” Gault added.

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Sheep slaughterings decreased by 15.7% in May 2024 when compared with the same month in 2023, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

This represents a decrease of approximately 211,000 heads during the period, according to the CSO livestock slaughtering figures published today (Wednesday, June 26).

Between January to May, the slaughterings decreased by 7.9% for sheep, or almost 100,000 heads, to almost 1.2 million heads compared to the same period in 2023.

For cattle slaughterings during the first five months of the year, the figures show an increase of 3.4%, estimated to be over 789,000 heads.

However, cattle slaughterings dropped by 1.9% or almost 3,000 heads, to around 151,000 heads in May 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.

Slaughterings

Pig slaughterings are estimated to be approximately 1.4 million heads for January to May 2024, up by over 6,000 heads or 0.4% on the same period in 2023.

The number of pigs slaughtered in May 2024 decreased by nearly 3,000 heads or 1% to approximately 286,000 heads when compared with May 2023.

Statistician in the agriculture accounts and production section, Mairead Griffin said: “Cattle slaughterings dropped by 1.9% to almost 151,000 heads in May 2024 when compared with May 2023.

“During the same period, the number of sheep slaughtered decreased by 15.7% to approximately 211,000 heads, while pig slaughterings fell by 1% to nearly 286,000 heads.”

Sheep

Meanwhile, sheep kill figures have reached peak heights to-date in 2024 as the Eid al-Adha festival has drawn to a close.

The most recent sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown that 63,325 sheep were slaughtered during week 24 (ending June 16).

The weekly throughput is at the highest it has been since week 11 of this year, when there were 61,374 sheep slaughtered, 56,210 of which were hoggets.

Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by over 32,000 head and 75,013 fewer hoggets have been slaughtered to-date this year.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,147,586 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.

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Sheep farming in the opening months of 2024 has been described as a period when “morale was never as low and the prices were never as good”.

This is according to Willie Shaw of Dromoyle, Co. Offaly, the new sheep chair of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA).

However, in recent weeks factories have been reducing their prices for sheep, which Shaw described as there being “no justification for.

“Factory prices need to keep pace with the cost of production not only to keep the sheep farmers we have in business but to ensure we have sheep farmers into the future.

“In the last few weeks, processors have slashed the price for spring lamb by over €1/kg, which translates to a hit of more than €20 per finished lamb. Cuts of this magnitude are extremely difficult for sheep farmers to bear, particularly with the cost of producing those lambs remaining high,” Shaw said.

Shaw told Agriland that he found that from speaking to farmers this year, they found it tough to “get help” during what has been a difficult year with rising costs and wet weather conditions.

He determined that many sheep farmers are “either cutting back or getting out altogether.

“The amount of ewes that are going through the marts is astronomical.

“Any passenger that was there was looked at twice to get rid of them because of the lack of grass, and the exceptionally long winter,” Shaw added.

Sheep trade

Speaking on the recent cuts to prices for lambs, Shaw said it was like the “equivalent of €300 knocked off” the price of an average bullock.

“Factory agents were complaining that the lambs weren’t finished outright, but they weren’t willing to pay for it, so what are lads supposed to do?

“I’ve been asking factory buyers over the last month or so what they think they’ll be by September 1.

“They all throw their eyes to heaven and say it depends on the Suez Canal, it depends on weather, it depends on supply.”

Shaw said in the mart in Roscrea in Co. Tipperary last week, the “odd” farmer said there was “still a good price,” but he said that “nine times out of ten the lads saying that are hobby farmers that have 50 ewes running amongst their other enterprise”.

Shaw said full time sheep farmers “need every penny” and said that while prices are still ahead of this time last year, but he said that due to costs, there “was no money made from sheep” in 2023.

“You have to sell an awful lot of lambs to pay any decent bills.”

Reflecting on the peak prices seen earlier in the spring, Shaw said that the people that made money were the “specialised feeders.

“The actual sheep farmers that were up all night lambing ewes, very little of them made that money.”

Shaw said the costs for sheep farmers continue to rise, including the doubling of Clik prices in three years, Heptavac doubling in price in two years, and higher costs for shearing.

Shaw spoke to a farmer who paid €5/ewe for shearing this year, whose shearer told him that if shearing a sheep couldn’t buy them a pint of beer, they were “at nothing”.

The ICSA sheep chair exited dairy farming 20 years ago and said he “done the opposite to everyone else”.

He explained that his land is fragmented and that his family has farmed there for over 200 years were his 500 ewes can be found.

Shaw has been with the ICSA for over ten years and took over the role as sheep chair in February, before being officially elected in April.

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The Belgian Beltex Breeders Society of Ireland held its national show at the 2024 Athlone Agricultural show.

The judge on the day was TJ Gormley, who oversaw Co. Laois breeders Sean and Paul McCartney’s senior ram win the overall champion category.

Jimmy Burke’s ewe lamb was a close contender, earning the reserve champion title.

In the male category, Sean and Paul McCartney‘s senior ram, firstly secured the champion male title.

Ernevalley Hobnob bred by Ben and Eddie Lynch was also the sire to the 2024 champion ram lamb Beetles King Kong, capping off a great day for the Beetles flock of Paul and Sean.

Brian Mathew’s shearling ram was named reserve male. The female category saw Jimmy Burke’s ewe lamb winning champion female and Brian Mathews’s shearling ewe taking the reserve female spot.

Brian Mathews Quarrymount flock had a notable presence in the show, winning several categories including the shearling ram, shearling ewe, and the group of three.

Additionally, his efforts were recognized with the reserve champion male and reserve champion female titles. Aeron James earned recognition with the group of two award.

Cavan’s Ben Lynch, claimed the red rosette in the senior ewe class with his impressive ewe Artnagullian Ginger Spice.

Michael Finan was awarded young stock person, and Emily Hogan won young handler, highlighting the promising future of Beltex sheep breeding.

Joshua Keys, from Co. Fermanagh was the lucky winner and selected John Mahers’ Ballinakill Kitkat, a ewe lamb sired by Rockdale Head over Heels. Kitkats mother is Ballinakill Hottie who was first prize hogget ewe at Tullamore show last year.

Belgian Beltex national show results

• Overall champion: Sean and Paul McCartney, aged ram;
• Reserve champion: Jimmy Burke, ewe lamb.

Champion and reserve champion by category:

Champion male

• Champion male: Sean and Paul McCartney, aged ram;
• Reserve male: Brian Mathew, shearling ram.

Champion female

• Champion female: Jimmy Burke, ewe lamb;
• Reserve female: Brian Mathews, shearling ewe.

Detailed category results

Rams

• Aged ram: Sean and Paul McCartney;
• Shearling ram: Brian Mathews;
• Ram lamb: Sean and Paul McCartney.

Ewes

• Aged ewe: Ben Lynch;
• Shearling ewe: Brian Mathews;
• Ewe lamb: Jimmy Burke.

Group Awards

• Group of three: Brian Mathews;
• Group of two: Aeron James.

Young Handlers

• Young stock person: Michael Finan;
• Young handler: Emily Hogan.

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Cuts to spring lamb and hogget prices have continued as 50c/kg has been taken off their base prices this week.

This week, base hogget prices are at €7/kg, with some processors not quoting at all, while spring lamb prices are ranging from €8/kg to €8.20/kg.

A year ago, base prices for hoggets were being quoted at €6.60/kg, while spring lambs were fetching a price of between €7.50-7.70/kg.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher has said that factories have “moved too far and too soon on lamb price and have effectively led the price down,” and added that “this must stop”.

In the mart trade this week, Kilkenny Mart manager George Candler said that the sheep sale today had “reduced numbers” but added that the trade for quality butcher and wholesale type lambs remained strong.

“The dramatic drop in quotes may have scared off a few potential sellers but the better weather means that a lot of jobs have still to be done around the farm.”

Meanwhile from today, sheep farmers can order their sheep dispatch book and flock register through the Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) Services mobile app.

Spring lamb prices

For today only (Monday, June 24), Kildare Chilling are offering €8.20/kg plus a 10c/kg quality assured (QA) bonus for a spring lamb up to 21.5kg.

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kg, a total of €8.20/kg, and a 50c/kg drop in price since last week.

Other outlets have reduced their prices for spring lambs by 35c/kg and are offering €8/kg plus a 16c/kg QA bonus.

At Dowra Mart on Friday, June 21, spring lambs had a top price of €188 for eight lambs weighing 50kg.

At Kilkenny Mart today, spring lambs hit a top price of €210/head. This was achieved for five lambs weighing 55kgs.

Prices for spring lambs at the sale ranged from €173 to €210/head.

Hogget prices

Kildare Chilling, among other processors, are not quoting for hoggets this week.

This week, ICM is quoting €7.00/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €7.20/kg for a hogget, which is a 50c/kg cut in price since last week.

The top selling lambs at Kilkenny Mart today were ten lambs weighing 46kg that fetched €187/head.

At Dowra Mart, the top prices for lambs were 19 that weighed 40kg which sold for €148.50/head.

Cull ewe prices

Kildare Chilling are offering €3.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for ewes weighing from 35kg to 43kg.

The processor is also paying €3.60/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for ewes that are weighing from 23kg to 35kg, while rams weighing up to 43kg will be paid at €3/kg.

ICM are paying €3.90/kg, while other processors are paying €3.80/kg.

At Kilkenny Mart, cull ewes met “a fast selling trade” to peak at €220/head.

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Judges from the UK and Ireland will take on the challenge of tapping out the winners from the best of British livestock, at this year’s Borderway Agri Expo in Carlisle on Friday, November 1, 2024, including William Smith from Co. Meath.

One of the UK’s premier livestock events, which is watched live online by thousands of people all over the world, Borderway Agri Expo attracts stiff competition for top honours from breeders and farmers who bring along their award-winning cattle and sheep.

Since the event’s inception in 2008, organisers Harrison & Hetherington have invited high calibre judges every year to make the almost impossible distinctions between excellent and outstanding.

Now in its 18th year, four internationally respected judges representing Scotland, England, Wales, and Ireland have accepted the invitation to judge at the expo.

Meath judge

William Smith will be travelling from Co. Meath to judge the cattle classes at Borderway; the Baby Beef Classes and Young Handlers will be judged by Scotland’s Craig Robertson.

Representing England is Cumbrian-based Steven Wilson, who will lead the sheep judging with the Mule classes being judged by Welsh sheep farmer and breeder Brian Davies.

Harrison & Hetherington’s Agri Expo organiser, Laura Millar, explained the weight of responsibility the judges are taking on their shoulders at Agri Expo:

“This event has become one of the most important showcases for the best of British cattle and sheep in the annual calendar, and our classes take place under the scrutiny of expert breeders and farmers not only here at Borderway, but online across Europe and the USA, and as far away as Australia and New Zealand.

“It takes an exceptional judge to command the respect of an audience like that on such a big stage, and our four judges have the integrity, knowledge, and the authority to make decisions that everyone will accept.

“They have the highest of standards themselves, and that’s what they will be looking for in our show rings.”

A full-time farmer and breeder, William Smith founded the famous pedigree Millbrook Limousin herd that produced the mother of Wilodge Posh Spice, who set a world record sale price in 2021.

His judging credentials include the French National and Royal Welsh Limousin Shows among many others, but he has accepted the invitation to judge at Borderway as a “special” honour.

“I am very humbled to be asked to judge at Agri Expo. The quality of the stock is second to none and you get the very best cattle at Agri Expo of both show beef and presentation,” Smith said.

Borderway Agri Expo is considered by many as being one of the largest autumn livestock events in the UK agri industry, showcasing the best quality beef cattle and sheep, and the latest developments in farming practice, breeding, genetics, machinery, equipment, technology, environmental issues, livestock marketing and export opportunities.

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Ireland is currently entering a “higher risk period” for the transmission of the bluetongue virus (BTV), according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The latest bluetongue virus update has been issued by the national disease control centre at the department.

The disease could spread to Ireland through import of infected animals, infected foetuses or wind dispersal of infected midges from mainland Europe.

The virus can also be transmitted via infected germinal products (semen, ova and embryos).

Bluetongue virus is spread by infected biting midges (Culicoides species) which are generally most active between April and November.

The virus update detailed that “it is critical that all livestock farmers maintain vigilance for any suspicions of this disease”.

It added that it is “especially” important at this time of year as “temperatures continue to rise during spring and summer.

The department has urged livestock owners to report of BTV suspicions to their local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) without delay.

Ireland is currently free of BTV, which is a viral disease of ruminants and camelids that continues to be of widespread concern across mainland Europe.

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is a notifiable exotic disease that infects ruminant animals (such as sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (such as llama and alpaca).

Bluetongue does not affect human health or food safety. However, if bluetongue virus entered Ireland it would have serious trade implications for live animals and germinal products.

Bluetongue cases in Europe

Since the first BTV-3 vaccine produced became available in May 2024, two other BTV-3 vaccines produced have also been given emergency authorisation by the Dutch authorities for use in the Netherlands.

The decision in the Netherlands was made to begin with vaccinating sheep on farms by veterinary surgeons in May 2024, to reduce clinical disease and mortality associated with the disease.

Although vaccination is not mandatory, the willingness by sheep farmers to vaccinate
has been high (approximately 95%), according to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture.

Two cases of BTV-3 have been detected in the Netherlands in the Gelderland region in June 2024.

However, since 2023, the total number of confirmed cases of BTV-3 epidemic is 5,996.

Bluetongue serotype 3 (BTV-3) continues to pose a risk in northern Europe. BTV-1, 4 and 8
continue to circulate in southern Europe.

There is no evidence that bluetongue virus is currently circulating in midges in Great Britain, and there are no current bluetongue control zones in force.

There have been 126 bluetongue cases (119 cattle, and seven sheep) reported in England on 73 premises in four counties. No additional cases have been reported since March.

In Belgium, there were seven outbreaks of BTV-3 confirmed on farms in Antwerp, while there have been 47 cases in Germany, the last being in February 2024.

BTV-3 has not been reported in France, but two strains of BTV-8 have been confirmed. However, existing vaccines against BTV-8 are thought to remain effective against this new strain.

Bluetongue continues to circulate in Spain despite a vaccination and an eradication programme. The Spanish authorities have put into place movement restrictions in several BTV affected areas to limit trade and improve surveillance.

BTV-4 has been confirmed in cattle and sheep in northern and central Spain.

Multiple outbreaks of BTV-3,4,8 have been reported across Sardinia in Italy, while in Sicily there were outbreaks of BTV-4.

In mainland Italy, there have been multiple reported outbreaks of BTV-4 and a single outbreak detected BTV-8 in December 2023 for the first time.

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Sheep kill figures have reached peak heights to-date in 2024 as the Eid al-Adha festival has drawn to a close.

The most recent sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown that 63,325 sheep were slaughtered during week 24 (ending June 16).

The Eid al-Adha festival came to an end this week on Wednesday, June 19 during a week when spring lamb and hogget prices have taken a hit as factories have moved towards lowering their offerings to farmers.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 24 (ending Sunday, June 16) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

The weekly throughput is at the highest it has been since week 11 of this year, when there were 61,374 sheep slaughtered, 56,210 of which were hoggets.

This week it is spring lambs that are making up the bulk of the kill figures, as there were 40,995 slaughtered.

Spring lamb throughput remains down on this time last year by over 32,000 head.

75,013 fewer hoggets have been slaughtered to-date this year when compared to the same period last year, while the overall throughput in 2024 is behind the cumulative total up to the same period of 2023 by over 124,000 head.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,147,586 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.

Of that figure, 881,369 have been lambs/hoggets, 155,714 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (110,418), and a small portion of light lambs (85).

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A recent study by Teagasc has highlighted the agricultural threat posed by crane fly larvae (leatherjackets), more commonly known as ‘daddy long-legs’ when fully grown.

These larvae damage grazing pastures and crops by feeding on roots and stems, causing significant economic losses.

Teagasc’s Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme has published findings on sustainable pest control methods.

The research conducted by Dr. Aisling Moffat, under the guidance of Dr. Louise McNamara, focused on grassland farms in Scotland, but found the findings are applicable to Irish agriculture due to similar climatic conditions and land use practices.

The research, covering data from 1980-2020 with a focus on 2009-2018, also revealed that leatherjacket populations are significantly influenced by farm management practices and weather conditions.

In Northern Ireland alone, leatherjacket damage is estimated at £1.5 million annually, factoring in insecticide and fertiliser costs.

This figure, however, might be outdated as chlorpyrifos, a primary insecticide used against leatherjackets, was banned in 2019 due to environmental and genotoxic concerns, according to the research.

Daddy long-legs

Intensive practices such as pesticide use and sheep grazing tend to reduce leatherjacket numbers, whereas less intensive management results in higher populations.

Larger fields and the presence of sheep grazing also contribute to lower larval populations, as sheep grazing disrupts larval habitats, the researchers have said.

Weather conditions play a crucial role, with temperature and precipitation affecting leatherjacket stages differently.

Warmer temperatures generally reduce populations at the adult and second instar stages but increase third instar larva during warmer winters. Rainfall too influences larval numbers.

Further research adopted by Teagasc will explore sustainable techniques such as diverse crop rotations and organic farming to control leatherjacket population, while promoting farm biodiversity.

Implementing these strategies could lead to a more balanced and environmentally friendly approach to pest management, ensuring the protection of crops and livelihoods, according to Teagasc.

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The latest reductions for spring lamb and hogget prices from factories have been met with concerns from those in the sheep sector.

The sheep trade this week has seen spring lamb and hogget prices take a hit as factories have moved towards lowering their offerings to farmers.

Since May 20, just a month ago, prices for spring lambs have dropped from between €0.85-1.00/kg in cases.

With some factories paying up to 21.5kg, this is representing a loss of up to €21.50/lamb in the space of a month.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher has said today (Friday, June 21) that factories have “moved too far and too soon on lamb price and have effectively led the price down,” and added that “this must stop”.

Gallagher said numbers of lambs are “scarce” and that prices in key markets are “upwards of a €1/kg ahead of our prices.

“The behaviour of factories over the past few weeks is unacceptable and risks undermining the marketplace and eroding confidence.

Gallagher said factories must be “more responsible” in their pricing of lamb, reflect the costs and input of farmers and “stand firm” to return these costs in lamb prices.

“Farmers should sell hard. Lamb numbers are scarce and factories, despite their negative propaganda need the lambs to supply key customers.”

The IFA sheep chair said this “undermining” of the trade also runs the risk of impacting negatively on the store lamb trade when it starts later in the year.

“Store sellers had a difficult year last year and did not see any of the benefits of the higher sheep meat prices earlier in the year.

Gallagher previously told Agriland that “lamb finishers at the start of the year [2023]…made big losses”.

Today, Gallagher said that these sellers in particular are “an important sector in the supply chain who are in an extremely vulnerable position and need strong returns in store sales this year”.

The IFA sheep chair said factories have a key role to play in this and it must start with prices that reflect the full value of the markets the sector is trading in.

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A final application to obtain a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) for ‘Comeragh Mountain Lamb’ has been submitted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

It was published earlier this week, and is another step in the process towards achieving the PGI status from the European Commission.

Following scrutiny of the application for a PGI for ‘Comeragh Mountain Lamb’, the DAFM submitted the application to the European Commission for evaluation in April 2019.

Following receipt of technical queries from the European Commission, a revised single document and specification document addressing these technical queries were submitted on May 8, 2024 for further evaluation.

This week, on Monday, June 17, the DAFM published the final application to the European Commission.

