OviCast

OviCast host Ciarán Lynch and sheep specialist Michael Gossin examine autumn store-lamb sales during a year affected by drought, grass shortages, and delayed forage growth.

OviCast’s “Inside an Organic Sheep and Tillage System” follows Joe Nolan’s 100-hectare farm near Fenna in Carlow, where roughly half the land supports sheep and half supports tillage.

OviCast’s Ciarán Lynch and Dr Frank Campion examine how forage crops can connect tillage and sheep systems by recycling nutrients and producing saleable lamb.

OviCast examines the 2026 Nematodirus forecast with veterinarian James O'Shocknessy, focusing on lambs aged six to twelve weeks.

This episode discusses farm management priorities for April, focusing on grass growth strategies, fertilizer cost challenges, and practical tips for livestock health and silage preparation.

This episode discusses coccidiosis in lambs, covering its causes, symptoms, impact on health and growth, and practical treatment and prevention strategies for farmers.

This episode features an interview with grass tenant advisor Nikki Kennedy, discussing grassland management updates for March, including grass covers, grazing targets, and fertilizer strategies for the sheep industry.

This episode discusses how to use lambing data and genetic insights to identify and select the best sheep lambs for future replacements to improve flock performance.

This episode discusses Ireland's Sheep Sector Roadmap for 2030, focusing on strategies to improve sustainability, profitability, and productivity for sheep farmers through research and innovation.

This episode covers grazing management, fertilizer planning, lamb survival, biosecurity, and grass tetany risk for sheep farmers in challenging spring conditions.

This episode provides practical advice on sheep management during challenging wet spring weather, focusing on hygiene, pen management, and lamb health.

This episode discusses the importance of clostridial vaccination in ewes before lambing to protect lambs through colostrum.

Grassland advisor Nikki Kennedy discusses key grassland management priorities for February, including challenging ground conditions and nutrient planning.

This episode covers key management priorities for sheep farmers in February, including grass management, nutrition, and flock health ahead of lambing season.

This episode discusses the current state and future outlook of the sheep farming industry, covering topics like ewe numbers, market prices, exports, and policy impacts.

Sheep advisor Edward Egan discusses how to use scanning results to monitor flock performance and improve productivity.

This episode revisits a popular interview with sheep farmer Jonathan Higgins, discussing practical grazing techniques for multispecies swards on his family farm in Sligo, Ireland.

Veterinarian John Donlan discusses blue tongue disease, its transmission, and impact on sheep and cattle.

This episode discusses practical approaches to reducing labour demands during winter housing and lambing, including shed layout, pen design, and husbandry practices.

This episode discusses grazing management tips for sheep farmers as the season ends, including closing targets, managing forage crops, and reviewing farm performance.

Sheep specialist Michael Gostin discusses the benefits of housing lambs indoors for finishing, covering housing, nutrition, and management to improve performance and avoid setbacks.

James Doran turns a 1-by-1-metre crop sample into a 3.6-tonne-per-hectare estimate using 12% dry matter.

This episode discusses generation renewal and succession planning in sheep farming, featuring experts on farm transfer and mediation.

This episode discusses managing worm burden in lambs, including anthelmintic resistance, fecal egg counting, and drench testing.

Sheep specialist Michael Lagossi discusses how to reduce disease risks when introducing new animals to a flock, covering quarantine, parasite control, lameness prevention, and vaccination.

A sheep farming expert discusses culling low-condition ewes, lamb performance, and grassland management on a mixed beef and sheep farm.

This episode discusses multi-species sward grazing management and the challenges of farming on fragmented land, featuring an interview with a sheep farmer.

Preview of Sheep 2025 open day featuring technical displays, breeding research, and industry updates for sheep farmers.

An interview with a wool merchant discussing the current state of the wool market, quality issues, and the journey of wool from farm to market.

Dr.

A sheep farming podcast discussing grassland management tips, growth rates, and fertiliser options for April and May.

This episode discusses the 2025 National Sheep Welfare and Sheep Improvement Schemes with David Buckley from the Department of Agriculture, covering key elements, payment rates, compliance, and application processes.

Sheep specialist Michael Gosselin discusses post-tupping flock management, grass supply challenges, and key health issues like lameness and grass tetany.

This episode discusses grazing management strategies for sheep farming, including grass cover targets, fertilizer economics, and spring rotation planning.