The quoted prices have been trimmed by up to 5 cents/kg for the second consecutive week, with many producers being put on a booking list for up to a week, or in some cases slightly longer, to get the cattle killed.

"After feeding intensively for the last three to four months, farmers needed to see prices rising."

Data from the 2022 census shows that a total of 4m sheep were kept across 42,215 active registered herds in 2022.

The SCEP rewards participant farmers with a payment equivalent to €150 per cow on the first 22 cows and €120 per cow on subsequent cows.

Coco has been lucky for Donal in more ways than one.

A small survey of dairy farmers last January indicated that many didn't know exactly how much nitrogen they spread per hectare.

It’s a long way to Tipperary, but an even longer one from West Cork to Balmoral Park.

Last time Limousin breeder William Smith was at Balmoral Show, he was judging the interbreed groups and pairs.

The intake of new-season lamb is continuing to increase very slowly.

Reductions in the quoted prices of 5-10c/kg were applied across all the main categories by the factories on Monday on the purchases this week.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue said that China is a "very important trading partner for the Irish agri-food sector".

One of the most important ratings for any bull is docility, as safety on the farm is paramount to any carcass quality, writes farm vet Hazell Mullins.

Your weekly reminder of the things that should be at the top of your farm to-do list. Published every Monday on the Irish Examiner digital Farming hub.

Suckler farmers should ensure they get their applications in before the closing date of May 22.

Setting achievable and realistic targets for your growing stock on grass is important in order to reach the weights required for sale or housing next winter for breeding or further feeding in 2024.

The conversion process has already commenced with the sowing of red clover swards for silage.

It was the farmer's intuition that knew there was something not right, says Hazell Mullins as she urges stock keepers to act on their instincts.

11% of the differences in daily methane emissions between animals fed the same diet were traced to genetic differences.

Beef processors are continuing to tighter their grip on the prices which they pay for 'farmers' cattle being supplied into their plants this week.

There is more optimism among sheep producers this week that the decline in the trade has turned the corner, with stronger demand at the factories delivering an improvement in the returns.

Your weekly reminder of the things that should be at the top of your farm to-do list. Published every Monday on the Irish Examiner digital Farming hub.

Quite a bit of silage has been cut over the last week or so. Quality from these cuts will be fantastic once they are ensiled well.

The most expensive cattle are those produced by winter finishers. Prices have moved up just 24c per kg since the beginning of the year.

Lamb prices continue in decline at the factories this week, where there has been an across-the-board drop in returns for producers.

The finishers, who boosted the live trade for the forward animals three to five months ago, on their better judgement of a decent return by April or May must be wondering - yet once again - what has gone so wrong, writes Martin Ryan.