A PGI emphasises the relationship between the specific geographic region and the name of the product, where a particular quality, reputation or other characteristic is essentially attributable to its geographical origin.

For most products, at least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the region.

‘Comeragh Mountain Lamb’ is the meat from lambs of the Scotch Blackface breed, born and raised in the Comeragh Mountain region of Co. Waterford.

The lambs are medium in body weight and bone, and the carcass is lean with a light cover of fat.

The meat colour varies from a pale pink for younger lambs to a darker pink as they age and has a solid deep texture.

The lamb has a naturally mild, slightly sweet taste, which is derived from the herbs and grasses on which they feed.

Lambs are born in the spring, usually beginning in the first week of April, with the majority of the lambs born in the following three weeks.

Following birth, the lambs suckle on the ewe for the natural lactating period and are naturally weaned off the mothers.

The first lambs are ready for the market in August of the birth year, with slaughtering starting when they reach 13-22 kg carcass weight depending on age (at about 16 weeks of age) while no lamb is slaughtered beyond 12 months of age.

The meat is matured for at least five days and up to 14 days.

Comeragh Mountain Lamb

‘Comeragh Mountain Lamb’ is derived from Scotch Blackface sheep born and raised in the Comeragh Mountain region and the lambs must be born and raised on farms within this designated geographical area.

No intensive feeding takes place as lambs are raised extensively on grassland, within the
geographical area and according to traditional husbandry practices of Comeragh sheep farming.

Additional feeding may only take place in exceptional circumstances where feed is necessary due to lack of vegetation, adverse weather conditions or lack of growth.

Supplemental feed is restricted to a maximum of 30% in these circumstances.

‘Comeragh Mountain Lamb’ roam free range over extensive areas of mountain.

The wide variety of grasses, flowers, herbs and heathers mean they graze over a much broader and more varied landscape than their lowland counterparts and drink only natural mountain spring water.

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Large numbers of farmers applied for the ‘reseeding grant’ which offered a financial incentive of up to €300/ha, or approximately €122/ac to reseed land with two different sward types.

The 2024 Multi-species Sward and Red Clover Silage Measures opened for applications on Tuesday, March 5 this year through the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) online application system.

The deadline for farmers or their advisors to submit applications for these schemes in 2024 fell on Wednesday (May 15).

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has recently provided Agriland with information on the number of applicants to the Red Clover Silage Measure (RCSM) and Multi-Species Swards Measure (MSSM) and the area of ground entered under each initiative.

The total applicants and area/measure are set out below:

DAFM specified that amendments were allowed up to May 31 and that these figures were subject to change.

According to the DAFM information, over 15,000ha or 37,200ac of land were entered in the two measures combined. 5,341ha were entered for the MSSM and 9,727ha were applied for under the RCSM.

The RCSM proved to be the more popular option amongst farmers with 1,392 applicants under this initiative versus 1,062Ha under the MSSM.

To be eligible under these measures the swards must be sown between July 16, 2023 and July 15, 2024 and established by September 30, 2024.

According to the DAFM, the RCSM and MSSM aim “to incentivise farmers to explore less nitrogen intensive forms of production”.

Launching the measures earlier this year, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue said:

“Following on from the success of the two previous years’ programmes, I welcome the reopening of these two measures which will expand on the areas already established.

“As part of the ongoing commitment by this Government to support and improve the sustainability of farming, the 2024 budget will be €2.5 million for the measures.

“A payment rate of up to €300/ha has been retained and will allow for the continuing support in establishing these swards that assist farmers reduce their chemical fertilise usage.”

The minister added that the establishment of red clover silage and multi-species swards “creates opportunities for farmers to improve the environmental and sustainability of their farming systems”.

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Regional Veterinary Laboratories (RVLs) in Ireland have examined over 1,300 foetuses (post-mortem) to-date in 2024.

Of the 1,331 foetuses examined, 804 were bovine (cattle), 516 were ovine (sheep), and 11 were caprine (goats).

The Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM) is urging the investigation of any birth deformities seen in calves or lambs this year.

The DAFM’s RVLs have detected an uptick in the number of confirmed cases of Schmallenberg virus (SBV), a midge-borne virus that can cause birth deformities in calves and lambs.

As set out in the table above, there have been nine cases of SBV identified to date in 2024 – six in sheep and three in cattle, in the locations outlined.

According to the DAFM, when SBV was detected first in Ireland in 2012, the impact of the disease was short-term, after immunity built up in cattle and sheep (through exposure and vaccination).

Since then, there have been a small number of outbreaks, and the DAFM has described SBV as “a low-impact disease overall,” except on a small number of farms where animals were infected at the stage of pregnancy when the foetus in-utero is most susceptible to the effects of the virus, which results in the birth of deformed off-spring.

While SBV is regarded by the DAFM as “a low-impact virus,” the RVLs are emphasising the value of ensuring that deformed calves and lambs are submitted to them for testing, to increase the surveillance for both SBV and the “potentially more impactful” bluetongue virus (BTV), according to the DAFM.

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299 incidents were reported to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) that occurred in meat processing plants in 2023.

The most common cause of incidents involved the lifting or carrying of items.

While 299 incidents occurred in 2023, 80 occurred in the first four months of 2024.

Taking a look at this 16 month period from January 2023 to April 2024, the highest number of incidents during this period were recorded in Co. Cork, with the lowest number in counties Laois and Waterford.

11% of the incidents occurred in Co. Cork, while 10% happened in meat processing plants in Co. Tipperary.

24 incidents happened in Mayo and Roscommon, while Kildare, Kilkenny and Wexford all saw 20 incidents occur at meat processing plants in the counties.

Just seven counties saw fewer than ten incidents occur at meat processing plants during this 16 month period.

Below is a table provided by the HSA of 251 incident triggers from 2023 to April 2024:

From this table, it can be seen that lifting and carrying was the trigger of 60 of these incidents, with pushing and pulling being the second highest cause of incidents with a total of 55.

Incident data can be reported to the HSA with a delay; therefore, this data is provisional and subject to change

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Independent TD for Galway West Catherine Connolly has told the Dáil that she finds it “extraordinary that wool is classified as a waste product”.

This observation is coming at a time when shearing is being completed on many farms across the country, and when farmers may have selected it as a payable action under the new National Sheep Welfare Scheme.

Deputy Connolly told Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Senator Pippa Hackett last week that wool is being wasted as she said it is being classified as “a waste product.

“In the 21st century and in the face of climate change, it is just extraordinary that wool is classified as a waste product. 

The Galway TD explained that a variety of alternative uses for wool exist, ranging from “insulation to medical products and cosmetics”.

“This is a golden opportunity, no more than that of seaweed, for sustainable industry, particularly along the west coast.

“How do we get from classifying wool as waste, and farmers being paid absolutely nothing, to achieving a thriving industry?” Connolly asked.

Deputy Connolly added that she was “not sure whether the wool council, with its two interim chairs, is the right mechanism” to achieve a thriving industry.

Irish Grown Wool Council

Minister Hackett told Deputy Connolly that to-date, a total of €15,383 has been drawn down by the Irish Grown Wool Council, and that “a further claim” has been submitted to the DAFM and is “currently being processed”.

The minister explained that following a feasibility report in 2022, it recommended the establishment of an industry-led all-island council to champion the Irish-grown brand.

“As we established the independent review, which recommended that the best way to explore the opportunities for Irish-grown wool is through the establishment of the council, we must, at this stage, support the council in everything it does,” Minister Hackett said.

Deputy Connolly said: “As for the wool council, I am on record as saying the whole thing is very woolly.

“It is now 2024. It took up to July 1, 2022 to get the report. It took another length of time to establish a council. There was an interim chair and now there is another interim chair.

“We are still wondering whether there is a demand but, in the 21st century, having declared a climate and biodiversity emergency, the obvious answer is to build sustainable industries around wool, along with seaweed, to empower local people to live sustainably and also to give an alternative to our utter reliance on foreign direct investment,” Deputy Connolly added.

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The sheep trade this week has seen spring lamb and hogget prices take a hit as factories have moved towards lowering their offerings to farmers.

Since May 20, just a month ago, prices for spring lambs have dropped from between €0.85-1.00/kg in cases.

With some factories paying up to 21.5kg, this is representing a loss of up to €21.50/lamb in the space of a month.

For hoggets, prices have dropped by up to €1.50/kg in cases since last month, while some processors are not quoting for hoggets this week.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said supplies of suitably finished lambs are tight on the ground and further cuts to lamb prices is “unacceptable”.

He said factories must recognize the cost of production sheep farmers face to finish lambs at this time of year.

“The number of suitable lambs factories need to fill markets are not available on the ground and this approach only serves to undermine confidence in the sector.”

Gallagher said hogget supplies are dropping week on week and with no surge of spring lambs coming to market will result if further tightening of supplies over the coming weeks.

“Farmers should sell hard while moving lambs at optimum weights to maximize returns and take control back from factories,” Gallagher added.

Spring lamb prices

A year ago, base prices for spring lambs ranged from €7.60-7.70/kg, while those in the QA (quality assured) bracket fetched prices up to €7.80/kg.

For today only, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.50/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kg, a total of €8.70/kg, and a 30c/kg drop in price since last week.

Other outlets are paying €8.35/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €8.50/kg and a drop in price of 50c/kg since a week ago.

Hogget prices

During the same week in 2023, hogget base prices were from €6.85-7.00/kg, while QA hoggets were quoted from €6.65-7.10/kg.

This week, ICM is quoting €7.50/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €7.70/kg for a hogget, which is a 50c/kg cut in price since last week.

Some outlets are not quoting for hoggets this week.

Cull ewes

During the same week in 2023, ewes were fetching base prices from €3.30-3.50/kg.

ICM is currently offering €4/kg for heavy ewes, with other outlets also paying the same price this week.

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Ballymena Show always attracts a fantastic turnout of sheep, and 2024 did not disappoint in this regard.

The man charged with the responsibility of judging the inter-breed classes was Johnny Aiken from Cumbria, who is a native of Banbridge in Co. Down.

He selected a Suffolk shearling ewe, exhibited by the Watson family, as his champion of the show.

Also catching the eye on the day was a marvellous Border Leicester shearling ewe, shown by the Dickey family, from Ballymena.

Aiken described his champion as a “very balanced young animal”, adding:

“The ewe caught my eye as soon as she entered the ring, but she was up against some very stiff competition. The overall standard of the sheep entered for the event was brilliant.”

Aiken paid particular tribute to all those taking part in the sheep young handlers’ competitions.

“It was great to see so many young people getting involved in such a proactive manner,” he said.

Aiken confirmed that farmgate prices are strong at the present time, “but they need to be at these levels, given the costs confronting farmers right now”.

Ballymena Show was also marked by the largest turnout of pedigree dairy stock at any event held in Northern Ireland this year.

Making this happen was the tremendous number of Ayrshire cattle entered for the various competition classes.

The inter-breed championship class was a close run thing involving the top Holstein and Ayrshire cows from the event.

But, it was George and Jason Booth, from Stewartstown in Co. Tyrone, who came away with the main silverware.

His Holstein fourth calver – Beechview Doorman Bridget – looked an absolute picture in the ring. She calved back in March and is currently giving 50 plus litres of milk per day.

Judge Andrew Patton described his champion as a great example of the Holstein breed: “She has scope, an excellent udder and all-round dairy character.”

The reserve inter-breed rosette was awarded to another outstanding Holstein cow, exhibited by Geoffrey Patton from Carrowdore in Co. Down.

George and Jason Booth are having a summer to remember in 2024. They picked up the dairy inter-breed title at last week’s Armagh Show. The pair also had a very successful Balmoral Show back in May.

Meanwhile, competition was equally strong within the beef classes, held at Ballymena Show 2024.

The inter-breed championship was picked up by Alan Wilson with his Simmental heifer, Ballinlare Farm Nikita.

Judge, John Moore, described his champion as a heifer with “fantastic breeding potential”.

Ballymena saw a reversing of roles relative to Armagh Show seven days earlier, where the Limousin heifer of Kilkeel breeder, Trevor Shields – Glenmarshal Theduchess carried the day.

“I am aware that the Limousin heifer took the inter-breed at Armagh. In my opinion both animals are great examples of their respective breeds, and there really is only the toss of a coin between them.

“However, I thought the Simmental had that little bit of extra show presence when she came into the ring,” Moore said.

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The control of stomach worms in lambs is essential to meet performance targets and to aid in the thrive of lambs out on grass.

Stomach worms are one of the major production-limiting diseases of growing lambs, according to Orla Keane at Teagasc.

According to the researcher, stomach worms in lambs will reduce feed intake and heavy worm burdens which will result in failure to thrive, scour and in severe cases even death.

During the summer and autumn, the major worm species that can infect lambs include:

• The medium brown stomach worm (Teladorsagia);
• The black scour worm (Trichostrongylus);
• The small intestinal worm (Cooperia).

These worms are collectively referred to as ‘stomach worms’ or ‘strongyles’.

Lambs are most at risk as immunity takes one to two years to develop.

Keane determined that lambs are the source of most of the worm contamination on pasture and that good worm control in lambs is “essential to meet performance targets” and to limit the number of worm larvae shed onto the pasture, which will be available to infect stock later in the season.

Therefore, the Teagasc researcher said finishing lambs as soon as possible and getting them off the farm will reduce pasture contamination.

Preventing worms in lambs

As with other diseases, prevention is better than cure, which involves limiting exposure of lambs to stomach worms through grazing management and the use of wormers, Keane explained.

The disease caused by stomach worms results in protein loss from the gut. Therefore, Keane has said farmers must ensure nutrition is optimised through sufficient quantity of good quality feed.

Grazing lambs ahead of ewes post-weaning will provide lambs with the best pick of grass while allowing the more immune ewes following to consume some of the infective larvae shed by the lambs.

Using other stock, such as cattle, to clean up pastures for sheep is also beneficial, as the majority of stomach worms are specific to either cattle or sheep and so sheep stomach worms rarely cause disease in cattle and vice versa.

Therefore, mixed grazing will reduce the number of stomach worms the lambs ingest, Keane added.

Grazing forage crops, hay or silage aftermaths or ground not recently grazed by lambs will also reduce the number of worm larvae the lambs are exposed to.

The exposure of sheep to stomach worms can be monitored by determining the number of worm eggs in the dung, commonly referred to as a faecal egg count (FEC) test.

Poor thrive can also be an indicator of heavy stomach worms burdens. However, many other factors also affect thrive, Keane said.

Wormers

Resistance to the three commonly used wormers on Irish sheep farms (white wormers, yellow wormers and clear wormers) is now “widespread”.

It is important that farmers know what wormers work on their farm and use a wormer that is effective on their farm.

Use of an ineffective wormers means that treated lambs continue to shed worms onto pasture and the worms they shed are drug-resistant.

Resistant worms will build up throughout the grazing season and result in poor animal performance as the season progresses.

Therefore, knowing which wormers work on the farm is essential for good worm control in lambs.

Worms move from farm to farm within the stomach of infected sheep. Having a good biosecurity protocol is the only way to prevent buying in resistant worms, Keane determined.

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This year (2024) to date has been described as “the toughest year on record” for growing grass at a recent farm walk which took place in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo.

Speaking at the Irish Grassland Association (IGA) beef event the farm of Martin Shaughnessy, Teagasc advisor Kevin Madden explained the challenges farmers have faced this year.

He said: “As regards grass grown, it’s probably been the toughest year I’d say on record for growing grass.”

He added that the weather conditions experienced this year have made achieving high levels of grass growth more challenging:

“We had one of the wettest springs we ever had and top that off with a cold May and a cold June so far.”

Despite the challenging conditions faced in the region, the Teagasc advisor praised the host farmers’ efforts in sustaining high levels of animal performance predominantly off grass, saying: “He’s still producing top-quality stock”.

The IGA Beef Event focused on the host farmers’ impressive animal performance both in his beef and sheep enterprises and how these levels of animal performance are being achieved with a core focus on the efficient utilisation of grass grown on the farm.

According to the latest grass growth update from Teagasc, cold weather has dropped growth rates back on Irish farms to 58kg/ha/day and 50kg/Ha/day respectively on Irish dairy and drystock farms.

The fall in growth rates has been partially attributed to a cooler northerly airflow, which has slowed down the regrowth of grass on paddocks that have been cut or grazed.

This cooler airflow which has been experienced this month is expected to continue to dominate until next week and Met Eireann has forecast “above average rainfall”, which will be more welcome in some parts of the country than others.

The Teagasc advice to farmers whose grass covers drop below 150 Kg DM/LU and pre-grazing yields start to drop under 1,200kg DM/Ha is to hold rotation length at 21 days, increase the grazing area or introduce extra supplement.

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A further extension to the date by which lime must be spread under the National Liming Programme has been announced by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue today (Wednesday, June 12).

Lime purchased under the scheme can now be spread until Thursday, October 31. This means the deadline has been pushed out by a further four months (the previous liming deadline was June 28) due to poor soil trafficability.

The decision comes after Minister McConalogue previously ruled out any further extension to the deadline, which initially had been on October 31, 2023, but was extended until March 31, 2024, and again until June 28 due to wet weather.

Announcing the decision today, however, the minister said that while he had hoped the previous extension would allow ground conditions improve to allow the spreading of lime, soil trafficability has not improved sufficiently in some parts of the country.

“Information from quarries estimates that a little over 30% of pre-paid lime has been spread to date, with this figure being lower in certain parts of the country.

“With the previous deadline fast approaching, I am extending the spreading date until the end of October to give all farmers the opportunity to apply lime as per the conditions of the scheme,” Minister McConalogue said.

However, there will be no further extension beyond the deadline on October 31 as balancing payments are required to be processed and made in 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The National Liming Programme was introduced by the minister in spring 2023 to incentivise the use of lime as a natural soil conditioner, which corrects soil acidity, makes nutrients more available for plant uptake and improves overall soil health.

Over 14,500 claims were submitted under the programme with advance payments issued to farmers in December 2023. Payments were conditional on the purchase of lime no later than November 7, 2023.

Subsequently, participants were required to spread the purchased lime before the liming deadline at the end of June. However, this date has now been extended until Thursday, October 31, 2024.

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The Teagasc Environment, Soils and Land Use Research Centre at Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford will host an open day focused on sustainability next month.

The event entitled, ‘Farming for a Better Future 2024’, which is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, July 16, was officially launched this week.

The open day will demonstrate technologies and practices for efficient, environmentally sustainable, profitable and more resilient farming systems, and the supports available to implement them.

Johnstown Castle

Teagasc has said that the event aims to build understanding of the environmental challenges faced by the sector and to provide support to farmers.

Attendees will be updated on the latest practices and technologies identified by research, and tested at field and farm system scales.

The event will discuss practical management of dairy systems, the calf-to-beef herd and the new organic beef finishing trial at the Teagasc Johnstown Castle Research Centre.

Teagasc has also encouraged tillage farmers to attend as there will be a focus on soil health, crop nutrition and cover crop establishment and management.

There will be a range of exhibits for farmers to view at the open day covering various topics, including:

• Management of red and white clover and multispecies swards;
• Fertiliser and manure technologies;
• Better farming for water: 8 actions for change;
• Biodiversity;
• Dairy and dairy-beef systems;
• Teagasc advisory and education;
• Health and safety for sustainable farming.

Launching the open day, Teagasc director Prof. Frank O’Mara said that farmers are being increasingly asked to change and adapt their farming practices to reduce impacts on the natural environment.

