Mating Management

With the breeding season underway for many flocks, on this week’s OviCast, Ciarán Lynch catches up with sheep specialist Damian Costello to discuss mating management. Damian starts by outlining the final checks that should be conducted on the breeding flock of ewes and rams. He then delves into ram management in a bit more detail emphasising the importance of addressing any issues that may cause infertility. Following on from that, Damian explains the benefits of raddling, the options available and correct application procedure before discussing single sire mating vs. group mating, rotating rams between groups, ewe:ram ratio and a number of practical steps to guard against the risk of using an infertile ram. Damian also offers his tips on joining ewe lambs and ram choice for the task before he finished with a summary of his key tips for management during the mating period. For more episodes from OviCast, visit the show page at: https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast/