LambPlus

A text has been circulated to all LambPlus breeders reminding them about the importance of recording any outstanding lambing information and in some cases weights. The sooner lambs are entered on the database after birth the better the DQI score will be. There is also a very useful link to When to Weigh LambPlus Lambs available on the website. We would encourage every breeder to consult this now and take note the dates they should be weighing their lambs for the rest of the year and mark them in your calendar. Again recording weights at the right time has a positive effect on your flock DQI.

CPT Lambing Upon Us

All preparations are now in place for the CPT lambing storm that will begin next week. John Large in Gortnahoe, Co. Tipperary was the first flock artificially inseminated last October and we expect the lambing period to kick off from Tues March 2nd. However as can sometimes be the case a very early set of lambs were born today – a gestation of 136 days. While there can be significant variation in ewe gestation lengths, 136 days would certainly be considered at the extreme end of the scale. Both lambs are hardy and healthy so a good start to the campaign. We don’t expect many more lambs (if any) to follow this lead, with the next lambs expected to drop on Monday/Tuesday.

UCD Agriculture and Food Careers Day

This week Sheep Ireland and ICBF attended this very important day in the in the Irish agricultural calendar as it gives the soon to be graduates a chance to network with potential future employees, as well as giving future employees a chance to introduce themselves to some of the best candidates in the country for current/future positions. Mr Bill Callanan, Chief Inspector, DAFM opened the event which is organised by the students and spoke how Ireland needs to become a world leader in the agricultural and food sectors using all the science and technologies available in order to become more efficient, profitable and sustainable. There were a record number of 43 exhibitors attending the event.

Both Sheep Ireland and ICBF received a great deal of interest and some excellent CV’s. We would once again like to thank the committee for the invitation to the very well organised event.

Upcoming Board Elections

This week a courtesy letter was circulated to all sheep breed society representatives to inform them of some upcoming reappointments necessary to the Sheep Ireland Board. The term for board seats is 4 years and this term is near an end for a number of seats, which will soon need to be reappointed. These include the representatives of:

• LambPlus performance recording breeders – 1 seat.
• Breed societies using the Sheep Ireland system to administer their flockbooks (Texel, Belclare & Galway) – 1 seat.
• Lamb producer groups – 1 seat.
• CPT & flocks involved in the Teagasc Better farm programme (Commercial farmers) – 1 seat.

The secretary of Sheep Ireland, John Carty (DAFM) will be coordinating the election processes for all of the seats above and will make contact with all relevant parties in due course