“The science underpinning some of these requested changes arises from the research undertaken by Teagasc in the Environment, Soils and Land Use Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, and in its other research centres.

“This open day will bring together all of this available knowledge, with simple practical advice and messages for farmers to consider,” he said.

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A late application period for sheep farmers to still apply to the new National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) will close in the coming days.

There is a 25-calendar day period after the May 21 closing date for the acceptance of late applications and any necessary supporting documentation.

However, deductions to payments at a rate of 1% per working day in respect of the NSWS will apply to late applications which are received during this period.

This late applications period closes on Saturday, June 15, 2024.

Selecting your scheme actions:

All applicants must select one action from the list of category A actions and one action from the list of category B actions.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that the payment will be per eligible breeding ewe, and payment for full scheme compliance will be €8/ewe (€4/ewe/action completed).

Applicants are asked to choose their actions carefully, as once their application has been submitted, it will not be possible to change their actions over the lifetime of the scheme.

The DAFM has confirmed that 17,167 farmers applied for the NSWS, covering almost two million ewes.

Sheep Welfare Scheme participation

The NSWS measures are additional to those in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) and must be applied for separately.

To qualify for participation in the scheme:

• You must have an ovine active DAFM herd number;
• You must be farming a holding in respect of which a valid 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application is submitted to the department, within the required application period;
• You must have breeding ewes recorded on the national sheep census in 2023;
• There are four actions in the scheme and applicants must complete in full two actions, one from each category. Completion of both actions are mandatory for payment.

Applicants who have not submitted a 2023 sheep census return by the February 14, 2024 deadline will not be eligible to apply for the scheme.

The scheme will run from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, however actions selected must be completed by October 15, 2024.

Payments in the new scheme are expected in November, but reductions in payment will apply where not all actions are completed.

The post National Sheep Welfare Scheme late application deadline nears appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The rural development chair of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), John Curran has called for an extension to the deadline under the National Liming Programme until the end of December.

The current liming deadline is Friday, June 28. The final spreading date was initially on October 31, 2023, but has been extended multiple times already due to wet weather.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, however, recently said he does “not envisage” any further extension to the final lime spreading date on June 28.

Liming deadline

The IFA has heard from lime supplies in the west particularly that only 20-30% of pre-paid lime has been delivered and spread to date, which is “concerning”, according to Curran.

While previous extensions to the deadline “helped”, he said the persistent wet weather for much of the period since, coupled with heavy grass covers, has “significantly diminished” opportunities to spread lime.

“Many farmers, particularly those with red clover swards, will be looking to get multiple silage crops this year to rebuild fodder reserves given the long and extended housing period last year.

“There is a danger that some may apply lime onto silage ground between harvests to comply. This would have significant consequences on silage quality and must be avoided,” Curran said.

The IFA rural development chair said farmers need additional time to make “full use” of the benefits of the scheme, which will allow them to “better plan” for the weeks and months ahead.

A further extension would also “prove resource efficient” from a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) perspective, “saving having to claw back monies at a later date”, Curran added.

The post Call for liming deadline extension until year-end appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Following the drop in prices for spring lambs and hoggets last week, there were further developments in the sheep trade this week (beginning Monday, June 10).

Kildare Chilling has resumed quoting this week for spring lambs after a brief absence.

However, like other factories last week, the processor has reduced its offering by 50c/kg since a fortnight ago.

Other sheep processors have maintained their spring lamb quotes, while one processor raised the price for hoggets by 10c/kg.

According to Bord Bia, there is a “strong deadweight trade” that is “being driven by the tighter supplies of suitable hoggets for processing”.

“Spring lambs have been slow to come forward also,” a report by Bord Bia stated.

Spring lamb prices

A year ago, base prices for spring lambs ranged from €7.35-7.80/kg, while those in the QA (quality assured) bracket fetched prices of €7.50-7.80/kg.

Today, Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kg, a total of €9/kg, with no change in price since last week.

Kildare Chilling is quoting €8.90/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs, bringing its total price up to €9/kg this week.

Other outlets are offering €8.85/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kg, a total of €9/kg for a spring lamb.

Hogget prices

During the same week in 2023, hogget base prices were from €6.60-7.00/kg, while QA hoggets were quoted from €6.65-7.10/kg.

This week, ICM is quoting €8/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €8.20/kg for a hogget, which is the same price as reported last week.

Kildare Chilling is not quoting for hoggets today.

Other outlets have increased their offerings for hoggets by 10c/kg and are paying €7.85/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €8/kg.

Cull ewe prices

ICM has reduced the price it is currently offering for heavy ewes by 20c/kg, and is quoting €4/kg.

For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling has offered farmers €4/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €4.10/kg for a better type ewe.

Other outlets are offering €4/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for a ewe over 30kg, a total of €4.10/kg.

The post Sheep trade: Factories offering up to €9/kg for spring lambs appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Armagh Show 2024 boasted, possibly, its largest cattle entry of all time. Judging of the various classes went on well into the afternoon.

The interbreed beef championship was awarded to Kilkeel Limousin breeder, Trevor Shields with a tremendous 22-month-old heifer, Glenmarshal Theduchess.

She looked an absolute picture in the ring.

John Kingham, from Tateetra Farms in Co. Louth, judged the beef interbreed class. He described his champion as an elite heifer.

“She just stood out that little bit on the day,” he said.

“For me she had everything that a elite beef breeding heifer should have – tremendous presence, scope and an all-round quality that only top animals possess.

“I was very impressed with the overall quality of the cattle taking part in the classes that were herd throughout the day.”

Tateetra Farm is home to the largest herd of sucklers  in Ireland.

John Kingham continued: “We will be calving in excess of 500 cows this year.”

The winning beef interbreed connections were the inaugural recipients of the Charlotte Crowe Perpetual Cup, named after a former patron of Armagh Show, who passed away in December 2023.

Sheep classes at Armagh Show

Meanwhile, the summer of 2024 just keeps on improving for Co. Down Suffolk sheep breeder, Mark Priestly.

He started off this year’s showing season with an emphatic Balmoral interbreed championship victory, showing a truly elite shearling ewe.

And then, just for good measure, he secured the interbreed sheep championship at last weekend’s Armagh Show with another shearling ewe.

The commitment of the Downpatrick man to breed Suffolk sheep of the highest quality is immense. This was his third Armagh interbreed sheep victory on the spin.

Alison Crabbe, from Raphoe in Co. Donegal, judged the final sheep class of the day at Armagh Show 2024. She farms a mix of Beltex and Badger sheep in tandem with Hereford cattle.

The judge described her champion as a tremendous example of the Suffolk breed. “She has tremendous length and balance. It’s almost as if she had an extra rib. The shearling has tremendous breeding potential for the future,” she said.

The winning ewe will be put to the ram in September, in preparation for lambing next January.

Dairy champions

The dairy interbreed championship at Armagh Show 2024 was won by George and Jason Booth, from Stewartstown in Co. Tyrone, with their impressive Holstein third calver, Brookroad Satrin 185.

The reserve went to the Fleming family, from Seaforde in Co. Down with their Jersey third calver, Potterswalls Impression Lady 6.

The Holstein judge – Andrea Rafferty, from Co. Monaghan – described her champion as a tremendous dairy cow.

“She is very silky, very dairy and has tremendous feet and legs,” she said.

“Her mammary system is excellent. The cow also has tremendous balance. Both the winning cow and the reserve could win a lot of classes around the country.”

Sathrin is currently giving 55L of milk per day.

“She calved for the third time back in February,” Jason Booth explained.

“She was second in the four-year-old class at this year’s Balmoral Show. Hopefully she is back in calf to the Candain bull, Logic PP.

“We used a sexed straw, so hopefully we can look forward to the arrival of a heifer calf in a few months’ time.” 

The Jersey interbreed reserve is also performing extremely well at the present time.

According to Lindsay Fleming, she is giving 33L of milk at the present at 5.6% butterfat and 3.89% protein.

The post Results: Beef, dairy and sheep champions at Armagh Show appeared first on Agriland.ie.

With the arrival of winter in June in New Zealand, farmers are being encouraged to prepare adverse weather plans which can be implemented if the weather turns bad.

Will Halliday, a senior advisor with Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s recommends that farmers should consider how they will deal with heavy snow falls or prolonged periods of wet weather and put together an action plan.

He advised that factors such as electricity (availability of back-up generators) and water supplies, supplementary feed, access, shelter, stand-off areas and priority stock classes should all be considered by New Zealand farmers when putting a plan together for the winter.

June to August are winter months in New Zealand and bring colder weather to much of the country and more rain to most areas in the North Island.

“Having a plan takes the stress out of decision-making during adverse events and ensures the whole farm team knows what is required,” Halliday said.

Ideally, Halliday said farmers in snow-prone areas should have two to three weeks’ worth of supplements on hand in case of heavy snow. This supplement could make up 100% of an animal’s diet.

Feeding supplements to young stock early in winter will get them used to the feed if it is needed during an adverse weather event.

The advisor said if snow is forecasted, farmers should feed up to 50% more before it snows as stock typically eat more before a storm and less during it.

The initial requirement of stock is to keep warm, so where possible, Halliday said they should be offered 20% above their maintenance requirements.

Water

The advisor said water needs to be available to stock for at least six hours per day, particularly if they are being fed large volumes of dry supplement.

“Stock will die of dehydration well before they die of malnutrition, so it is important to use a generator for the water pump if the power is off or move stock so they can access water.”

New Zealand farmers will this winter will have to bear in mind that ice on troughs will need to be broken and removed to stop re-freezing and checked to ensure stock have access to clean water.

Forage crops

To minimise damage to winter forage crops in New Zealand during snow or prolonged wet weather, Halliday said providing a sheltered, well-drained stand-off area with access to water and feed supplements will help protect soils and crops and maintain animal welfare.

If snow has broken kale and rape off at ground level, then these crops will need to be fed before they rot.

“If they are just bent, they will keep growing. Bulb crops typically won’t be affected by snow and fodder beet is particularly valuable as stock can get back onto it quicker than other crops.

Cattle can also dig into snow to uncover the bulbs, Halliday added.

If oat crops are flattened, the advisor said they should be fed as soon as possible. Oats will rot and go slimy within a couple of weeks. Freezing bursts the cell walls increasing the rate of deterioration.

Supplementary feed

To minimise wastage when feeding grain or nuts, Halliday suggests feeding out on top of silage, against fence lines, under a back-fence electric wire or on frosted ground.

Cattle can be held on straw if necessary and straw can be fed with brassicas or silage to help balance their diet.

Halliday said once transitioned onto grain, which should be done gradually starting with 50g/ewe and building by 50g/head/week, ewes can be fed up to 300g/head/day.

“Watch for signs of grain overload or acidosis which include grey scour. If this occurs immediately drop back the quantity of grain being fed,” he added.

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The most recent sale at Loughrea Mart showed there was an “active” trade for ram lambs for export there.

The sale took place on Thursday, June 6, where it was a reported “good size sale”, with just one lot of sheep left unsold on the day.

However, it was the ram lambs that were “the talk of the day” as the demand for the export market was “very active” at the sale.

Lambs in general were averaging at €4.00/kg, while cull ewes were making up to €2.00/kg.

Both factory agents and wholesalers were reportedly “keen for the cull ewes” at Loughrea Mart.

Sample lamb prices

• 55kg €220 -(€4.00/kg);
• 51.4kg €204 -(€3.96/kg);
• 48.4kg €198 -(€4.09/kg);
• 44kg €197 – (€4.48/kg);
• 46kg €196 -(€4.26/kg);
• 42.8kg €170 -(€3.97/kg);
• 42.6kg €166 -(€3.90/kg);
• 39kg €157 -(€3.87/kg).

Cull ewe prices

• 91.5kg €180 -(€1.97/kg);
• 85kg €170 -(€2.00/kg);
• 91.6kg €160 -(€1.75/kg);
• 82kg €160 -(€1.95/kg);
• 78.5kg €150 -(€1.91/kg).

Ennis Mart

At the sale on Monday, June 3 at Ennis Mart, there was a “slightly smaller sale” with 550 on offer.

There were good quality lambs on offer and these averaged €4.13/kg, with a top call of €4.46/kg.

Entries of hoggets averaged €3.11/kg on the day.

There was a large entry of cull ewes which met “a great trade”, topping out at €227 for a ewe weighing 113kg and €225 for a ewe weighing 102kg. The majority of the well fleshed ewes all made over €2/kg.

Spring lambs:

• 49kgs – €218 – €4.44/kg;
• 50kgs – €220 – €4.40/kg;
• 46kgs – €201 – €4.36/kg;
• 45.5kgs – €190 – €4.17/kg;
• 41kgs – €183 – €4.46/kg;
• 39kgs – €158 – €4.05/kg;
• 42.5kgs – €177 – €4.16/kg.

Hoggets:

• 62kgs – €200 – €3.22/kg;
• 53kgs – €176 – €3.32/kg;
• 48.5kgs – €164 – €3.38/kg;
• 47.5kgs – €170 – €3.57/kg;
• 63kgs – €192 – €3.04/kg.

Raphoe Mart

At the sale on Monday, June 3 at Raphoe Mart, top prices for spring lambs reached €206/head, while fat ewes sold from €100/head to €226/head.

Spring lambs sold at:

• €100 to €150 for 30-37kg;
• €150 to €180 for 38-45kg;
• €180 to €206 for 45-55kg.

Ewes with one lamb sold from €180/team to €400/team, while ewes with two lambs at the sale sold from €200/team to €300/team.

Manorhamilton Mart

There was a “brisk trade” reported around the ring for the sheep sale on Wednesday, June 5 at Manorhamilton Mart.

There was a top price of €402 for two second crop ewes and four Blue Texel lambs at the sale.

Spring lambs

• 44kg- €183;
• 42kg- €171;
• 43kg- €174;
• 42kg- €160.

Hoggets

• 25kg- €190;
• 45kg- €144;
• 35kg- €116.

Cull ewes

• 70kg- €150;
• 76kg- €157;
• 80kg- €164;
• 86kg- €170.

Ewes and lambs

• Two ewes and four lambs- €402;
• One ewe and two lambs- €340;
• One ewe and two lambs- €288;
• One ewe and two lambs- €286;
• Two ewes and three lambs- €278.

The post Sheep marts: ‘Active’ trade for export lambs at Loughrea Mart appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Spring lambs were processed in slightly higher numbers last week, according to the latest sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

Last week (ending Sunday, June 2) during week 22, there were 22,899 spring lambs slaughtered, an increase of 3,610 since the previous week.

However, the supply of hoggets fell last week by 2,523 head compared to week 21, and to-date in 2024, there have been 84,046 fewer hoggets slaughtered compared to the same period of last year.

The 42,826 sheep slaughtered during week 22 is 3,610 head higher than the total from the previous week.

There are 132,860 fewer sheep processed so far in 2024 than there were during the same period of 2023.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 1,042,805 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.

Of that figure, 852,215 have been lambs/hoggets, 88,612 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (101,896), and a small portion of light lambs (82).

It remains to be seen what number of sheep will be processed during week 23, but on account of the bank holiday on Monday, June 3, and the significant drop in prices quoted by factories for spring lambs and hoggets, throughput may be significantly different than the latest figures.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher has accused factories of attempting to “undermine the sheep trade”.

He said spring lamb numbers are still tight on the ground and buying is still taking place for the important of Eid ul – Adha festival in mid-June.

“The level of cuts attempted by factories runs the risk of undermining the trade in our key export markets and sets the sector on a very dangerous path for the remainder of the year,” Gallagher said.

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A “rise” in diseases affecting livestock, such as bluetongue, were among some of the impacts that may affect the Irish agriculture sector as a result of climate change, the government has stated.

These impacts were detailed in Ireland’s second National Adaptation Framework (NAF), which was published by Minister Eamon Ryan this week.

The new NAF sets out the potential implications of climate change for Ireland and outlines the national strategy for the development of adaptation measures.

Featured below are potential impacts in the agriculture sector associated with climate change:

The NAF detailed that “projected temperature increases may lead to a rise in vector-borne diseases affecting livestock, such as the bluetongue virus, and could impact disease lifecycles and the introduction of new diseases”.

The government has contended that “more frequent heatwaves may lead to heat stress for both animals and farmers”.

Projected decreases in summer precipitation and increased drought frequency will cause water stress for livestock, necessitating changes to grazing protocols and increased silage/meal requirements.

Cracked soils may stunt crop growth and limit chemical fertiliser application and reduce efficiency, also posing a risk of exposing groundwater to pesticides.

The increased frequency of extreme precipitation events may lead to soil issues, including decreased trafficability, compaction, erosion, and nutrient and pesticide runoff.

Farms and dwellings could face infrastructural damage, and access and transportation may become challenging if storms intensify as projected.

Significant emphasis has been placed on adaptation across the agriculture, and forestry sectors in recent years, culminating in the publication of the Climate Action Plan (CAP) strategic plan and the Forest Strategy.

The framework also acknowledged that “recent experiences of extreme weather such as the fodder crisis of 2023, the flooding of Midleton in October 2023, heatwaves of 2023 and 2022, and windstorms of 2024 (Kathleen), 2022 (Eunice) and 2021 (Barra) highlight the wide range of potential impacts of Ireland’s changing climate”.

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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has today (Wednesday, June 5) announced the commencement of the 15% balancing payments to all eligible farmers under year 1 of the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).

These balancing payments, worth €2.17 million, bring the total amount paid to over 17,020 farmers under the scheme for 2023 to €21.33 million.

The department issued the initial 85% advance payment to eligible farmers in November 2023.

However, last month it was revealed that there were over 1,400 farmers in the scheme who had yet to receive an advance payment.

Sheep Improvement Scheme

The Sheep Improvement Scheme is funded under Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023-2027, and provides support to sheep farmers for carrying out actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector.

The scheme, which replaced the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS), is co-funded by the DAFM and the EU and the payment rate is €12/ewe.

The department said that the payments under the scheme provide “a significant financial boost to the individual farmers, the sheep sector in general and the wider rural economy”.

A further 286 new entrants joined the SIS earlier this year bringing total participation in the scheme now to 18,940.

When the SIS is combined with this year’s rollout of the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, a total of €20/ewe is available to sheep farmers in 2024.

Any farmers with outstanding queries on the SIS are being urged to respond to the department’s sheep section immediately to facilitate payment.

DAFM will continue to issue payments on an ongoing basis as outstanding queries are resolved.

Farmers have also been reminded to take care and time in carrying out the actions they have selected under both schemes in 2024 and to accurately record them within the Action Record sheets provided by DAFM.

Meanwhile, the National Sheep Welfare Scheme will remain open for late applications, with a penalty being applied, up to June 15, 2024.

Just over 17,000 farmers have already applied to join the scheme which has a budget of €15 million.

Participants are required to complete two actions to receive the full payment of €8/ewe.

The post Sheep Improvement Scheme balancing payments commence appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Prices in the sheep trade this week (beginning Tuesday, June 4) have received a significant cut from the latest offerings from factories for hogget and spring lamb supplies.

During what is a shorter processing week on account of the bank holiday Monday, the notable updates in the sheep trade are that Kildare Chilling are not quoting for spring lambs or hoggets, and Irish Country Meats (ICM) have cut their offerings for hoggets by €1/kg and spring lambs by 50c/kg.

A year ago, base prices for hoggets stood from €6.80-7.00/kg, while base prices for spring lambs ranged from €7.40-7.60/kg.

