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Provita is confirming a tremendous demand for its two new sheep products: Jump Start and Ewe Two.
Flock owners are confirming very high lambing percentages this year,” explained the company’s Tommy Armstrong.
“The arrival of triplets and even quads have been common enough occurrences within flocks over recent weeks. And, obviously, farms want to keep as many of these lambs as possible alive and thriving.”
Father and son team Philip and Stuart Hammond run the renowned Tullylagan flock of Texel and Blue Leicester sheep on their farm near Sandholes in Co Tyrone.
“We keep 120 breeding ewes in total,” Philip explained.
“The bulk of the flock is made up of pedigree Texels. But we also keep 40 Blue Leicesters plus a small number of commercial ewes, most of which are used to carry pedigree embryos.”
Achieving that all important competitive edge is the core principle by which Co Tyrone sheep breeder Colin Barnes runs his business.
“And that’s as important for my customers as it is for me,” he said.
“The focus of our business is to supply high quality hybrid terminal sire rams produced from crosses involving Beltex, Charollais, Texel and Rouge bloodlines.
“We are bringing to the market high quality rams that will generate equally impressive meat producing lambs with the added fertility bonus that is delivered courtesy of the sires’ hybrid vigour.
“Demand for this type of breeding stock is growing at commercial level here in Northern Ireland. They are delivering better numbers of higher quality meat producing lambs. And this represents a win:win scenario for the flockowners involved.”
Sheep producers across Northern Ireland are telling Farming Life that a record lamb crop is on the cards for 2016. A case in point is John Martin, at Gordonall Farm, located on the outskirts of Greyabbey in Co Down. Based on scanning results, he is predicting that a 200% lambing percentage may well be achieved across his 620-strong ewe flock. But, like every other sheep farmer, he is not counting his chickens until all of this year’s lambs are on the ground.
Diarrhoea (scours) is the most common disease problem in the young unweaned calf. It is estimated that it affects, in varying degrees, over a third of all calves during their rearing period and is responsible for roughly half of all calf deaths (MDC & NADIS). Calves are born with no protection against scour causing microorganisms. … Read more
With the lambing and calving season now in full swing, there are many problems which can arise particularly in the damp and colder weather. Provita has a full range of products to help counteract the most common difficulties which can arise during this time of year.
In recent months Provita have been providing a new service designed to help farmers reduce Digital Dermatitis related lameness. An initial, no obligation, on farm assessment and a Digital Dermatitis check will be carried out by a fully trained member of our team. If the farmer adopts the plan recommended and tailored for them, a one month call back visit is arranged and the progress will be checked. After this, the plan can be maintained, increased or decreased depending on results. Once our team and the farmer are confident that the routine is working progress will be monitored on bi monthly or quarterly visits.
Provita have been researching and developing new products to help improve the health of new born lambs and ewes for over 25 years. The latest addition to the widely tried and trusted product range is Jump Start for lambs and Ewe Two for sheep.
Provita Response paste has been given a brand new look with a fresh design, along with an easy to open sturdy display box. The popular paste when administered to newly born calves provides an energy boost to improve gut condition, digestion and growth rates. Product is available in 15g tubes for one calf application or 35g tubes for two calf applications.
Provita are currently providing a new service designed to help farmers reduce Digital Dermatitis related lameness. An initial, no obligation, on farm assessment and a Digital Dermatitis check will be carried out by a fully trained member of our team. A tailored plan for complete herd control and individual cows will then be recommended. If the farmer adopts this plan, a one month call back visit is arranged and the progress will be checked. After this, the plan can be maintained, increased or decreased depending on results. Once our team and the farmer are confident that the routine is working progress will be monitored on bi monthly or quarterly visits.
“We have been piloting this service in Northern Ireland recently and so far this approach to controlling Digital Dermatitis related lameness has been very popular. In order to ensure that everyone who signs up for the HELP service receives the best attention possible, we have a new farm sales person on board, Kieran Donnelly”, commented Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.