The current hot spell is providing farmers and contractors with an excellent opportunity to make first cut silage of the highest quality, according to Provita’s Tommy Armstrong.
“Most swards are now at the right growth stage for cutting. Sugars are high and with dry matters also high grass nitrogen levels are not a problem,” he added.
“All of this adds up to the perfect scenario, from a silage making perspective, with one possible exception.
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.
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.
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 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.
The combined approach of foot bathing after every milking and the inclusion of Provita’s Hoofsure Endurance as the foot bathing solution, has allowed Ballymoney dairy farmer Brian Knipe and his father Alfie to reduce the levels of lameness within his 100 strong cow dairy herd by almost 50%.
“I am delighted with the results obtained by putting an increased emphasis on foot bathing,” Brian confirmed.
“I had known for some time that increasing the frequency of foot bathing would be required if we were ever to get on top of the problem. The challenge was working out the best way to make this happen without putting additional stress on me and the other people working on the farm.”
Last Saturday marked the beginning of the Texel pedigree sale season in Northern Ireland with the breed’s ‘Premier’ event taking place in Ballymena. The Foster family, from Ardstraw in Co Tyrone, are owners of the renowned Springhill flock with a history stretching back thirty two years.
“We had a good day in Ballymena,” confirmed Graham Foster. “A ram lamb sold to 2,500gns with a shearling ram making 1,400gns in the ring,” confirmed Graham Foster.
“We are also taking part in Scotland’s Premier Texel Sale at Lanark. This is the first time in twenty years that we have taken sheep to that event.”