This week, hogget base prices are standing at between €7.75-8/kg, with spring lamb base prices are ranging from €8.80-8.85/kg.

Factories have been urged to be “responsible in their pricing of lambs and hoggets” in order to not undermine the sheep trade by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).

Adrian Gallagher, IFA sheep chair, said factories are trying to drag the price down “in a manner that’s way ahead of the direction of travel of prices in our key markets over the past few weeks”.

Gallagher said that spring lamb numbers are “still tight on the ground” and buying is also taking place for the Eid ul – Adha festival, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar, later this month.

In the above graph, it can be seen that around June, sheepmeat prices decrease significantly each year according to the data from Bord Bia.

“The level of cuts attempted by factories runs the risk of undermining the trade in our key export markets and sets the sector on a very dangerous path for the remainder of the year,” the IFA sheep chair warned.

Gallagher said the current approach by factories “is unacceptable and must stop” and called on them to “stand firm in the market place to maintain prices” for farmers.

Spring lamb

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €8.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kgs, a total of €9/kg, and a drop of 50c/kg.

Kildare Chilling is not quoting for spring lambs today.

Other outlets are offering €8.85/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kgs, a total of €9/kg for a spring lamb.

Hogget

ICM is quoting €8/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €8.20/kg for a hogget, and a reduction in price of €1/kg since last week.

Kildare Chilling has said it is not quoting for hoggets today.

Other outlets are paying €7.75/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €7.90/kg.

Cull ewes

For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling has offered farmers €4/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €4.10/kg for a better type ewe.

ICM is currently offering €4.20/kg for heavy ewes, while other outlets are offering €4/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for a ewe over 30kg, a total of €4.10/kg.

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The 2024 all-Ireland and all nations sheep shearing and woolhandling championships took place at Mountbellew, Co. Galway over the bank holiday weekend (beginning Saturday, June 1).

It was the first time that Mountbellew hosted the event, which saw competitors from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Australia and New Zealand all vying for the top prizes.

The 13 categories in the championships included, novice; woolhandling; junior; intermediate; blade; senior; Ireland versus Northern Ireland; and best family shearing and woolhandling.

The organisers of “Kepak Shearfest” at Mountbellew Mart billed the two-day event as “the Olympics of sheep shearing”.

Richard Jones from Wales took home the top spot in the all nations category, with Irishman Jack Robinson finishing in third place.

However, Robinson took home first place in this year’s all Ireland open category.

Sheep shearing and woolhandling results

Results from the 2024 all-Ireland and all nations sheep shearing and woolhandling championships:

All Ireland Open

1. Jack Robinson;
2. Ivan Scott;
3. Denis O’Sullivan;
4. Graeme Davidson;
5. Mark Magee;
6. Stanley Allingham.

All Nations Open

1. Richard Jones;
2. Gethin Lewis;
3. Jack Robinson;
4. Ivan Scott;
5. Denis O’Sullivan;
6. Graeme Davidson.

All Ireland and All Nations Blades

1. James Hopkins;
2. Noel Joyce;
3. Martin Hopkins;
4. George Mudge;
5. Patrick Moran;
6. Patrick Kerrigan.

All Ireland and All Nations Open Woolhandling

1. Rachel Murphy;
2. Hazel Crowe;
3. Jayne Harkness Bones;
4. Ellen Murphy;
5. Joanne Devaney.

All Ireland and All Nations Novice Woolhandling

1. Jessica McConnell;
2. Leah Maxwell;
3. Jazmine Williams;
4. Mary Ita Hogan.

All Ireland and All Nations Senior

1. Alex Butler;
2. Ryan Adams;
3. Ben Scott;
4. Karol Devaney;
5. Robert Douglas;
6. Joseph Stephens.

All Ireland and All Nations Intermediate

1. Elgan Roberts;
2. Lewis Jones;
3. Luke Magee;
4. Paddy Dunne;
5. Ciaran Lawless;
6. Enda Bradley.

All Ireland and All Nations Junior

1. Andy Corrigan;
2. Kevin Noone;
3. Joseph Scahill;
4. Brian Keely;
5. Sean Dunne;
6. Alexander McDonald.

All Ireland and All Nations Novice

1. Pat Biggins;
2. Paddy Fitzpatrick;
3. John Mean.

Galway Confined

1. Ciaran Lawless;
2. Padraig Coen;
3. John Stephens;
4. Joseph Stephens;
5. Jonathon Molloy;
6. Shane McDonagh.

Family

1. Devaneys;
2. Bradleys;
3. Magees;
4. Dunnes.

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A Co. Wicklow couple, who run a small business based at Ballinclea Farm, are working with farmers to preserve the breeding lines of sheep farmed for Irish wool production.

Ériu, founded by Dubliner Zoë Daly and sheep farmer Lionel Mackey, is working with over 80 farmers across the country to source wool which is then spun at Donegal Yarns and hand knitted in Dublin – a true “farm to yarn” network.

Currently farming just under 100 Bluefaced Leicester and Romney sheep, Ballinclea Farm plans to grow its flock size this year, buying rams and ewes from breeders to preserve these breeding lines, Daly said.

The couple are excited about the potential of Irish wool from a breeding perspective, working with the Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Breeders’ Association and a group called the Emerald Romneys.

Speaking to Agriland, Daly said only certain farmers are “committed” to wool quality because they are “fed up with the pathetic price that wool has gone down to” and that there is “no incentive” to breed for wool quality.

Grandmother’s wool blanket

Daly told Agriland that she first fell in love with wool when she had her first baby nine years ago and her grandmother gifted her a hand-knitted baby blanket made of wool.

At that time, Daly didn’t know much about the “amazing benefits” of wool as a fibre that is temperature regulating, non-allergenic, fire resistant, wholly compostable, and carbon friendly.

Turning her new “obsession” into a business idea, Daly, who previously worked in documentary making, wanted to document the story of souring wool directly from the farmer and producing a blanket.

Determined to find the “most beautiful” Irish wool, Daly was amazed that she could not buy wool anywhere, despite the number of sheep in Ireland, which didn’t make sense to her.

During her research, Daly kept bumping into the same story claiming that Irish wool is “worthless” and of “very low quality”, and that it’s “only fit to be exported as carpet material”. A narrative which she found not to be true.

After meeting farmers and hand spinners who told her that there is beautiful wool in Ireland, she collected fleeces from farmers in the back of her car and sent them to the UK to process them as there were no mills available in Ireland.

“I needed to find out for myself if this narrative was true, that Irish wool was terrible. When I got it back in my hands and knit it up, I knew that this narrative wasn’t true, that Irish wool is of high value.

“Once I knew that, I thought I have to do something about this,” she said. The wool enthusiast then curated the blend she wanted the use, choosing Bluefaced Leicester and Romney sheep.

Along her journey meeting with farmers, Daly met Lionel Mackey, a sheep farmer and businessman from Wicklow – an encounter bound to lead to the establishment of Ériu.

Wicklow

Together with Mackey, her now soon-to-be husband, Daly founded Ériu which is based on a “farm to yarn” network, working directly with Bluefaced Leicester and Romney sheep farmers nationwide.

Shortly after meeting Mackey, Daly learned that there was already a woolen mill on his farm which was about to be sold outside of Ireland, while at the same time there was a warehouse sitting empty on the farm.

Recognising its potential, the couple bought the mill and is currently working to receive funding to set it up. However, Daly believes in working with other mills as “collaboration is the key to get the wool industry back up on its feet”.

Irish wool has its “own character” and is different from the “mass imported” Marino wool which most of the world’s wool market and the Irish knitwear market relies on, Daly said.

Ériu is the first Irish brand to use 100% Irish wool and pays its suppliers 10 times the industry price to incentivise them to maintain the wool and shear it correctly, according to the co-founder.

The Co. Wicklow business is a member of the Irish Grown Wool Council (IGWC), which brings together wool stakeholders across the island of Ireland to realise the potential of Irish wool as a natural, sustainable and versatile material.

A lot of the wool imported globally is “not fully sustainable”, “not always ethical”, and “untraceable”, while at Ériu, everything is done in Ireland at a low carbon footprint. This comes at a higher price, she said.

The couple meets many people who want to use Irish wool, but the cost is too high. But there are also many people who consider using Irish wool within certain collections or products, the co-founder said.

“We need to keep creating markets, and then we can keep incentivising the farmer, and then the farmers can increase the quality of the wool and grow the networks,” Daly said.

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Factories have been urged to be “responsible in their pricing of lambs and hoggets” in order to not undermine the sheep trade by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).

Adrian Gallagher, IFA sheep chair, said factories are trying to drag the price down “in a manner that’s way ahead of the direction of travel of prices in our key markets over the past few weeks”.

Gallagher said that spring lamb numbers are “still tight on the ground” and buying is also taking place for the Eid ul – Adha festival, one of the most important festivals in the Muslim calendar, later this month.

“The level of cuts attempted by factories runs the risk of undermining the trade in our key export markets and sets the sector on a very dangerous path for the remainder of the year,” the IFA sheep chair warned.

Sheep

Gallagher said the current approach by factories “is unacceptable and must stop” and called on them to “stand firm in the market place to maintain prices” for farmers.

Although last year’s Eid ul – Adha festival did not deliver the hoped-for demand for lamb for Irish farmers there is strong sentiment that the festival from June 16, 2024 to June 20, 2024 will boost trade this year.

“Supplies of sheep meat produced in the EU and the UK will be down this year,” Gallagher said.

One other worrying trend for sheep farmers identified by the IFA sheep chair is that supermarkets in some of Ireland’s key markets are using what Gallagher described as “cheap, chilled and frozen imported sheep meat to undermine prices to local suppliers.“

SIS balancing payment

Meanwhile sheep farmers participating in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) are expected to see payments in their bank accounts from this week.

While 85% of the payments to farmers were issued in November 2023, the remaining 15% in payments will be paid next week.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) told Agriland that it “expects” the balancing payment of 15% under year 1 of the scheme to commence the week beginning Monday, June 3, 2024.

However with the bank holiday tomorrow (Monday, June 3) payments to farmers may not be issued until the next working day or throughout the rest of the week.

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There is strong demand for wool shedding sheep across the UK and Ireland, with the continuing growth in Easycare numbers a case in point.

This, in turn, is a response to the poor wool prices that have been available to farmers for the past number of years.

Given this backdrop, scientists from the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh are currently investigating the genetic basis upon which certain breeds of sheep voluntarily shed their wool.

Wool shedding, however, is not a simple switch-on / switch-off process. Individual sheep can demonstrate a range of abilities, where shedding is concerned.

Some are able to shed all their wool: others none at all. In between these two extremes, sheep will demonstrate the complete range of shedding capabilities.

The members of the Roslin team have come up with a scoring system, which takes full account of this reality.

The scale starts at the figure ‘zero’, reflecting animals that do not shed at all, up to the figure ‘nine’ for animals that will lose all of their fleeces. Scores are determined courtesy of a visual assessment process.  

Wool shedding normally begins at the end of April and continues through the rest of the spring and early summer months.

The Easycare breed has been developed with a strong focus on the ability of the sheep to shed their wool.

The Roslin Institute’s Dr. Emily Clark was a recent visitor to the Easycare flock of Campbell Tweed, who farms at Cairncastle, in Co. Antrim.

While there, she took nasal swabs from 160 young rams, all born in 2023. A shedding score was recorded for each animal as the swab was taken.

These yearling rams had been retained as potential flock sires and the sampling was carried out at the next stage of selection when they were physically assessed.

As part of the critical evaluation process carried out by former Co. Antrim Easycare flock owner, Campbell Tweed, any animal that was not deemed suitable for breeding at that stage, was culled.

All lambs within the Tweed flock are electronically tagged at birth. This makes their individual identification at any stage a straightforward process, using an electronic reader.  

Dr. Clark said: “My visit to Northern Ireland follows-on from work carried out by my Roslin colleague, Denis Headon, 10 years ago.

“We have already carried out a lot of work to identify the specific part of the Easycare genome that is responsible for wool shedding.

“It’s now a case of fine tuning this, in order to identify the exact genetic sequencing that drives the wool shedding process. The nasal swab sample taken from Campbell’s rams will help significantly in this process.”

Tweed, said: “The end game, from a commercial point of view, is to develop a test that will identify the wool shedding ability of individual sheep at a very early age.

“In our own case, we physically score the wool shedding ability, alongside with the physical performance of all the breeding sheep that we make available for sale.”

The current sheep shedding research at the Roslin Institute has been funded by the Biotechnology and Biosciences Research Council (BBSRC) under the aegis of UK Reserach and Innovation.

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Payments to sheep farmers participating in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) are expected to be paid in the coming days.

While 85% of the payments to farmers were issued to farmers in November 2023, the remaining 15% in payments will be paid next week.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed to Agriland that it “expects” the balancing payment of 15% under year 1 of the scheme to commence the week beginning Monday, June 3, 2024.

However, next week begins with a bank holiday on Monday, and payments to farmers may not be issued until the next working day or throughout the rest of the week.

The 85% advance payments worth €19 million in the SIS were issued to farmers in November 2023.

However, last month it was revealed that there were over 1,400 farmers in the scheme who had yet to receive an advanced payment.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue confirmed that of the 1,433 without advance payments, “some of these will never generate a payment for a variety of reasons, i.e., no sheep census submitted, no BISS [Basic Income Support Scheme] submitted etc.

“Processing of these files including appeals of same is continuing,” he added.

There are currently a total of 18,934 applicants in the Sheep Improvement Scheme. A total of 18,648 of them joined in Year 1 of the scheme with a further 286 new entrants joining the scheme earlier this year.

Sheep Improvement Scheme

In order for farmers to quality for the scheme, they must:

• Submit a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application for each year of scheme participation;
• Submit a sheep census return for each year during the lifetime of the scheme – an exception is made for new entrants in year of entry;
• Have an active herd number – or be a new entrant – and keep breeding ewes;
• Maintain the required number of breeding ewes during the scheme.

In order to quality for the €12/ewe payment, farmers must complete two welfare measures.

A list of what measures both lowland and hill flocks can undertake for the scheme are provided in the table below.

All applicants will be required to carry out the Genotyped Ram action within the first three years of SIS participation.

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Last week’s sheep kill resulted in over 39,000 sheep processed, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The supply of spring lambs rose by 2,898 head last week, during week 21 (ending Sunday, May 26) compared to the previous week.

However, the supply of hoggets dropped by 4,797 head last week when compared to week 20 (ending May 19).

The overall supply of sheep in week 21 was 1,514 head lower than the number slaughtered in week 20.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 21 and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

There are 121,544 fewer sheep processed so far in 2024 than there were during the same period of 2023.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 999,979 sheep have been processed so far in 2024.

Of that figure, 836,520 have been lambs/hoggets, 65,713 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (97,675), and a small portion of light lambs (71).

The Eid al-Adha festival, which traditionally leads to a surge in demand for Irish lamb, is set to take place during the middle of next month (June) and may see sheep processors more anxious for supplies of finished lambs.

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With June just days away, a high risk period for blowfly strike approaches for sheep farms across the country where farmers may be considering when to shear their flock.

For blowfly, the season starts as early as April as temperatures increase. This is expected to continue right through to October.

According to Teagasc sheep specialist, Ciaran Lynch, blowfly can pose a significant challenge when correct prevention measures are not in place.

During the initial phase of strike, Lynch said the sheep may be away from the main group and may appear agitated, often biting or kicking at the affected area.

Blowflies are attracted to organic matter or discharge and soiled, dirty fleeces from animals with scour, footrot or open wounds that may occur from shearing or rams fighting, increases the risk.

They are also highly attracted to sheep where strike has already occurred. In damp, humid conditions, this risk is heightened.

Treatment options

Shearing

The fleece of a sheep provides an ideal incubation ground for the fly to lay her eggs and shearing will remove this.

However, Lynch said this protection is only short lived and strike can occur within weeks during high risk periods.

Therefore, the Teagasc sheep specialist said the aim “should always be to prevent blowfly strike from happening in the first place”. There are a number of different options that are available to farmers in this regard.

Plunge dipping

Lynch said the efficacy of this method is dependent on correct dipping procedure, ensuring the dip is made up to the correct strength and replenished periodically following manufacturer’s instructions at specified intervals.

He added that sheep should remain in the solution for a minimum of 60 seconds. The duration of immersion in the dip solution is strongly correlated to the length of time that protection will last for.

Plunge dipping to control external parasites is an option in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme and must be completed by October 15, 2024.

In the scheme, plunge dipping can be carried out on farm where the flock owner has their own plunge dip or by a mobile plunge dipping service operator.

Documentary evidence of completion of this action will include but not been limited to, completion of the scheme action record sheets, receipts from a contractor and/or receipts for the purchase of appropriate dipping material.

The action must be carried out on the number of breeding ewes selected by the farmer as their payable number at application stage.

Topical applications

This is the most common method used on farm. There are a number of products available offering periods of cover from seven to 19 weeks. 

Applying to soiled or contaminated areas will greatly reduce product efficacy. The meat withdrawal dates vary from seven to 40 days for these products, so care needs to be taken to ensure they are suitable for the farming system.

Given the fact that blowfly season is quite long, Lynch said that a repeat application may be required in many cases once the period of cover nears its specified duration.

Key points to remember for treatment:

• Have the control method in place before strike occurs;
• Use products correctly in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions;
• Be aware of the periods of cover provided by each product and the withdrawal dates when selecting stock for sale;
• Have an effective internal parasite programme in place on your farm;
• Dag and shear dirty sheep;
• Treat any incidence of strike promptly.

The key message is to monitor stock closely, shear ewes when possible and seek advice from your veterinary practitioner on the best treatment to prevent/control flystrike cases in the flock.

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Early indications are showing the potential for the arrival of more settled weather later this week, according to the latest national weather forecast from Met Éireann.

The settled weather is expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon (Thursday, May 30) and remain in place for the course of the June bank holiday weekend.

Farmers across the country will welcome the potential arrival of more settled conditions and if the dry weather prevails, contractors across the country are expected to be extremely busy harvesting bale and pit silage the length and breadth of the country.

According to Met Éireann, today (Wednesday, May 29) will see some clear spells, however, there will be scattered showers across the country and these will be heaviest and most frequent in northern areas.

Lowest temperatures today are expected to range from of 7°C to 10°C in a moderate north-westerly breeze.

The national forecaster has also said there will be a few rain showers around on Thursday morning, but these will clear leaving dry weather with some sunny spells later in the day.

Highest temperatures on Thursday are expected to range from 12°C to 17°C in a moderate to fresh north-westerly breeze.

Thursday nights’ weather is forecast to be dry, with long clear spells and lowest temperatures of 5°C to 9°C in a light north-westerly wind.

Friday’s weather is forecast to be dry and sunny, with light northerly winds and highest temperatures of 14°C to 19°C with conditions forecast to be coolest near north-facing coasts.

Friday night is expected to be dry with long clear spells and light northerly winds. A few pockets of mist and fog may form overnight and lowest temperatures are expected to range from 5°C to 9°C.

Saturday, June 1 is forecast to be dry with sunny spells in most areas, although conditions are expected to be cloudy at times near northern coasts. Highest temperatures of 15°C to 20°C with light northernly winds are expected.

Sunday, June 2, is looking cloudier but largely dry, with highest temperatures of 17°C to 22°C generally but cooler towards northern coasts.

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Competitors from across the globe will descend on Co. Galway this weekend for the All-Ireland and All Nationals Sheep Shearing and Woolhandling Championships.

The organisers of “Kepak Shearfest” at Mountbellew Mart have billed the two-day event, starting on Saturday (June 1), as “the Olympics of sheep shearing”.

There will be 13 different titles on offer for the competitors from Ireland, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Australia and New Zealand.

The categories in the championships include, novice; woolhandling; junior; intermediate; blade; senior; Ireland versus Northern Ireland; and best family shearing and woolhandling.

Crowds attending the event will be able to see masterful shearers swiftly maneuvering through fleece, along with meticulous woolhandlers deftly sorting and preparing wool.

Sheep shearing

Outside of the competitions, attendees can enjoy music, raffles, cookery demonstrations, pedigree and rare breeds shows, crafts, and shopping.

The programme also includes entertainment for children, fashion and beauty shows, food trucks, sheepdog trials, and the Irish wool experience.

The fun is set to continue into the evening with two nights of live music concerts at “Martbeat”.

Performers on the lineup include Mike Denver, George Murphy and the Rising Sons, Michael English, and Cliona Hagan.

Brian McHale, the event organiser from Mountbellew Mart said that the event will offer a chance to showcase the region.

“The event will promote the west of Ireland and Irish wool to a worldwide audience,” he said.

Event partners include The Irish Sheep Shearers Association, Mountbellew Agricultural College, and Mountbellew Vintage Club.

David Mannion from Kepak Athleague said that the processor is very proud to support the event.

The company has been operating from its Athleague site for over 37 years, employing over 300 people.

“We are delighted to be involved in an event that the entire local community has rallied behind, and we hope you and your families have a great day,” he said.

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New figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that cattle slaughterings over the 12 months to April 2024 are estimated to be almost 638,000 head.

This represents an increase of more than 28,000 head when compared with the same period in 2023.

Latest livestock slaughterings figures published today (Tuesday, May 28) by the CSO also show that in the first four months of 2024 cattle slaughterings rose by 4.6% when compared with the same period in 2023.

The number of pigs slaughtered last month also rose by almost 23,000 head to 273,000 head when compared to the same month last year.

But the number of sheep slaughtered in April 2024 were 205,000 head – which represented a drop of nearly 45,000 head when compared with the same month in 2023.

The latest CSO statistics are based on figures from slaughterings at both meat establishments approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and slaughterhouses and meat plants approved by Local Authorities.

CSO

Further analysis of the latest CSO figures show that in the 12 month period to April 2024 cattle slaughterings are estimated to be almost 638,000 head- which represents a 4.6% increase when compared with the same period in 2023.

During the same period sheep slaughterings decreased by approximately 57,000 head – 5.6% – to just over 954,000 head when compared with the same four months in 2023.

Meanwhile pig slaughterings are estimated to be approximately 1.1 million head for January to April 2024, up nearly 9,000 head on the same period in 2023.

Bord Bia

Latest Bord Bia figures highlight that there were 31,984 cattle processed in DAFM approved plants during the week ending May 19, 2024 – which has taken throughput for the year to date to 692,034 head.

This represents a 18,573 head or 3% increase on the corresponding period in 2023 when a total of 673,461 cattle were processed.

“There have been 494,448  prime cattle processed in the first 20 weeks of 2024 – a 3% increase from the same period last year.

“Cow throughput has remained strong with 167,808 cows processed so far this year, a notable increase of 18,817 head,” Bord Bia stated.

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While weekly throughput has remained low recently, prices in the sheep trade have remained stable from factories, while the mart trade has been lively.

The Eid al-Adha festival, which traditionally leads to a surge in demand for Irish lamb, is set to take place during the middle of next month (June) and may see sheep processors more anxious for supplies of finished lambs.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that 17,167 farmers applied for the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) covering almost two million ewes.

The new scheme officially closed for applications at midnight on Tuesday (May 21).

Participants in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme are required to complete two actions to receive the full payment of up to €8/ewe.

Spring lamb prices

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9.30/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kg, a total of €9.50/kg.

Other processors are offering €9.40/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for a spring lamb up to 21kg.

At the marts, a strong trade can be currently seen for spring lambs.

At Dowra Mart, spring lambs reached €238 for three lambs weighing 50kg at a sale on Friday, May 24 while 38 spring lambs weighing 48.2kg sold for €225 each.

Sample prices

• Three weighing 50kg- €238;
• Six weighing 52kg- €231;
• 19 weighing 51.5kg- €230;
• Ten weighing 49kg- €230;
• Seven weighing 50kg- €230;
• Four weighing 47.5kg- €226.

At Baltinglass Mart in Co. Wicklow, there was a strong selling trade for spring lambs at a sale on Saturday, May 25 with a top price of €212 for a lot of ten weighing 45kg/ head, while a lot of ten spring lambs weighing 45kg made €204/head.

Hoggets

ICM is quoting €9/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €9.20/kg for a hogget.

At Dowra Mart, hoggets topped out at €233 for three hoggets weighing 62kg.

Sample prices

• 12 weighing 51.5kg at €219;
• 27 weighing 48.5kg at €216.50;
• 12 weighing 53kg at €216;
• Four weighing 50kg at €213.50;
• Ten weighing 54kg at €208.

Baltinglass Mart sample hogget prices

• 17 weighing 57kg made €226;
• Three weighing 60kg made €200;
• Two weighing 41kg made €184;
• Five weighing 56kg made €180.

Ewe prices

ICM is currently offering €4.20/kg for heavy ewes, while another processor is offering €4.10 plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for heavy ewes.

At Baltinglass Mart, ewes, breeding and cast, made from €100 up to €190/head.

Dowra Mart cull ewe prices

• 16 dry ewes weighing 73kg sold at €180;
• Four dry ewes weighing 91kg sold at €162;
• Seven dry ewes weighing 76kg sold at €161;
• Eight dry ewes weighing 75kg sold at €154.

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The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has announced the appointment of Hugh Farrell to the position of ICSA general secretary.

Farrell will replace the former general secretary Eddie Punch who stepped down from the role earlier this year to run as an Independent Ireland candidate for Ireland South in the upcoming European Parliament elections.

The new appointment to the role is a native of Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan and has been a senior official within ICSA for many years, most recently serving as chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Committee.

Upon his appointment, Farrell said:

“I am honoured to be appointed as the general secretary of ICSA. I look forward to working with our dedicated team and representing the hardworking livestock farmers who are the backbone of our agricultural sector.

“Throughout my time in ICSA, I have had the privilege of working closely with our members, gaining invaluable insights into the various sector challenges and opportunities.

“This experience has given me a comprehensive understanding of our members’ diverse needs, and I am committed to effectively representing their interests at both national and EU levels.”

Continuing, Farrell said: “One of my primary goals as general secretary is to grow the association and strengthen the voice of drystock farmers.

“Never has it been more important for this sector to stand united in the face of the many challenges ahead.

“ICSA is the one true voice of Irish cattle and sheep farmers and I want to ensure that every cattle and sheep farmer in Ireland feels supported and heard.”

ICSA president Sean McNamara welcomed the appointment, stating: “We are thrilled to have Hugh Farrell step into the role of general secretary.

“His proven commitment to advocating for the rights and welfare of farmers and rural communities makes him an invaluable asset to our organisation.”

In March of this year, the former ICSA general secretary Eddie Punch confirmed he was set to leave the association in order to run in the upcoming European Elections.

Punch stepped down from his role with ICSA after serving for 25 years and is also a member of Council at the Irish Management Institute and is on the board of directors of Sixmilebridge Co-operative Mart.

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Spring lambs have made up one third of last week’s throughput, the most recent sheep kill figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown.

13,533 head out of the 40,730 sheep slaughtered during week 20 (ending Sunday, May 19) were spring lambs, a total of 33% of the weekly throughput and 49,282 in total so far this year.

However, this supply is running significantly behind the number of spring lambs that were killed up to this point last year, when there were 65,151 spring lambs slaughtered.

This a 24% reduction, and with the overall sheep kill this year currently running 10% behind the same period in 2023, numbers of sheep are certainly low.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 20 (ending Sunday, May 19) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) president Sean McNamara told Agriland that the supply of lambs is currently “tight”, and added that many factories are killing for just “three to four days” each week.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 960,763 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 818,302 have been lambs/hoggets, 49,282 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (93,108), and a small portion of light lambs (71).

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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that 17,167 farmers applied for the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) covering almost two million ewes.

The new scheme officially closed for applications at midnight on Tuesday (May 21).

The department said that there is a 25-calendar day period for the acceptance of late applications and any necessary supporting documentation.

However, deductions to payments at a rate of 1% per working day will apply to late applications which are received during this period.

This late applications period closes on June 15, 2024.

Sheep Welfare Scheme

The National Sheep Welfare Scheme complements the multi-annual Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).

The scheme, which has a budget of €15 million in 2024, is funded under Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan.

It is aimed at assisting farmers to produce better quality animals and implement practical animal welfare measures on their farms.

Participants in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme are required to complete two actions to receive the full payment of up to €8/ewe.

There are four actions in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme and applicants must complete, in full, two actions, one from each category, as follows:

• Category A:
  • Shearing, or;
  • Body Condition Scoring Ewes and appropriate follow-on management;
• Category B:
  • Clostridial vaccination of ewes, or;
  • Plunge Dipping to control external parasites.

The scheme will run from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, and actions selected must be completed by the October 15, 2024.

The department reminded farmers that the two actions chosen when applying to join the scheme must be adhered to by the applicant.

INHFA

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) previously said it had secured changes to two measures under the NSWS.

The farm organisation said that these changes relate to the plunge dipping measure and clostridial vaccine measure.

When the scheme was announced, the INHFA said that the date for completion of the dipping measures would prove difficult for hill sheep farmers.

The INHFA said that, after engagement with DAFM, farmers will be allowed avail of a later completion date for both those actions of November 25, 2024, but they must notify the department before September 15 that they wish to use the later date.

Where farmers do avail of the later completion date, their payment under the scheme will be delayed until the end of December or possibly early January 2025.

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From different areas across the country, Agriland takes a look at the current sheep trade as it stands in some livestock marts.

From cull ewes hitting €300/head at Ballymote, spring lambs fetching €235/head at Roscommon Mart, and heavy hoggets reaching €215/head at Blessington Mart, there were lively sales at sheep marts seen across the country this week.

Kilkenny Mart manager, George Candler, said that the recent trade for sheep has been “magic” for the “limited number of sheep” at sales.

He added that the sheep trade at marts is helped by the presence of factory agents, butchers, and exporters who were very anxious to secure ram lambs.

Ballymote Livestock Mart

At Aurivo Livestock Mart Ballymote in Co. Sligo, the trade for cull ewes topped at €300/head at the weekly sale held on Tuesday, May 21.

Ewes with lambs at foot made from €240 to €330 for a ewe with twins at foot.

Prices for lambs topped at €260 for 57kg lambs.

Sales at Aurivo Livestock Mart Ballymote in Co. Sligo are every Tuesday evening at 6:30p.m.

Roscommon Mart

There was a smaller number of sheep on offer at the sale on Wednesday, May 22 at Roscommon Mart at the weekly sheep sale.

Prices for spring lambs made up to €235, while hoggets topped out at €225. The top prices for stag ewes fetched €275.

Sample prices from the sale are featured below:

Spring lambs:

• 50.5kg – €235 – €4.65/kg;
• 48kg – €227 – €4.73/kg;
• 46kg – €228 – €4.96/kg;
• 45.5kg – €219 – €4.81/kg;
• 42.8kg – €210 – €4.91/kg;
• 41.6kg – €134 – €3.22/kg.

Hoggets:

• 47kg – €225 – €4.79/kg;
• 47kg – €214 – €4.55/kg;
• 55.8kg – €200 – €3.58/kg;
• 45.5kg – €200 – €4.40/kg.

Cast ewes:

• 126kg – €275 – €2.18/kg;
• 110kg – €270 – €2.45/kg;
• 98kg – €240 – €2.45/kg;
• 95Kg – €218 – €2.29/kg;
• 89.5kg – €198 – €2.21/kg;
• 86Kg – €188 – €2.19/kg;
• 73.2kg – €176 – €2.40/kg.

Ewes with lambs:

• Made from €188 to €354/lot.

Maam Cross Mart

At the weekly sale at Maam Cross Mart in Co. Galway on Saturday, May 18, the top price for hoggets was €180/head.

This was achieved by a 48kg ram hogget – a category which saw average prices from between €2.96/kg to a maximum of €3.75/kg.

Ewe hoggets ranged from €3.64/kg to a maximum of €4.09/kg, and a top price/head of €174 that was paid for five 46kg Suffolks.

Breeding ewes sold from €1.99/kg to a maximum of €2.83/kg, with a top price of €135 for a 56kg ewe.

Ewes with lamb at foot averaged €125/head to a maximum of €262 for four Texel ewes with four lambs.

Cull ewes averaged €1.76/kg to a maximum of €2.02/kg with the maximum price/head, reaching €165/head.

Blessington Mart

At Blessington Mart in Co. Wicklow on Tuesday, May 21, there was a lively trade for spring lambs reported, with the trade better €10 to €15 a head on last week, with the fat hogget trade remaining strong.

Spring lamb prices topped at €224/head, while the factory hogget ranged from €166 to €216/head.

Kilkenny Mart

The sale at Kilkenny Mart on Monday, May 20 saw spring lambs range from €4.39 to €5.25/kg kilo or €180 to €233/head.

The hogget trade ranged from €3.30 to €4.61/kg or €180 to €228/head, while cast ewes fetched prices of €60 to €266/head.

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The use of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in slaughterhouses in Wales is to become mandatory this year.

The mandatory use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Wales) Regulations 2024 will require CCTV cameras to be installed in all slaughterhouses in areas where live animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned, and killed.

The Senedd approved the regulations yesterday (Tuesday, May 22) which are now included in the Animal Welfare Plan for Wales, which seeks to maintain and improve standards of welfare for all kept animals.

Most slaughterhouses in Wales already have CCTV.  This requirement ensures all are covered, supporting consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered.  

Requirements to install and operate a CCTV system and keep CCTV footage and information will come into force on June 1.

This gives a six-month period where the Food Standards Agency will work with slaughterhouse operators to ensure they are compliant with the requirements, ahead of the Regulations being enforced on December 1.

In a statement, the Welsh government said CCTV “does not replace direct oversight by slaughterhouse management or official veterinarians,” but that “it can help improve the efficiency of monitoring and enforcement activity”.

The cabinet secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said: “Animal welfare is a key priority for this government, we want our farmed animals to have a good quality of life and we take welfare at slaughterhouses very seriously.

“The network of slaughterhouses in Wales provide essential services to farmers, butchers, and consumers.They also provide skilled jobs and support local supply chains.

“Mandatory CCTV for all our slaughterhouses further supports consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered,” she added.

A twelve-week public consultation was published on November 14, 2022 and closed for responses on February 6, 2023.

A summary of the responses to the consultation was published in May 2023.

The Welsh government confirmed there were 16,000 responses to the consultation and the “overwhelming majority agreed” that CCTV cameras should be installed in all approved slaughterhouses in Wales.

CCTV in slaughterhouses has been mandatory in England since 2018 and mandatory in Scotland since 2021.

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The 2024 Irish Grassland Association (IGA) beef event will take place outside Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, on the farm of Martin and Caroline Shaughnessy on Tuesday, June 11.

The farm system involves a 16 cow suckler-to-weaning enterprise and a flock of 150 ewes.

It has been described by the IGA as “a typical suckler and sheep operation in the west of Ireland”.

The farm, located to the east of Ballinrobe town, Co. Mayo (Eircode F12PR23), consists of just under 28Ha of both owned and rented, good quality ground.

Originally starting off with a Simmental-type cow, Martin now runs a herd of 16 three-quarter bred Limousin dams mated to Belgian Blue sires each year.

Maiden heifers are crossed back to Limousin genetics, while sexed semen was also introduced in 2023.

Martin also works part-time in local Aurivo marts and has moved away from using a stock bull and now uses 100% artificial insemination (AI), with the aim of breeding males for the export market and females for the domestic trade.

The sheep enterprise consists of Suffolk and Texel-cross ewes that are split lambing at the start of February and then again around St. Patrick’s day each year.

The ewes are sychronised at breeding to leave the management during lambing easier. Lambs are sold through the South-Mayo Lamb Producer Group.

The suckler system is quite simple involving a herd of top-quality E and U-grade cows capable of calving a top-quality calf and the ability to feed that calf with an abundance of milk.

Cow fertility is of utmost importance on the farm also and a calving interval of 363 days was achieved in 2023/2024.

Calving starts on January 1, annually with all cows generally calved by the end of March.

Grass

Top-quality grass is introduced at the end of March when the pairings are turned out for the year. While this might be considered late, early spring grass is prioritised for the early lambing ewes.

The cattle rotationally graze a 10-12ac block on the home farm which is laid out in paddocks under a leader-follower system.

The calves graze ahead of the cows allowing them to utilise quality, leafy grass before the cows.

This also allows Martin to introduce meal prior to weaning. In 2023, the average 200-day weights of the weanlings stood at 315kg for the males, while the females weighed 271kg at that stage.

An early application of protected urea is applied where possible.

As Martin needs to prioritise grass early on in the year, first-cut silage is aimed for early June, with Martin closing paddocks which go too strong for grazing throughout the grazing season – providing a top-quality winter feed source.

Second-cut silage generally takes place in July. The farm grew 10.6t DM/ha in 2023 – well above the national average quantity grown on Irish drystock farms. Slurry is also spread in spring at a rate of 3,000gals/ac.

IGA event

Most of the machinery work is contracted out – allowing the Mayo-based farmer to focus on other important tasks around the farm.

With his relatively small herd of cows, Martin definitely operates at the higher-end of the market for both males and females.

In 2023, his average price for both males and female weanlings stood a €1,700/head – an impressive price for weanlings weighing between 300-400kg.

Martin is also involved in the Teagasc Agricultural Catchments Programme – with the farm located in the Cregduff catchment.

The IGA has said this is a national event which is free to attend and all farmers from across Ireland are very welcome to come along. The event will deliver key learnings for suckler farmers and sheep farmers.

The IGA beef event is sponsored by FBD Insurance and there will be some light food and refreshments available from 6:00p.m. The event will get underway at 6:30p.m sharp and finish at 8:30p.m.

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The opportunity to develop a vibrant goat and sheep’s milk sector in Ireland is immense, according to a vet and researcher, Cormac White.

The Belfast native, who is now a practising veterinarian in Somerset, has carried out research on the potential of small ruminant dairy production.

Making this happen has required White to travel throughout Europe and South America.

Speaking at Balmoral Show last week, White said: “Goat and sheep’s milk is much more nutritious, relative to what is the case with dairy cows.

“Demand for products made with milk from small ruminants is growing in countries around the world. The myriad cheese products made from either goat or sheep’s milk represent a case in point.

“Southern Europe has been the traditional heart land of sheep and goat production. However, climate change is now acting to make ruminant-based agriculture a very marginal enterprise in this region,” he added.

“This trend is likely to gain further momentum during the period ahead. E.g., grass production can now only be guaranteed in parts of the Mediterranean region for a maximum of two months in the year.”

Goat and sheep’s milk

These changes open up tremendous opportunities for small ruminant-based dairy operations in Ireland.

“All of these businesses can be totally grass-based, adding to the value of the dairy output they produce,” he said.

