OviCast

Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Damian Costello, joins us to discuss the preliminary results of the labour survey.
 
We explore some of the key findings from the latest analysis, including the age profile of farmers, levels of off-farm employment, and how farm tasks are managed throughout the year.
 
Damian discusses the facilities available on farms, the challenges created by farm fragmentation, and how these factors influence farm management and future development. 
 
We also look at the level of TAMS uptake, the barriers farmers face when accessing the scheme, and what improvements could encourage greater participation.
 
To finish, Damian shares his thoughts on future trends and what the outlook may be for farm numbers going forward.
 
View Damian’s presentation on the labour survey here:
https://teagasc.ie/wp-content/uploads/Damian-Costello.pdf
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Teagasc's Amanda McEvoy, joins us as we preview the 2026 National Sheep Conference.
 
Amanda outlines the new format for this year's event and discusses the speakers and key topics that will feature in the indoor conference sessions. 
 
A first for the National Sheep Conference will be an on-farm evening programme, where attendees will have the opportunity to hear about ongoing sheep research studies being undertaken at Teagasc Athenry.
 
The evening will also include a series of practical workshops, giving participants an insight into the latest research and technologies being developed for the sheep sector.
 
For more information on the 2026 National Sheep Conference, visit:
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/news/teagasc-national-sheep-conference-2026/
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

For this week’s OviCast, grass management, weaning decisions, cull ewe selection and shearing are all discussed.
Damian Costello and Teagasc Sheep Specialist, Ciaran Lynch, break down the key messages from the June Sheep Advisory Newsletter, discussing how to maintain grass quality, prepare for weaning, assess ewes for culling and get the most from shearing day.

This is a practical episode full of seasonal advice for sheep farmers as lambs approach weaning and grass growth peaks.

Find out more:  
https://teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/teagasc-sheep-advisory-newsletter-june/
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

Dr. Frank Campion joins us as we discuss lamb performance on the BETTER farms this spring. 
We discuss lamb mortality levels and how they compare with previous years, while also examining strong lamb growth rates seen on farms so far this season. 

Frank outlines some of the key factors driving performance and finishes with practical advice for the weeks ahead to help maintain progress.

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

Grass10 advisor, Nikki Kennedy, joins us to take a look at grazing management priorities for the weeks ahead. 
 
Nikki discusses current grass growth rates, grazing targets and managing farm covers, along with the options around taking out surplus paddocks for silage. 
 
We also cover fodder budgeting and fertiliser and slurry applications as farmers plan ahead for the season.
 
For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:
https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast