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Darren Carty

Darren Carty is a sheep and schemes editor in the Irish Farmers Journal, specialising in the sheep and beef sectors. Areas focused on include technical features, grassland management, herd health, breeding and domestic and global market analysis. Darren is a committee member of the Irish Grassland Association and also sits on the management team of the Teagasc / Irish Farmers Journal BETTER Farm and the Dairy Calf to Beef programme. He holds an honours degree in animal science from University College Dublin. Previous to joining the Irish Farmers Journal, he worked as a Teagasc adviser in Galway. He hails from a suckler and sheep farm in Co Galway. Aside from farming, he has a keen interest in sports.

Sheep price update: price pressure remains as factories push for another 10c/kg

Plants have reduced base quotes for Tuesday to €8.50/kg with opening negotiations for quality assured hoggets starting in the region of €8.60/kg to €8.70/kg.

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Sheep Trends: hogget quotes down 20c/kg to 30c/kg
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Sheep Trends: hogget quotes down 20c/kg to 30c/kg

Opening prices for quality assured hoggets are in the region of €8.80/kg, with some deals continuing to be completed at €8.90/kg and €9/kg at the top end of the market.

29 January 2025 MARKETS
Camera at the Mart: red-hot trade for beef in Ballinasloe
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Camera at the Mart: red-hot trade for beef in Ballinasloe

When it came to beef cattle, flesh cover and quality were paramount, with little notice taken of age and moves once the cattle were right.

29 January 2025 MARKETS
Focus lambing: Dealing with an abortion storm
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Focus lambing: Dealing with an abortion storm

With supplies of the vaccine for enzootic abortion in tight supply last autumn some farmers who could not source required supplies are possibly facing a heightened risk

29 January 2025 
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Focus lambing: Navigating through clostridial vaccine supply issues
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Focus lambing: Navigating through clostridial vaccine supply issues

There are varying reports on whether it is possible to alternate between vaccines and reliably boost immunity for passive transfer via colostrum.

29 January 2025 
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Hogget prices fall by over 50c/kg in two weeks
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Hogget prices fall by over 50c/kg in two weeks

Base quotes over the last week have reduced by 20c/kg to 30c/kg and follow a similar fall in the previous week.

29 January 2025 MARKETS
New product watch – NoBACZ navel dip
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New product watch – NoBACZ navel dip

The product has some big claims including 21% reduction in mortality compared to lambs which navel’s were treated with iodine and a 280g increase in liveweight at eight weeks of age.

29 January 2025 
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Sheep Management: organic feed, thin ewes and identifying problems
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Sheep Management: organic feed, thin ewes and identifying problems

Farmers sourcing organic feed should investigate the quality of ingredients in the mix with reports continuing to indicate some mediocre feed on the market.

29 January 2025 MANAGEMENT
Pull out all the stops to reduce mortality
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Pull out all the stops to reduce mortality

Sheep farmers have never been heading in to a lambing season where every additional lamb or ewe saved has such a high potential value

29 January 2025 
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Thin animals reduce productivity and increase disease risk
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Thin animals reduce productivity and increase disease risk

Farmers at this week’s Teagasc national sheep conferences were told that thin ewes are a continual drain on productivity and increase the risk of disease establishing.

29 January 2025 MANAGEMENT
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