The vet pointed to the case of Kiwi fruit production in New Zealand as an example of a food idea that can be quickly developed into a large-scale production-based sector.

“What started out as a very small venture on a restricted number of farms is now adding significantly to New Zealand’s farming and food economy.

“There is no reason why small ruminant dairy production can’t take off on the same basis here in Ireland,” he added.

Cheeses made from goat’s milk include feta and halloumi. The list of options produced from sheep’s milk include roquefort, manchego, pecorino romano and ricotta.

Courtesy of his presentation, White made the point that many consumers regularly eat these products without actually knowing the source of the milk used to make them.

All of the goat breeds kept on Irish farms are suited to milk production.

Where sheep are concerned, East Friesian is the most productive milking breed. Ewes can produce up to 400L of milk across a 250-day lactation.

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Up to €9.70/kg is available for spring lambs this week in the sheep trade, while the supply of sheep remains low.

Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) president Sean McNamara told Agriland that up to €9.70/kg is available for spring lambs this week.

He said that the supply of lambs is currently “tight”, and added that many factories are killing for just “three to four days” each week.

The deadline date to apply for the National Sheep Welfare Scheme is tomorrow (Tuesday, May 21).

Figures provided to Agriland from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown that a total of 10,822 applications to the scheme had been received up to Friday, May 17.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) national sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said that while there is currently a “poor” number of applications, the scheme offers “practical and valuable support to farmers, enhancing flock management and welfare practices” and that “it is important that all sheep farmers participate in the scheme”.

All applicants to the NSWS must select one action from the list of category A actions and one action from the list of category B actions.

The scheme payment will be per eligible breeding ewe, and payment for full scheme compliance will be €8/ewe (€4/ewe/action completed).

Gallagher has urged all sheep farmers to apply for this support for the sheep sector before the deadline on Tuesday, May 21.

Spring lamb prices

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9.30/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21.5kg, a total of €9.50/kg.

Other outlets are offering €9.35/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kg, a total of €9.50/kg for a spring lamb, while another processor is offering €9.40/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus.

Hoggets

ICM is quoting €9/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €9.20/kg for a hogget.

Other outlets are paying €8.85/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €9/kg.

Ewe prices

ICM is currently offering €4.20/kg for heavy ewes, while other outlets are offering €4.20/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for a ewe weighing over 30kg, a total of €4.30/kg.

Another processor is offering €4.10 plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for heavy ewes.

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The first three months of the year has seen the level of Australian lamb slaughter be the “highest on record” according to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its official livestock production and slaughter figures for the first quarter (Q1) of 2024.

The figures cover the quarterly statistics on livestock slaughtered, meat production, and the gross value of livestock slaughtered across the first three months of the year.

Lamb slaughter once again reached record numbers, with just under seven million processed over the quarter.

The exact figure of 6.935 million head is a 3% lift on last quarter’s throughput and 32% above Q1 2023.

Australian lamb production also reached record volumes, up 8% on last quarter and 48% on last year with 167,000t produced.

Quarter-on-quarter lifts to carcase weights drove the production increase as producers moved to offload older lambs in preparation for the next season.

Additionally, positive rainfall seen over the tail summer months supported finishing for producers across the eastern states.

Average carcase weights came in at 24kg, which is equal to the five-year average.

Records were also seen across many states, with Victoria tipping last year’s production record, which despite experiencing a slight ease in slaughter numbers, achieved its second largest slaughter figure on record.

New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA) both had their second highest slaughter, up 18% and 2% respectively, while lamb production in WA saw an impressive 95% jump compared to Q1 2023.

Sheep slaughter lifted, but not beyond the record levels of 2019. A total of 2.785 million head was processed across the country, up 4% on last quarter.

Despite a lift in slaughter, easing carcase weights caused a drop in production, with 69,000t of mutton produced.

Carcase weights fell below the five-year average to 25kg. Figures show just an 800g difference in average sheep and lamb carcase weights.

When combining sheep and lamb statistics, sheepmeat production was up 5% for another record quarter of 236,710t and sheepmeat slaughter of 9,720,600 head, achieved the highest combined slaughter figure since December 1987.

In gross value of livestock, Australian sheep and lamb slaughter produced $1.257 billion of value which equates to an average of $126/head, a recovery from the $94/head attained last quarter.

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Ballinrobe Mart in Co. Mayo seen the overall cattle trade remain strong this week, despite recent moves by processors to reduce beef price.

According to mart manager Teresa Gibsey, there was “a high demand for heifers, with prices reaching €1,870/head or €3.72/kg”.

Heifer prices ranged from €460-1,870/head or €2.00-3.72/kg. The average price paid for Angus-cross heifers on the day was €2.71/kg.

Meanwhile, the average price paid for Charolais-cross heifers was €3.02/kg, while Limousin-cross heifers made an average price of €2.91/kg.

Heifers weighing over the 500kg mark sold for an average price of €2.88/kg and heifers in the 400kg-500kg weight bracket sold for an average price of €2.78/kg.

The top prices from the heifer sale included:

• Limousin heifer weighing 600kg sold for €1,870 or €3.12/kg; 
• Limousin heifer weighing 595kg sold for €1,840 or €3.09/kg; 
• Charolais heifer weighing 585kgsold for €1,810 or €3.09/kg;
• Angus heifer weighing 505kgsold for €1,420 or €2.81/kg;
• Angus heifer weighing 262kg sold for €830 or €3.16/kg;
• Charolais heifer weighing 250kgsold for €930 or €3.72/kg;
• Limousin heifer weighing 175kg sold for €600 or €3.43/kg. 

Commenting on the trade seen in the bullock sale and the mart manager described the trade as being “on fire for bullocks, especially yearling bullocks”.

Bullock prices ranged from €500-2,070/head or €2.02-4.09/kg.

The average price paid for Angus bullocks was €2.71/kg while Charolais bullocks averaged €3.24/kg. Limousin bullocks averaged €3.47/kg.

The average for bullocks weighing 500kg and above was €2.59/kg and bullocks in the 400 to 500kg weight bracket made an average price of €2.80/kg. Lighter bullocks in the 300kg to 400kg weight bracket averaged €3.10/kg.

Top prices on the day were:  

• Simmental bullock weighing 760kg sold for €2,070 or €2.72/kg; 
• Limousinbullock weighing 615kg sold for €1,890 or €3.07/kg;
• Charolais bullock weighing 395kg sold for €1,360 or €3.44/kg;
• Angus bullock weighing 385kg sold for €1,190 or €3.09/kg;
• Limousin bullock weighing 320kg sold for €1,310 or €4.09/kg;
• Angus bullock weighing 300kg sold for €1,040 or €3.47/kg.

Dry cows made from €400 to €2,070 with the best price going to an eight year old Charolais cow weighing 755kg selling for €2.74/kg or €2070.

Another Simmental cow weighing 740kg made €1,690 or €2.28/kg. The average sale price for cows was €2.08/kg.

A cow and calf unit made €2,220 for a five year old Limousin cow with an April-born bull calf at foot.

Ballinrobe Mart is set to host an end of the month continental bullock sale on Wednesday, May 29, and the mart manager added: “This is the last chance to buy stock for the 28-week period to have them ready for our end-of-year sale on December 11.

Sheep sale at Ballinrobe Mart

Numbers in the sheep sale on Thursday, May 16, were described as “still high for the month of May with “good quality sheep on offer”.

One of the most notable prices of the sale was €236/head paid for a batch of 65kg hoggets.

Another notable sale was a pen of spring lambs weighing 42kg, which fetched an impressive price of €4.62/kg or €194/head. 

Lambs were making from €2.22-4.62/kg with an average of €3.97/kg or €60-236 with an average of €183 holding firm to previous weeks.

Sample prices from the sheep sale:

• 54kg sold for €228/head or €4.22/kg;
• 52kg sold for €215/head or €4.13/kg;
• 46.5kg sold for €200/head or €4.30/kg;
• 43kg sold for €183/head or €4.26/kg.

Prices for ewes with lambs at foot ranged from €120-295. Cull ewes ranged from €68-212/head with an average of €144/head paid.

Sample prices for cull ewes included:

• 92kg made €212 or €2.30/kg;
• 78kg made €180 or €2.31/kg;
• 70kg made €16 or €2.34/kg.

Ballinrobe Mart hosts its sheep sale every Thursday.

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A senior official with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), has provided a forecast of organic sheep farming in Ireland.

Senior inspector in organics with the DAFM, Jack Nolan has said the area farmed organically in Ireland has increased from 1.6% in 2020 to 5% following the addition of approximately 1,000 more farmers into the latest tranche of the Organic Farming Scheme (OFS).

By 2027, the government has a target of having 7.5% of the available agricultural area farmed under organically, stretching to 10% by 2030 as set out under the Climate Action Plan (CAP).

Nolan recently told a Teagasc webinar that as of 2023, approximately 175,000ha were dedicated to organics.

With 1,000 new entrants entering the conversion phase this spring, the land area under organics has increased to 225,000ha.

The DAFM official stated that there were a total of 1,503 farmers in organic sheep production in 2023. As of this year, 66,857 ewes were certified as being organic.

However, through the addition of farmers to the organic farming scheme in 2023, it is expected that an additional 75,170 ewes will be certified organic after their two year conversion process is completed by 2025.

A further 41,340 ewes are expected to transition from conventional to being organically certified by 2026, when the ewes present on latest entrants farms to the OFS are considered.

Nolan said this means that if farmers have already converted and those in the conversion process retain ewe numbers as is, the total number of organically certified ewes will rise to 183,367 by 2026 – an “almost trebling”, leading to a significant increase in the number of organic lambs available in 2026.

With additional numbers expected to come on stream and some organic lamb entering conventional systems and missing premium prices, Nolan said: “We want to reduce that as much as possible to reduce this leakage.”

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Well-known EasyCare sheep breeder, Campbell Tweed, has expressed a strong degree of confidence in the future of lamb prices.

He bases this assertion on the fact that sheep meat is widely accepted as a source of dietary protein around the world.

“It shares this level of recognition with chicken,” Tweed told Agriland.

“Supply/demand factors are also kicking in to boost sheep prices. Ewe numbers have contracted slightly in the world’s main lamb producing regions.

“Where beef is concerned, however, we are seeing an increase in the amount of meat coming from the dairy sector,” he added.

EasyCare sheep farm

Lambing got underway on Tweed’s Co. Antrim farm on May 10 this year.

He manages the sheep-only enterprise with his wife Isobel. Their farm is located close to the village of Carncastle, overlooking the Irish Sea.

“The lambing percentage across the whole flock is working out at just over 150%,” Campbell explained.

“And this is where we want to be. There are only a few late ewes left to lamb at this stage.”

The recent spell of good weather has boosted grass supplies on the farm.

“We have plenty of good grazing available for the ewes and lambs at the present time,” Campbell commented.  

“Our aim is to maximise lamb output from grazed grass and forage.”

Breed

Campbell is celebrating 25 years as an EasyCare sheep breeder. He has recently taken the opportunity of assessing the improvements in flock performance achieved during this period.

Driving this is the commitment to performance-record every lamb born on the farm.

“Output per ewe has increased by around 30% over the past 25 years,” Campbell commented.

“But of even more significance are the improvements that we have obtained in terms of labour efficiency.

“Currently, three people are lambing 3,000 ewes. Moreover, our staff members are working on a 9:00a.m to 5:00a.m basis only.

“They also record every ewe and lamb within the flock on a regular basis.”

The ewes on the Tweed farm have been specifically bred to lamb down on their own with the minimum of additional assistance.

“When we initially committed to the EasyCare ewes, one person was required to lamb 400 ewes,” he explained.

“Our commitment to performance recording has been ramped up significantly over the past number of years.”

The flock recording work undertaken includes the weighing of lambs at six weeks-of-age and at weaning.

Eye muscle scanning is also undertaken to help identify those lambs with superior performance-related traits.  

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With the deadline for applications to the National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) just days away, a significant number of farmers have already applied to qualify for the €8/ewe payment.

Figures provided to Agriland from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown that a total of 10,822 applications to the scheme have been received.

Applications for the scheme must be submitted by the closing date of 11:59p.m on Tuesday, May 21.

There is a 25-calendar day period after the May 21 closing date for the acceptance of late applications and any necessary supporting documentation.

However, deductions to payments at a rate of 1% per working day in respect of the NSWS will apply to late applications which are received during this period.

This late applications period closes on June 15, 2024.

18,523 farmers took part in the first year of the €12/ewe Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS), according to the DAFM.

While both schemes are completely separate, it remains to be seen how many more than the 10,822 current applicants will apply to the NSWS when compared to other sheep schemes.

Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) national sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said that while there is currently a “poor” number of applications, the scheme offers “practical and valuable support to farmers, enhancing flock management and welfare practices” and that “it is important that all sheep farmers participate in the scheme”.

Gallagher has urged all sheep farmers to apply for this support for the sheep sector before the deadline on Tuesday, May 21.

Selecting your scheme actions:

All applicants to the NSWS must select one action from the list of category A actions and one action from the list of category B actions.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that the payment will be per eligible breeding ewe, and payment for full scheme compliance will be €8/ewe (€4/ewe/action completed).

Applicants are asked to choose their actions carefully, as once their application has been submitted, it will not be possible to change their actions over the lifetime of the scheme.

To qualify for participation in the scheme:

• You must have an ovine active DAFM herd number;
• You must be farming a holding in respect of which a valid 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application is submitted to the department, within the required application period;
• You must have breeding ewes recorded on the national sheep census in 2023;
• There are four actions in the scheme and applicants must complete in full two actions, one from each category. Completion of both actions are mandatory for payment.

Applicants who have not submitted a 2023 sheep census return by the February 14, 2024 deadline will not be eligible to apply for the scheme.

The scheme will run from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, however actions selected must be completed by October 15, 2024.

Reductions in payment will apply where not all actions are completed.

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Marks and Spencer (M&S) launched its latest phase of its ‘Farm to Foodhall’ campaign yesterday (Thursday, May 16), with a sheep farmer from Co. Mayo as one of the M&S Select Farmers.

Feeney is a sheep farmer based in Claremorris who farms with his daughter, Chloe.

In this new phase of the campaign, M&S food ambassador, Mark Moriarty, met Feeney to explore his “third-generation” sheep farm and found out how he delivers Irish lamb for the company.

Feeney said that the traditional stone walls surrounding the fields provide shelter from the weather and that the supply of grassland is what ensures that “top-quality produce”.

The Farm to Foodhall campaign is highlighting just a few of the farmers and producers across Ireland who supply Irish food to M&S customers.

Country director at M&S Ireland and Northern Ireland, Eddie Murphy said: “Our Farm to Foodhall campaign continues to champion the incredible work of our Select Farms in Ireland.

“Quality starts at the very beginning of the rearing processes, so we want to highlight the work that farmers like Kevin and his family are doing to ensure our customers get the best tasting and trusted quality lamb every time.” 

The campaign also aims to showcase how the company is expanding on its range of products sourced directly from Ireland.

Moriarty said that seeing “first-hand” the passion that goes into producing lamb gives him inspiration to cook at home, and it is even better knowing that he is supporting local producers.

Customers will see the Farm to Foodhall campaign across television advertisements, social media, out of home (OOH) advertising, emails and in-store.

M&S

Meanwhile, M&S UK aims to achieve its Net Zero by 2040 goals, funded through its Plan A Accelerator Fund. The company strives to remove 11,000t of greenhouse emissions and to cut carbon by 8.4%.

This includes a £1 million investment in a change to the diet of the pasture-grazed cows to help reduce the amount of methane produced in a cow’s stomach and released into the atmosphere. 

M&S also launched its “Pathway Farming” partnership with beef farmers to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions from beef rearing, or more efficient use of fertiliser.

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The number of sheep imported in 2023 rose marginally year-on-year, recently released figures the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) have shown.

A total of 435,088 head of sheep were imported into the country last year, representing a rise of 12,928 head.

Import figures have not yet climbed to the heights that were reached in 2018, the last year that over 500,000 head of sheep were imported.

 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue what the number of live lamb imports into the State in each of the past ten years was.

While the minister provided data from 2017 onwards, McConalogue clarified that the DAFM “does not retain information on veterinary certification for imported sheep prior to 2017”.

Live sheep exports

The main export destination for live sheep exports from Ireland in 2023 was France, where 17,181 head of sheep were exported to, according to figures from the DAFM.

Belgium imported 4,011 head, followed by Holland with 3,865 head, and the UK with 3,448 head.

The overall tonnage of sheepmeat exported in 2023 was 64,154t, lower than the 66,273t exported in 2022.

The total volume exported for the period since 2014 is 582,701t yielding an annual average of 58,270t.

Therefore, the last two years have seen export figures rise above the average annual figures.

Exports of Irish sheepmeat were worth over €440 million in 2023, which is a 7% decline when compared to 2022.

Higher input costs and difficult production conditions affected the quality of lambs presented for processing in 2023, which Bord Bia said contributed to the reduction in the value of sheepmeat exports.

The European Union (EU) market remained the primary outlet for Irish sheepmeat, accounting for almost three quarters of sheepmeat exports in both value and volume terms.

Sheepmeat exports to the EU were valued at €325 million in 2023, which Bord Bia said is a 7% decline from the export values in 2022.

France remains the largest market for Irish sheepmeat, with exports valued at €135 million, back 9% on 2022 levels.

However, Bord Bia said there were declines in the value of exports to Germany, Sweden, Belgium and Italy.

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Badger Face Texel, the latest breed member of the Texel family, classes drew large crowds at this year’s Balmoral Show.

It is fast attracting attention within the sheep world.

Both pedigree and commercial flock owners are confirming the suitability of the breed within Irish sheep management systems.

The Badger Face Texel, or Dassenkop, is a medium-sized, well-muscled carcass breed.

Their novelty value centres on the dark wool colouring with cream accessories, such as eyebrows, chin marking and legs. The sheep are closely related to Blue Texels.

The Balmoral 2024 breed championship was won by Russell Millen from Coleraine, with a breeding ewe.

The reserve went to A & J Carson, from Strabane with an excellent ewe lamb.

Balmoral

The second day of Balmoral saw all of the individual sheep championships judged. The Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) is confirming a record entry of sheep for this year’s event.

The results follow:

Beltex Champion: Joshua Keys, Clogher

Reserve: Elizabeth McAllister, Ballymena

Berrichon Champion: Ryan McLaren, Dromore, Co. Tyrone

Reserve: Ryan McLaren, Dromore, Co. Tyrone

Bleu du Maine Champion: Glen Baird, Co. Armagh

Reserve: Andrew Wilson, Moira  

Blue Texel Champion: Russell Millen, Coleraine

Reserve: Russell Millen, Coleraine

Border Leicester Champion: James Aiken, Co. Down

Reserve: Harold Dickey, Ballymena

Charollais  Champion: Richard Powell, Co. Armagh

Reserve: Diane Christie, Newtownards

Dutch Spotted Champion: Samantha Allen and A Shortt, Strabane

Reserve: Limestone Pedigree Breeding, Seaforde

Greyface Champion: D & N Hamill, south Co. Antrim

Reserve: D & N Hamill, south Co. Antrim

Hampshire Down  Champion: John Mercer, Dromore, Co. Down

Reserve: Stirling Manson, Castlederg

Jacob  Champion: James Maybin, Ballymena

Reserve: Alex Colhoun, Omagh

Kerry Hill Champion: S & F McAllister, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim

Reserve: S & F McAllister, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim

Lleyn  Champion: Andrew Kennedy, Ballyclare

Reserve: Jayne and Catherine Kennedy, Ballyclare

Mule Champion: Hugh Nenry, Broughshane, Co. Antrim

Reserve: Patrick Donnelly, Ballymena

North Country Cheviot  Champion: Alfred Robinson, Downpatrick

Reserve: Castleview Flock, Kilkeel

Minority Breed Champion: Lisa Dorman, Belfast

Reserve: Lisa Dorman, Belfast

Rouge de l’Oeust  Champion: James Houston, Randalstown

Reserve: Jayne Tannahill, Coleraine

Suffolk Champion: Mark Priestly, Downpatrick

Reserve: L & M Liggett, Drumquin, Co. Tyrone

Texel Champion: Mark Priestly, Downpatrick

Reserve: Sam McNeilly, Ballyclare

Valais Blacknose Champion: Hannah Morrison, Downpatrick

Reserve: Ryan and Emma Conway, Strabane

Zwartbles Champion: Arianna Bell, Comber, Co. Down

Reserve: Rachel Megarrell, Cullion, Co. Derry

All the inter-breed sheep championships will be judged on Day three of Balmoral Show. These comprise the individual, pairs and group-of-three competitions.

