Signpost: Why August reflection is key for Tomas's flock improvement
I have all silage now saved on the farm with around 190 bales made (and 10 left over from last year). It is important to check fodder stocks this time of year to forward plan for the winter.
The latest results from the Teagasc national fodder survey are showing that nationally 90% of farms expect to have enough feed in place for the winter ahead, but 5% of farms expect to face fodder deficits of 20% or greater. Growing animals require silage quality of at least 70 dry matter digestibility (DMD) to support performance.
I will be testing the quality of silage cut on the farm in the autumn so that I can use the highest DMD% silage for breeding stock on the farm. I always analyse silage before winter to determine the quality as this can have an impact on the performance of animals and also the cost of overwintering stock.
I am currently drafting lambs and selling them as stores. I'm also currently picking out replacement lambs I will be keeping on for breeding. I use the BETTER farm data that I have collected since lambing time to pick out replacements.
Some of these lambs are identified at birth using information such as if they were without assistance, they were vigorous and up and sucking quickly and whether the mother had lots of milk and good mothering ability.
I also look at data such as growth rates at different stages and performance data. All this information helps me to choose the best replacements. At this stage, I am also culling ewes which have not performed in the last year.
I identify ewes for culling at lambing time with a red tag. Some of the reasons may be udder health, poor mothering ability, broken mouths, lameness, or poor body condition. Overall, this should help improve the flock's performance.
The rams are also being checked now for any potential health issues. It is important that rams are at good body condition before breeding, as they can lose up to 15% of it during the mating season.
I also check for signs of lameness and check their reproductive organs for any signs of infection or damage. August is a good time to do these checks on stock and to also forward plan for the winter ahead.
Tom's daughter, Keris-Mae, qualified in the Class 84 Combined Training competition at the Dublin Horse Show.
Off farm, this week my daughter Keris-Mae qualified for Class 84 at the Dublin Horse Show, which is a Combined Training competition that includes both a dressage test and a show jumping round.
We were very proud to see her perform at the show. She has also qualified for the Clifden show High Performance class which is taking place from August 19-22.
The Clifden Connemara Pony show is celebrating its 100th year and should also be an enjoyable week.
Tomás O Toole, of Moyard, Clifden, Co Galway, runs suckler cows in combination with lowland and hill ewe flocks.
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Irish Examiner
4 days ago
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Teagasc fodder survey reveals 90% of farms expect to have sufficient feed for winter
Based on data from approximately 300 farms nationwide, Teagasc recently updated the National Fodder Survey across dairy and drystock farms. Nationally, 90% of farms expect to have sufficient feed in place for the winter ahead, but approximately 5% of farms expect to face fodder deficits of 20% or greater. Compared to the previous two years, the spring of 2025 facilitated an earlier turnout, putting farms in a good position nationally. However, approximately 20% of farms had to purchase additional feed this spring. It can prove challenging to secure high-quality feed for freshly calved and growing animals, which require silage quality of at least 70 Dry Matter Digestibility (DMD) to support performance. It also highlights the importance of having sufficient pasture on farm for spring grazing, as this is where many farms were reliant on supplementary feed to fill feed deficits. Given that the majority of farms have sufficient reserves in place for the winter months, the focus should now move to building up grass for the autumn through a closing rotation that will maximise spring grass availability. Complete a fodder budget Many farms capitalised on good growing conditions in April and May; 54% of respondents had completed first-cut silage by the end of May, and a further 37% in early June. PastureBase Ireland data trends suggest an additional 0.7t DM/ha has been grown to date on farms above the previous five-year average. However, on approximately 10% – 15% of PastureBase Ireland farms, drought conditions have been experienced. This may result in compromised winter feed reserves in these regions. Only 40% of respondents had completed a winter fodder budget to date. Budgeting is critical, particularly where reserves may be reduced, but it may also identify significant surpluses on some farms and allow those individuals to sell feed. Commenting on the results of the Teagasc National Fodder Survey, Dr Aisling Claffey, Teagasc Ruminant Nutrition Specialist, said: 'While the majority of farms will have built up a reserve this summer with optimal growing conditions in most parts of the country, only 30% of those surveyed intend to analyse silage quality. Feed quality has huge implications for animal performance over the winter months, and a greater focus is required on producing silage of sufficient quality for all livestock categories. "I would also like to acknowledge the input of Katie Cooney in the National Fodder Survey for her time in collecting data and to the farmers for willingly participating and sharing their data during this process.' Head of the Teagasc advisory service Thomas Curran added: 'It is encouraging to see healthy hay and silage stocks on the majority of farms across the country. It is very important to analyse silage before the winter to determine the quality as this will have a major impact on the performance of animals and the cost of overwintering stock. "All farmers need to complete a fodder budget annually to assess the quantity of fodder required, and this can be easily done on the PastureBase Ireland app or with the help of your advisor.'
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
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Signpost: Why August reflection is key for Tomas's flock improvement
As we move into August, I have been thinking of the autumn ahead and some of the jobs that have to be done. I have all silage now saved on the farm with around 190 bales made (and 10 left over from last year). It is important to check fodder stocks this time of year to forward plan for the winter. The latest results from the Teagasc national fodder survey are showing that nationally 90% of farms expect to have enough feed in place for the winter ahead, but 5% of farms expect to face fodder deficits of 20% or greater. Growing animals require silage quality of at least 70 dry matter digestibility (DMD) to support performance. I will be testing the quality of silage cut on the farm in the autumn so that I can use the highest DMD% silage for breeding stock on the farm. I always analyse silage before winter to determine the quality as this can have an impact on the performance of animals and also the cost of overwintering stock. I am currently drafting lambs and selling them as stores. I'm also currently picking out replacement lambs I will be keeping on for breeding. I use the BETTER farm data that I have collected since lambing time to pick out replacements. Some of these lambs are identified at birth using information such as if they were without assistance, they were vigorous and up and sucking quickly and whether the mother had lots of milk and good mothering ability. I also look at data such as growth rates at different stages and performance data. All this information helps me to choose the best replacements. At this stage, I am also culling ewes which have not performed in the last year. I identify ewes for culling at lambing time with a red tag. Some of the reasons may be udder health, poor mothering ability, broken mouths, lameness, or poor body condition. Overall, this should help improve the flock's performance. The rams are also being checked now for any potential health issues. It is important that rams are at good body condition before breeding, as they can lose up to 15% of it during the mating season. I also check for signs of lameness and check their reproductive organs for any signs of infection or damage. August is a good time to do these checks on stock and to also forward plan for the winter ahead. Tom's daughter, Keris-Mae, qualified in the Class 84 Combined Training competition at the Dublin Horse Show. Off farm, this week my daughter Keris-Mae qualified for Class 84 at the Dublin Horse Show, which is a Combined Training competition that includes both a dressage test and a show jumping round. We were very proud to see her perform at the show. She has also qualified for the Clifden show High Performance class which is taking place from August 19-22. The Clifden Connemara Pony show is celebrating its 100th year and should also be an enjoyable week. Tomás O Toole, of Moyard, Clifden, Co Galway, runs suckler cows in combination with lowland and hill ewe flocks.
Agriland
07-08-2025
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Gender equality project seeks rural men and male farmers
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