The post Badger Face Texels make an impression at Balmoral 2024 appeared first on Agriland.ie.

There have been over 103,000 fewer sheep slaughtered to-date in 2024 when compared to the same period last year, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The most recent sheep kill figures from the department revealed that there were 41,258 sheep slaughtered last week during week 19 (ending Sunday, May 12).

Despite the shorter processing week due to the bank holiday on May 7, this supply of sheep was higher than the previous week when 38,565 sheep were slaughtered.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 19 (ending Sunday, May 12) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

In particular, the number of spring lambs slaughtered has continued to rise, as 11,667 were killed during week 18.

This represented 28% of the week’s kill, and saw 32% of the total number of spring lambs to-date in 2024 slaughtered in the week.

The low supply of lambs and hoggets in recent weeks has helped to maintain prices at their current level.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 920,033 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 795,287 have been lambs/hoggets, 35,749 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (88,932), and a small portion of light lambs (65).

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Sheep farmers are being warned to act now and take preventative measures, as blowfly strike warnings are being sent to farmers in Northern Ireland.

The recent week of hot weather will have resulted in an expected increasing strike risk, so preventative measures should now be in place. 

According to the National Animal Disease Information Service (NADIS), blowfly strike is a serious disease thought to affect over 80% of farms in the United Kingdom (UK).

‘Blow’ refers to the laying of eggs by flies and ‘strike’ is the damaged caused by the larvae (maggots).

In addition to treatment, early shearing substantially reduces the strike risk for ewes at the start of the strike season.

Getting good early control of gastrointestinal worms will help to reduce the strike risk in lambs going forward through the season.

The map below indicates the areas of the UK that have a higher or lower risk of blowfly occurring. The green, amber, and red areas show the respective threats:

• Green: Low risk (flystrike unlikely);
• Amber: Medium risk (act now);
• Red: High risk (flystrike likely). 

Even in areas where no or low general risk is currently expected, at this time of year, risk is never zero because some maggots may have overwintered in unusually warm parts of the environment, allowing them to emerge early.

Blowfly prevention

Elanco ruminant technical consultant, Matthew Colston, has urged farmers in the north to be vigilant and apply a preventative treatment to protect their flock before strike occurs.

However, the true economic impact of blowfly strike is often underestimated with costs of £209/lamb, and £184/breeding ewe, being quoted, according to Elanco.

Colston said early preventative treatment has been shown to be the most cost-effective strategy to combat the flock health and economic risks due to blowfly strike.

“We recommend protecting your flock by applying an insect growth regulator (IGR) product,” Colston added.

He shared his top tips to get the most out of preventive fly control treatments:

• Apply early in the season – every season is different, so check risk forecasts for a guide as when to treat;
• Use an applicator gun with a fan spray nozzle and carefully calibrate it before use;
• Apply to a clean fleece – clip or dag any dirty animals before application;
• Apply the product in a band approximately 10cm wide (holding the gun approximately 45cm from the sheep). Apply the total required dose one quarter at a time, using the four-stroke method;
• Take care to overlap each stroke and ensure it is down the centre of the back to allow the formulation to evenly spread over the fleece to achieve full protection.

Blowfly strike can happen very quickly, with 94% of farmers reported to have been caught out by it.

Farmers can sign up to Elanco’s blowfly watch alerts, farmers will get the heads up on when to apply a preventive treatment before cases occur.

Farmers can also report cases of strike on the Elanco blowfly tracker to help alert other farmers to local cases.

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The frequency and severity of dog attacks on livestock has reached “unprecedented levels” and is causing immense distress and financial losses for farmers, one of the country’s largest farming organisations warned today (Wednesday, May 15).

According to the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) farmers are facing an “uphill battle” as dog attacks on livestock continue to escalate.

The IFA’s national sheep chair, Adrian Gallagher, said recent attacks in Monaghan and Louth highlight the scale of the problem for farmers.

He said evidence shows that dog attacks are not only increasing but are “compounded by the inability of dog wardens and shelters to accommodate the increasing number of stray, unwanted and abandoned dogs across the country”.

Dog attacks

The IFA has now urged the government to take “meaningful action” to tackle the problem.

Gallagher believes one way it could do this is to “ensure there is adequate facilities in place” for stray dogs and for dogs whose owners who “refuse to accept their responsibilities”.

Last month the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, launched a national awareness campaign to highlight to dog owners the harm that out of control dogs can do to people and to livestock.

Minister Humphreys said: “Being a dog owner is a privilege, but it comes with a lot of responsibilities.

“Dog owners must make sure their dog is under control at all times, not running wild endangering people, livestock or other dogs.”

According to the government it has also introduced a number of related initiatives including:

• Increases in on-the-spot fines up to €300;
• Additional €2 million to support dog pounds;
• The establishment of the Dog Control Stakeholder Group.

IFA

While the IFA acknowledged what it described as the importance of a national media campaign it was also critical of the “level of sanctions” that have been applied.

According to the IFA national sheep chair these “do not reflect the savagery and trauma these uncontrolled dogs are causing”.

Gallagher added: “The absence of a centralised database to identify ownership and those responsible for the dogs, and the lack of enforcement of licensing and microchipping, are all contributing to this persistent and escalating problem.”

The post Dog attacks on livestock hit ‘unprecedented levels’ – farm org appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The deadline to apply for the new National Sheep Welfare Scheme (NSWS) is fast approaching.

Applications for the scheme must be submitted by the closing date of 11:59p.m on Tuesday, May 21.

There is a 25-calendar day period after the May 21 closing date for the acceptance of late applications and any necessary supporting documentation.

However, deductions to payments at a rate of 1% per working day in respect of the NSWS will apply to late applications which are received during this period.

This late applications period closes on June 15, 2024.

Selecting your scheme actions:

All applicants must select one action from the list of category A actions and one action from the list of category B actions.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that the payment will be per eligible breeding ewe, and payment for full scheme compliance will be €8/ewe (€4/ewe/action completed).

Applicants are asked to choose their actions carefully, as once their application has been submitted, it will not be possible to change their actions over the lifetime of the scheme.

Sheep Welfare Scheme participation

The NSWS measures are additional to those in the Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) and must be applied for separately.

To qualify for participation in the scheme:

• You must have an ovine active DAFM herd number;
• You must be farming a holding in respect of which a valid 2024 Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) application is submitted to the department, within the required application period;
• You must have breeding ewes recorded on the national sheep census in 2023;
• There are four actions in the scheme and applicants must complete in full two actions, one from each category. Completion of both actions are mandatory for payment.

Applicants who have not submitted a 2023 sheep census return by the February 14, 2024 deadline will not be eligible to apply for the scheme.

The scheme will run from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, however actions selected must be completed by October 15, 2024.

Reductions in payment will apply where not all actions are completed.

The post Closing date for Sheep Welfare Scheme applications approaches appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Silage season is well underway in many areas and as most farmers try to get the first-cut completed, attention turns towards the quality of the silage.

Teagasc has outlined some key requirements for producing quality silage.

Grass growth stage will have a large effect on silage dry matter digestibility (DMD) so the advice is to target the cutting date at the correct growth stage for the quality of silage you are trying to produce.

Producing high quality silage

Where high quality silage suitable for milking cows and finishing cattle is targeted (74%+ DMD) leafy grass with no seed head will be required, according to Mark Treacy from Teagasc.

As the seed head begins to emerge, grass quality, and therefore potential silage quality, will decline due to the increasing levels of fibre in the grass.

A drop of 0.5 DMD can be expected for every day cutting is delayed after heading date. Where crops are lodged, quality will deteriorate at a more rapid rate, Treacy explained.

Silage with a DMD of less than 68% DMD is poor quality and should be avoided if possible.

Teagasc has outlined three key factors in the successfully preservation of grass silage:

1. Grass sugar levels;
2. Anaerobic conditions;
3. Buffering capacity.

Adequate grass sugar is required to feed the acid-producing bacteria which can be measured using a refractometer, with 3% or higher considered sufficient.

Where sugar levels are below 3%, options such as delaying cutting until later in the day, wilting, or adding molasses should be considered.

Conditions

Anaerobic conditions are vital for grass silage because lactic-acid-producing bacteria require these conditions.

Where anaerobic conditions are not achieved, undesirable bacteria may begin to grow.

The creation of anaerobic conditions can be achieved by properly rolling the silage pit both during and immediately after filling, by paying attention to detail with covering, and by checking and retightening the pit covers again a few days after cutting as the pit settles.

Buffering capacity is affected by the N levels in the grass. High N grass has a higher buffering capacity and it is therefore more difficult to reduce the pH to sufficient levels for good preservation.

Teagasc has said that the importance of N levels in the grass is often overstated and where adequate sugar levels are present, grass can be successfully preserved with in excess of 600ppm of nitrate.

Wilting of these crops will reduce the effects of the high N levels, Treacy advised.

The post Silage season underway – but what about quality? appeared first on Agriland.ie.

A new animal facility which is being developed at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Mountbellew (Mountbellew Agricultural College) will support the commercial sheep enterprise at the college.

The chair of Mountbellew Agricultural College, Tom Parlon along with representatives from Teagasc and ATU recently welcomed Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to the east Galway campus.

While there, the minister turned the first sod on the college’s planned new Sheep Housing and Handling Facility on the campus’ live farm.

New animal facility

The new facility is expected to be an integral part of the training programmes in Mountbellew, supporting the college’s commercial sheep enterprise and allowing learners to engage in a “meaningful way” with the college farm activities. 

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister McConalogue said: “This year Mountbellew Agricultural College celebrates 120 years in existence. When founded it was the first of its kind in Ireland.

“It is fitting that we should mark that milestone by planning for the educational needs of future generations of students.

“When completed, the sheep handling and housing facility will undoubtedly enhance the experience of those students who come here from all over the country to learn about sheep farming.

“Good practices in animal breeding, flock health and grassland management are the central to the achievement of financial gains and technical efficiency in sheep farming,” the minister added.

Minister McConalogue explained that he is committed to supporting the sheep sector to improve its competitiveness and productivity.

“The return on those investments and supports will have associated benefits for its economic and climate efficiency,” he continued.

“I am certain that, on completion, the new sheep facility will prove a valuable asset to the college and enhance its well-deserved reputation for delivering excellent training programmes.”

Dr. Edna Curley, principal of Mountbellew Agricultural College, ATU campus, commented: “For our learners and around a super team of staff, host farmers, stakeholders, neighbours, family and friends we are building our infrastructure.

“We are building upon a wonderful foundation established by the Franciscan Brothers and we hope to do them proud in our work and carry on their legacy here in Mountbellew.”

Dr. AnneMarie Butler, head of education, Teagasc, added: “[This] marks the commencement of an exciting new development for Mountbellew Agricultural College which will benefit learners, staff, the sheep enterprise, stakeholders and the wider region.

“Learners will enjoy state-of-the-art sheep facilities while developing and enhancing their practical skills and knowledge.”

Mountbellew Agricultural College

Mountbellew Agricultural College has almost 900 students studying a range of full-time and part-time courses from levels 5 to degree level 8, delivered by Teagasc, ATU and Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (ETB).

The programmes are designed to promote understanding of specific disciplines such as rural enterprise and agri-business, environmental management and recently, agricultural engineering.

The college is also situated next to Mountbellew Mart, which will be the venue for the 2024 all-Ireland and all-nations sheep shearing and wool handling championships next month.

The post New animal facility at ATU Mountbellew to support sheep enterprise appeared first on Agriland.ie.

Prices in the sheep trade this week have remained on par with those seen last week, while a comparison with prices from 12 months ago show a stark contrast.

Base prices for spring lambs at the start of this week remain around €9.25-9.30/kg, with hogget base prices ranging from €8.85-9/kg in general.

This is a substantial difference to what was seen this time in 2023, when base quotes in the sheep trade for spring lambs were standing at €7.75-7.90/kg and hogget base prices stood at €7.05-7.20/kg.

This is a difference of up to €1.40c/kg in the space of 12 months for spring lambs, while quotes for hoggets are up to €1.80/kg higher than last year.

Spring lamb prices

Kildare Chilling is offering €9.30/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 21kg, a total of €9.40/kg for today only (Monday, April 15).

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9.30/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for spring lambs up to 20.5kg, a total of €9.50/kg.

Other outlets are offering €9.25/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kg, a total of €9.40/kg for a spring lamb.

Hoggets

ICM is quoting €9/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €9.20/kg for a hogget.

Kildare Chilling is not quoting for hoggets today.

Other outlets are paying €8.85/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €9/kg.

Ewe prices

Kildare Chilling has offered €3.70/kg, plus a 10c QA bonus for ewes from 23kg to 35kg, a total of €3.80/kg.

For ewes between 35kg to 43kg, Kildare Chilling has offered farmers €4/kg plus a 10c QA bonus, a total of €4.10/kg for a better type ewe.

Light ewes being quoted at €3/kg by Kildare Chilling.

ICM is currently offering €4.20/kg for heavy ewes, while other outlets are offering €4.10/kg plus a 10c QA bonus for a ewe weighing from 30-46kg, a total of €4.20/kg.

The post Sheep trade: Spring lamb and hogget prices remain stable appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The export of live sheep by sea from Australia will end on in 2028, the Australian government has announced.

A AUD$107 million federal transition support package for the Australian sheep industry will support the phase out of live sheep exports by sea.

Legislation enacting the phase out is to be introduced in this term of the Parliament of Australia.

The date for when the export of live sheep by sea will end was confirmed by the Australian government as May 1, 2028.

In a statement from the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt on Saturday, May 11, the live sheep export industry was revealed as being “in decline for many years”.

This is shown through the value of the exports being down from AUD$415 million in 2002-03 to $77 million in 2022-2023.

However, the statement revealed that the demand for processed sheepmeat both in Australia and overseas “has been rapidly expanding”.

This is expected to present an opportunity for more processing to occur onshore in Western Australia (WA) and create local jobs.

Minister Watt said: “We are giving certainty to sheep producers and the supply chain by legislating the date, and putting $107 million on the table to enable an orderly and well-planned transition away from the trade.

“This is a comprehensive package that will assist to strengthen supply chains, develop market opportunities and improve animal welfare. 

“With the Australian sheepmeat sector booming, our sheep industry has a bright future. This support will help it continue to grow, creating more local jobs through increased value adding.”

Minister Watt said that the transition support will focus on helping affected individuals, businesses and communities to plan for, and adjust to the phase out.

“Importantly, it will be available to help all parts of the sheep industry supply chain, from farmers, to truckies, to shearers and processors.

“We want to ensure those affected by the phase are well-positioned, resilient and ready when the trade ends in 2028,” Minister Watt said.

Reactions

The National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has said farmers have been left “shocked” after the announcement of the four years to phase out live sheep exports.

NFF chief executive officer Tony Mahar said: “We’re turning our back on crucial Middle Eastern partners who have plead for this trade to continue.

“Make no mistake, this battle is far from over. We will not rest until this misguided policy is overturned, and we urge everyone, especially in the west, to keep fighting tooth and nail,” Mahar added.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) WA has welcomed the announcement of a live sheep export end date.

RSPCA WA chair, Lynne Bradshaw, said: “It’s an historic day for animal welfare in Australia. We have been working towards this outcome for decades.

“I congratulate the government for its considered decision which will put an end to unnecessary cruelty for millions of sheep.”

“Australia’s live sheep trade has resulted in multiple animal welfare catastrophes and publicly documented cruelty over the past forty years, most recently the shambles of the MV Bahijah,” she added.

Australian sheep sector

Minister Watt explained that Australia’s lamb and mutton exports were worth $4.5 billion in 2022-23, while live sheep exports by sea were less than $77 million in 2022-23.

He said this was “less than 0.1% of Australia’s estimated agricultural production in that year”.

“While live sheep exports have shrunk by AUD$338 million over the past 20 years, our sheepmeat exports have grown by over 300% over that same period, with exports to the North Africa and Middle East region more than tripling in value over this period.

“This package will provide more consumers, at home and overseas, the opportunity to sample Australia’s world class sheepmeat products.

“I understand that some in the community will want to see the trade stopped tomorrow, and others not at all. As a government, we have taken the time to get this right,” he said.

The post Australian live sheep exports by sea to be phased out by 2028 appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The busy lambing season is drawing to a close on the two Kerry-based trial farms which are participating in the Irish Country Meats (ICM) sustainability project.

The aim of the project is to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of using five star rams across a range of farming systems.

ABP Food Group’s Advantage Beef Programme farm liaison officer Gavin Healy explained that as of the end of April, over 400 lambs have been born as part of the trial.

Over 200 lambs are sired by five star rams, with the remainder of the groups sired by conventional rams on the farms.

As part of the project, each lamb has its individual date of birth, weight and identification number recorded.

One of the farms involved in the trial brings all of its lambs to finish. This farm started lambing on March 22.

Single lambs had an average birth weight of 5.5kg while the twins had an average weight of 4.6kg.

These lambs were bred from five star Texel rams purchased at Sheep Ireland’s multi-breed sale last August. The lambs were born with very little assistance and proved to be very hardy.

The other farm involved in the ICM sustainability trial sells the lambs as stores in August at an average weight of 30kg.

Lambing on this farm began on March 25 with the majority of the lambs being born in April. The single lambs averaged 5.1kg, with their twin counterparts averaging 4.2kg. These lambs are sired by five star Suffolk rams.

Gavin said: “Poor weather conditions made the lambing period a difficult time on both farms. In addition to this, poor grass growth has led to challenges with grass availability.”

Gavin said that despite the challenging start to the season, “lambs are thriving at an excellent rate and to ensure this continues, dung samples will be taken over the next few months to keep an eye on worm burdens.

“All lambs involved in the trial will be weighed once during the Summer and again at weaning. A once-a-month weighing routine will be put in place from weaning through the finishing period.”

Further updates from the lamb sustainability trial will be available on Agriland as the season progresses.

The post ICM Lamb Sustainability Trial update from Kerry farms appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The supply of spring lambs for processing has doubled over the course of a week, rising to over 7,000 head, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

While it is early in the year and supplies of this year’s crop of lambs are expected to be low, last week, during week 18 (ending Sunday, May 5), a total of 7,106 spring lambs were slaughtered.

When compared to the previous week, when 3,157 spring lambs were slaughtered, this represents an increase of 3,949 head.

Such an increase was not seen in the supply of lambs and hoggets, as 27,770 head were slaughtered during week 18, slightly fewer than the 27,907 processed in week 17.

There have been 81,558 fewer lambs/hoggets slaughtered to date this year, when compared to the same week last year.

The table below gives an overview of the sheep kill for week 18 (ending Sunday, May 5) and the cumulative kill to date this year, compared to the same time period in 2023.

The overall supply of sheep to-date in 2024 is 10% behind the same period in 2023, with each category of sheep (lambs/hoggets, spring lambs, ewes and rams, and light lambs) being lower this year compared to last year.

24.9% of the throughput last week were spring lambs, making up 7,106 of the 28,565 sheep slaughtered.

However, a year ago, 10,701 spring lambs were slaughtered during the same week.

The contrast in the current supplies of sheep this week compared to this time last year can clearly be seen in the graph below.

Taking a look at this year’s throughput figures to date, 878,715 sheep have been processed so far.

Of that figure, 769,861 have been lambs/hoggets, 24,082 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (84,713), and a small portion of light lambs (59).

Up to the same period last year, of the 976,695 sheep slaughtered at that stage of 2023, 851,419 were lambs/hoggets, 30,132 were spring lambs, with the rest made up of ewes and rams (95,048), and light lambs (96).

The post Sheep kill: Supply of spring lambs doubles in a week appeared first on Agriland.ie.

By Chris McCullough

An ambitious young couple milking 350 sheep in Greece have future plans not only to expand the flock, but to improve their genetics by precision breeding.

Situated at the foot of Mount Olympus, close to the town of Elassona, is Avdanas farm run by Michalis Avdanas and his partner Catherina Kalliga.

Founded in 2012 by Michalis’ late father Ioannis, the farm is home to 350 milking Chios ewes, a breed originating on the Greek island of Chios noted for its good productivity.

The farm started with only 40 ewes and Michalis took over in 2016 after his father passed away. Since then he and Catherina, both veterinarians, have bred a nucleus flock with high genetic merit and high production traits.

Michalis said: “One of the attributes of the Chios breed is that it can milk for six good productive seasons.

“Our milk is sold to a processor that makes the famous feta cheese, therefore it needs to be good quality. We receive €1.57 per kilogramme for the milk.

“As long as they produce over 2.5kg of milk per day, the sheep are milked three times every 24 hours. Below this rate, we milk them twice per day until drying off.”

Sheep dairy flock

Michalis explained that they can milk about 180 animals per hour through a DeLaval highline parlour.

The parlour has 24 places and milks 12 at a time but they want to extend it to milk 24 animals at once in a 48-unit parlour.

During 2023, Avdanas farm produced a total of 76t of milk with an average production of 460L/ewe/yr.

That year the farm generated €178,000 income and expenses of €101,000. Around 81% of the income derived from milk sales; 8% from subsidies; 6% from meat sales and 5% from selling live animals.

Feed costs racked up most of the expense costs at 57%, whereas 16% was salary for the family and two full-time workers; 11% was construction and investment and the remaining percentage was miscellaneous operating expenses.

In typical Greek style, Avdanas farm is quite small extending to only 1ha. Michalis rents another 7ha for extra grazing and a further 11ha for growing forage. 

He said: “I own 1ha and rent seven more for grazing nearby. It is possible to buy more land around my farm but I have better areas to invest money on the farm’s infrastructure and technology, rather than having it locked in land.

“The sheep are fed mainly inside the barn with a TMR [total mixed ration] containing silage, grass and concentrated fodder.

“We use the pasture moreso for the mental health of the sheep and to supplement if they are missing something from the diet.

“I grow the fodder a little further away from the farm on another 11ha, of which eight is used for alfalfa and the other three for lolium.”

Breeding

Michalis has a future plan mapped out to extend the flock to 500 sheep, which he says is a realistic target to reach.

In recent years, the farm’s birth rate has been around 1.79 to 1.84, although the breed has a 2.2 average birth rate.

Michalis said: “Using selected rams I have brought our birth rate down a bit so that our ewes can have a better quality of life.

“Our replacement rate hovers around 30% because I want to reach our target of 500 sheep in a short time. The Chios breed, due to its longevity, normally has a replacement of about 15%.

“We have 10 rams of high generic merit, which we continuously renew. Any males born that do not have high genetic merit go for slaughter, the rest are sold for breeding.

“We still don’t practice AI [artificial insemination] but that is something we have on our plan for the future,” he added.

Being a vet, Michalis is well educated on the various options for breeding. Currently they use intravaginal sponges on some sheep for planned matings with the aim of avoiding inbreeding and optimising yields.

He said: “We scan the sheep later in the pregnancy and separate them into groups according to numbers of lambs and expected lambing dates.

“Lambs stay on the mothers for two days and then move to milk feeders. We run three groups of lambs including the very young ones two-days-old that we need to help feed.

“Nutrition plays a vital role in successful breeding for our flock. We require sheep that can produce high quantities of milk to enable us to make a profit.

“I personally plan the rations we use in collaboration with a nutritionist. We work with a total of four different rations based on the stage of development and reproduction where each animal goes through,” he added.

Challenges

Catherina and Michalis have three young children, two boys and a girl.

“If they want to continue in farming, I will not stop them. They are still young to know what they will decide,” Michalis remarked.

Michalis says the main challenges they face on the farm are the weather, labour shortages and the price of milk.

“In addition to that, perhaps the way in which European Union aid is distributed by the state to us should be changed,” he added.

“In other words I think it would be more beneficial if it was the production levels that are subsidised, rather than the actual numbers of livestock.”

The post Focus: Good breeding in couple’s sheep dairy flock in Greece appeared first on Agriland.ie.

The volunteer lifeboat crew at Fethard, Co. Wexford were tasked with the rescue of a sheep that was stranded at the bottom of a cliff surrounded by a rising tide.

Fethard RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) were requested by the Irish Coast Guard on Tuesday, May 7 to go to an area approximately one nautical mile north of Duncannon, to assess the welfare of a sheep who had fallen from a ledge and was being surrounded by a rising tide.

The sheep was spotted by a passer-by on a boat, and the sheep appeared to not be injured.

The weather was fine at the time with a light southerly breeze in the area known as the Waterford Estuary.

The lifeboat, helmed by Mick Roche and with crew members Natasha Blanchfield, Eoin Bird and Diarmuid Bird onboard, launched at Duncannon and proceeded to the area, known locally as Lady’s Bay, where they observed the animal in difficulty.

Crew member Diarmuid Bird entered the water, collected the sheep, and brought it to the nearby pebble beach to safety.

Bird told Agriland that the sheep would have been in “big trouble” if she was stranded during high water.

Bird, who is a farmer from Fethard, was perfectly suited for the job as he brought the sheep from the beach to the lifeboat.

Fethard RNLI volunteer lifeboat press officer Mark Brennan told Agriland that owing to Bird’s experience as a farmer, he was the “right man at the right time” for the rescue.

Speaking after the launch, Fethard RNLI Helm Mick Roche said: “[The rescue] highlights the importance of taking care and be wary of all edges around the sea and waterside.

“Slips and falls happen in all kinds of locations, not just high cliff edges. We would remind animal owners to never get themselves in danger trying to rescue a family pet or animal from the water.

“If you are worried about animal’s safety, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard,” Roche added.

Lifeboat rescuing livestock in Wexford

The Fethard RNLI crew are no strangers to such rescues, as they were previously involved in a callout involving livestock in February 2017, when they came to the aid of two bulls that had fallen from cliffs in the Broomhill area on the Hook Peninsula.

Fethard RNLI was already out on the morning when the call for assistance came in to the lifeboat station.

The crew were about to go on exercise with the Kilmore Quay RNLI when the lifeboat was tasked to the Broomhill area at Waterford harbour to a report of two bulls that had fallen from a cliff.

Fethard lifeboat was launched from Duncannon and was on scene at Broomhill, when the lifeboat crew assessed each animal and decided to attempt a rescue as one was stranded in the gully with the incoming tide.

The second animal was 10 feet above the water on rocks further north and was relatively safe at that time.

The helm veered the lifeboat down into the gully and crew member Eoin Bird entered the water with a rope, swimming 50 yards in dangerous and difficult conditions to reach the stranded animal that had fallen approximately 15m.

Bird made a halter and placed it around the animal, before then swimming back to the lifeboat which then towed the animal clear of the rocks.

The animal was brought alongside the lifeboat and one of the crew held its head safely above water for the 1.5km journey to Templetown bay, where it was safely landed ashore to be taken into the care of the owner.

The volunteer lifeboat crew then returned to the scene where a halter and rope had already been placed on the second animal ready to recover it.

Fethard lifeboat then towed the animal off the rocks and brought it ashore to the waiting owner.

Commenting on the callout, Hugh Burke of the Fethard RNLI said: “This was a rescue with a difference for our volunteers but we do train for every type of scenario.

“Nobody wants to see animals in distress or difficulty and we are happy to launch to bring them to safety. Conditions on the day were fairly lively with a two metre swell.

“The rescue involved excellent boat handling by our lifeboat Helm John Colfer and great work by Eoin and Finola to bring the two animals to safety.

“It was one we won’t forget in a hurry,” Burke added.

The crew on the day were lifeboat helm John Colfer and crew members Eoin Bird and Finola Foley, aided by shore crew Thomas Nolan and Tim Bradley.

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Fines have been paid by a meat factory that breached carcass trim requirements in 2024, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.

A total of three fines were handed to the Dawn Meats abattoir facility in Grannagh, on the Waterford/Kilkenny border.

The DAFM has confirmed to Agriland that there were three carcasses with breaches of carcass trim requirement at Dawn Grannagh, which resulted in a total fine of €750 (three €250 fines).

The department also confirmed that the fine has been paid.

Authorised officers of the Department of Agriculture (Carcass Classification Division) carry out inspections in all 33 factories that operate Beef Carcass Classification

All carcass inspected for carcass classification are also inspected for carcass trim.

Details of each factory fined for breaches of carcass trim specification from 2016 to date can be found in the table below:

Between 2016-2020, eight factories were fined in relation to a total of 52 non-compliant carcasses.

They were: Kildare Chilling; Traditional Meats; Meadow Meats; Kepak Kilbeggan; Emerald Isle Foods; Kepak Clare; Kavanagh Meats; and Ballon Meats.

All fines that were issued to those meat factories have been paid, the DAFM confirmed.

During that time period, almost 237,000 carcasses were examined by inspectors.

The department did not detect any non-compliant carcasses in meat factories subject to inspections in 2021, 2022 or in 2023.

Last year in 2023, a total of 728 inspections took place across all factories resulting in checks on 64,346 carcasses.

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An untagged sheep has recently been rescued by members of animal welfare organisation, My Lovely Horse Rescue after it was found “running around” in Co. Meath near the N4.

There were no other sheep in the area and it is not known where the animal came from or if it potentially had been “dumped”, My Lovely Horse Rescue co-founder, Martina Kenny said.

“We searched the bushes around the bank of the main road leading to the N4. When we saw him, we blocked off either side and finally caught him. He was in brambles and a stagnant stream,” the co-founder told Agriland.

The rescue team also included goat Lilly.

“We brought Lilly to see if we could catch him that way as we were told that sometimes goats are used to get them into the slaughterhouse…awful, so we tried it, he came right up to her and stayed in the area we searched,” Kenny said.

The sheep, which the organisation later named, Philip, will stay at My Lovely Horse Rescue farm as the organisation said “no one has come forward” and it does not expect this to change.

Philip has a “severe infection” in his ball sac and is currently being treated by the organisation’s vet and will then go to the veterinary hospital at University College Dublin (UCD), Kenny said.

The animal welfare organisation said that it does get calls about sheep which are “very lame” or malnourished and “full of worms”. Kenny said that a sheep a few years ago in Navan was “literally eaten away by maggots, right into his flesh”.

In did this incident the sheep was rescued by the organisation which then called the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) “straight away”, Kenny said.

In Philip’s case, the DAFM was not alerted since he was untagged, the co-founder said.

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EU milk supply is expected to remain stable in 2024, while beef production is set to drop, according to a new report.

The European Commission’s spring edition of the short-term outlook for EU agricultural markets presents the latest trends and prospects for key sectors.

The report warns that the evolution of “geopolitical crises”, particularly in the Middle East, could impact on trade, prices and the overall economy which would place even more pressure on farmers.

The expectation of real economic growth in 2024 has been revised downwards due to falling household purchasing power, lower external demand and a partial withdrawal of fiscal support in 2023.

On the other hand, the commission said that inflation is expected to decline faster than previously predicted.

In terms of inputs, the report notes that energy costs dropped by 6% in the first three months of 2024 (Q1) compared to the previous quarter.

The cost of feed is down 1.5% and fertiliser prices were down 1%.

However, overall input prices remain largely above pre-Covid levels (32%) and up to 65% in the case of fertiliser.

The affordability of fertilisers has been improving as EU fertiliser production continues to recover.

Imports of nitrogen (N) fertiliser remain at historically high levels, but imports of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) decreased significantly, which could negatively impact overall soil fertility.

Dairy

The EU Commission is currently forecasting a slight increase (0.4%) in milk supply across the bloc, despite a continuing decline in the number of cows (-0.5% in 2024).

This assumption is based on “normal weather conditions”, raw milk prices remaining above historic levels (above 46 c/kg) and an increasing trend in EU milk yields.

The report noted that pasture conditions became “exceptionally difficult” in Ireland earlier this year.

The report states that EU cheese and whey production is likely to continue benefitting from higher milk solids availability and competitive prices, which could translate into a
further increase in exports.

A rise in milk powder exports is unlikely because of limited further growth potential in north Africa and the Middle East, while global competition may also increase.

Production of skim milk powder (SMP) is expected to remain stable, however domestic use could be impacted by the current surge in cocoa prices.

The report stated that butter exports could remain positive (+1.5%) based on competitive export prices.

The commission said that stabilising input and output prices could improve margins for dairy farmers in 2024, and EU dairy consumption could benefit from easing food inflation and remain stable overall.

Beef

EU beef production is expected to decrease by a further 2.3% in 2024, mainly due to “a continuing structural adjustment in the beef and dairy sector”.

EU beef production decreased in 2023 by 3.9%, which supported high prices. At the same time, the average carcass weight decreased by -0.6%.

Last year, beef production in Italy dropped by 17% (127,000t), while Ireland was back by 3.5%.

The December 2023 livestock survey, showed that the number of suckler cows in the EU declined for the fourth year in a row, by additional 160,000 head (-1.6%). Dairy cows recorded a decline of 344,000 head (-1.7%).

The number of male bovine cattle for slaughtering between 1 and 2 years, and above 2 years also decreased by -0.4% and -1.2% respectively.

However, the reported noted that “this lower beef supply could continue supporting EU beef producer prices”.

The expectation is that per capita beef consumption across the EU will drop by up to 3% this year.

Meanwhile, despite a slightly bigger sow herd, EU pigmeat production could go down slightly by -0.4% in 2024.

EU poultry production could benefit from a 1.7% growth this year, driven by positive market signals on both the supply and demand side.

The report said that the historically low EU sheep flock will reduce slaughterings by 4.9% in 2024.

Consumption is expected to suffer again this year (-3.5%) because of low availability and pressures from higher prices.

Crops

The report stated that 2024/25 EU cereal production could reach 278.5 million t (+3% year-on-year), which is 0.9% below the 5-year average.

This will be driven mainly by an expected increase in the area under maize, along with increasing yields of barley and durum wheat.

EU oilseed production in 2024/25 is expected to be at 33.2 million tonnes (+1.2% year-on-year), due to more cultivated area of soy beans, and an increase of rapeseed and sunflower yields.

The report noted that the the availability of protein crops in the EU could be historically high.

EU cereal prices continue to decline and are currently below the 5-year average, which will put additional strain on farmers’ margins.

2023/24 EU sugar production is estimated at 15.6 million tonnes, rebounding from the previous season and in line with the five-year average.

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While factory prices in the sheep trade have held this week, farmers are urged to consider other options for where to bring their livestock for sale.

Prices for today (Tuesday, May 7) come during a shorter processing week due to the bank holiday Monday, but there has been no increases from factories in what they are offering farmers.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) sheep chair Adrian Gallagher said “despite factories trying to reduce” lamb and hogget quotes, the availability of lambs is “not on the ground and factories are having to pay above quoted prices to secure supplies”.

Gallagher said farmers should “sell hard” and be “mindful” of the mart trade, which he added has proven to be “a competitive alternative” for sellers currently. 

Spring lamb prices

Irish Country Meats (ICM) is quoting €9.30/kg, plus a 20c/kg quality assured (QA) bonus for spring lambs up to 20.5kg, a total of €9.50/kg.

12 months ago, ICM was quoting €7.80/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for a spring lamb, which is €1.50/kg less than what they offered this week.

Other outlets are offering €9.25/kg plus a 15c/kg QA bonus up to 20.5kgs, a total of €9.40/kg for a spring lamb, while another processor has offered €9.50/kg for a spring lamb.

Hogget and lambs

ICM is quoting €9/kg, plus a 20c/kg QA bonus, which is a total of €9.20/kg for a hogget.

A year ago, ICM quoted €7.05/kg plus a 20c/kg QA bonus for hoggets, €1.95/kg less than what they offered this week.

Other outlets are paying €8.85/kg plus a 15c QA bonus up to 23.5kg, a total of €9/kg.

Ewe prices

ICM is currently offering €4.20/kg for heavy ewes, while other outlets are offering €4.10/kg for ewes, plus an extra 10c/kg for a QA ewe weighing over 30kg.

 In its only offering for sheep this week, Kildare Chilling has quoted €4/kg plus a 10c/kg QA bonus for cull ewes weighing from 35 to 43kgs.

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One meat factory has been fined for breaching carcass trim specifications to-date in 2024, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed.

 The Dawn Meats abattoir facility in Grannagh, on the Waterford/Kilkenny border has been fined this year for a breach of carcass trim specification.

It is the first factory to be fined for such a breach since Ballon Meats in Co. Carlow in 2020.

Details of each factory fined for breaches of carcass trim specification from 2016 to date can be found in the table below:

A DAFM spokesperson confirmed that since 2019, the department have invested significantly in training of veterinary public health staff on the requirements of the Regulation regarding carcase trim specification.

They added these staff have a “permanent presence in the factories” and their daily checks on carcass trimming amongst others, are in addition to the dedicated inspection checks conducted by staff involved in beef carcass classification.

Approximately 60,000 carcases are subject to dedicated inspection controls on carcass trim by department staff each year.

Factories found to breach regulations can be given an on-the-spot fine of €200.

The minister for agriculture can also serve a fixed-payment notice via which €250/carcass can be applied per offence.

Beef carcass weights

Average beef carcass weights fell slightly in 2023, according to latest figures from the DAFM.

According to the figures, the average steer carcass weight in 2023 was 347kg, back 3kg from the average steer carcass weight of 350kg in 2022.

The average heifer carcass weight in 2023 was 307kg, back 3kg from the average heifer carcass weight of 310kg in 2022.

The average cow carcass weight in 2023 was 294kg, back 5kg from the average cow carcass weight of 299kg in 2022.

The average young bull carcass weight in 2023 was 368kg, back 1kg from the average young bull carcass weight of 369kg in 2022.

The average bull carcass weight in 2023 was 443kg, back 3kg from from the average bull carcass weight of 446kg in 2022.

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