Farming - Beef and Sheep page - Irish Examiner

Sign in

Farming

Forecast

WEATHER

Grass

GRASS

FARMING - BEEF & SHEEP

A collection of the latest news, views and analysis from the farming desk on the topic of Beef and Sheep.

<p>Tomas O'Toole: It is important to have good ram management during this time.</p>

farming

Signpost: Tomas prepares his ewes, rams and replacements for the busy breeding season

I have been busy on the farm over the last number of weeks with certain tasks that have to be prioritised. In the past while, I have dipped all the sheep on the farm. I have also been checking the lowland and hill flock ewes for body condition.

<p>Sheep numbers continue to decline with a drop of 1.5% reported by the CSO.</p>

farming

More support needed to halt sheep sector decline

<p>Total cattle numbers have dropped by 3.9% (278,300) in the 12 months to June 2025.</p>

farming

Total cattle numbers at an almost 12-year low

Herding Sheep

farming

More support needed to halt sheep sector decline

Sheep in pens at Winslow Primestock Show, Buckinghamshire

farming

Steady lamb prices with deals up to 800c/kg for regular suppliers

AMINAM HEALTH BLUETONGUE DISEASE SHEEP

farming

Bluetongue high-alert period coming to an end

Brian Reidy

Hazell Mullins, Vet on the Moove

Kieran Coughlan, Farm Finance

Paula Hynes, Hoofing It

Close up shot of raw meat hanging on hooks at a slaughterhouse

Weekly cattle intake tops 30,000 head for first time since April

Improved weather during the second half of September helped finishers hold on to stock, as better ground conditions meant the expected surge in factory supply did not materialise

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Alfalfa silage and thermometer

Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist

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

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Cork students make it to Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition finals

Cork students make it to Certified Irish Angus Schools Competition finals

Clonakilty's Sacred Heart Secondary School’s ‘Angus Advocates’ are finalists in the Certified Irish Angus Schools 2024 Competition finals.

Fri, 26 Sep, 2025

Dairy cow waiting to be milked

Economic Breeding Index drops by €97 with new updates

The ICBF has said farmers “just have to recalibrate their thinking” when it comes to the lower figures.

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Black and white dairy cow grazing contentedly relaxed and happy while other cows graze behind. Methane and greenhouse gases a bi

Herd Tasks: Your weekly farming checklist

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

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

John Deere 6920 Tractor and Mower cutting Grass for Silage on a Farm in the UK

Brian Reidy: What are your feeding options for stock for the coming winter?

As we head into October, attention will turn to preparing for housing and the winter-feeding plan

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Cows Feeding in a Modern Barn

Improving feed utilisation in winter diets

Feed utilisation refers to how efficiently animals convert the feed they consume into productive outputs such as body weight gain

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Sheep pen

Confidence grows in sheep sector as autumn trade stabilises

The return to stability in the trade has helped to instil a bit more confidence in producers for a more positive run of trade to the end of the year

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Meat industry,meats hanging in the cold store. Cattles cut and hanged on hook in a slaughterhouse. Halal cutting.

EU beef production drop key driver of beef prices

Beef producers visiting the Bord Bia stand at the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore last week were very interested in the market prospects over the coming months

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Putting five-star bulls to the test for finishing performance in Youghal

Putting five-star bulls to the test for finishing performance in Youghal

The bulls we choose for the autumn herd will be selected with two things in mind: improving both the maternal and terminal traits of the herd, write Waterford suckler farmers Eamon and Donnchadh McCarthy

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Martin Heydon not looking for 'a pat on the back' on his TB plan

Martin Heydon not looking for 'a pat on the back' on his TB plan

No one is questioning the science behind the agriculture minister's action plan, but farming organisations are still not entirely convinced

Wed, 17 Sep, 2025

Livestock leading cause of farm injury claims, new report shows

Livestock leading cause of farm injury claims, new report shows

Animal-related injuries accounted for almost a fifth of all claims to the Injuries Resolution Board— with cattle most commonly cited in claim applications, followed by horses, dogs and sheep

Wed, 17 Sep, 2025

Female hands cutting a piece of ribs in a butchers shop

Factories slash beef prices another 10c/kg during ploughing week

The supply increased by 1,300 head last week to 28,914 head, which was 9,500 less than the same week last year, but for 2025, it was the highest weekly supply since the beginning of June

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Nitrogen Fertilizer

National Fertiliser Database opens for 2025

Farmers and other fertiliser users and operators can now declare the closing stock of fertiliser held on their farms and premises

Tue, 16 Sep, 2025

Farmers react with caution to new TB eradication plan and 30 proposed actions

Farmers react with caution to new TB eradication plan and 30 proposed actions

Irish farmers give mixed reaction to the new TB action plan, warning it risks unfairly burdening farmers without clear commitments from others

Thu, 11 Sep, 2025

Events to showcase organic livestock systems

Events to showcase organic livestock systems

A specialist roadshow hopes to boost Ireland’s growing organic livestock sector, by exploring how Ireland can expand production to meet growing consumer demand and strengthen rural communities.

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Heydon’s TB action plan finally announced

Heydon’s TB action plan finally announced

The new action plan as part of the TB eradication scheme, involves several new key actions, including informed cattle purchases, mandatory blood testing and special cull cow sales.

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Brian Reidy: Can any of these calves selling for €500+ make a profit?

Brian Reidy: Can any of these calves selling for €500+ make a profit?

Calves have been selling at record prices in 2025, but is it possible for them to make any money? Independent ruminant nutritionist Brian Reidy gives his take

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025

Sheep in pens at Winslow Primestock Show, Buckinghamshire

Store lamb trade strong despite pressure on factory returns

Throughput at the factories year to date is down by more than 300,000 head, reflecting the decline in the breeding flock over recent years of poor returns

Tue, 09 Sep, 2025

BELGIUM-EU-MERCOSUR-TRADE-ECONOMY

Mercosur to bring 99,000 tonnes of low-tariff beef into EU

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association president Denis Drennan said the commission's move to ratify Mercosur was 'a calculated betrayal'

Mon, 08 Sep, 2025

Bovine TB crisis in Ireland: why cattle disease cases are at their highest in 15 years

Bovine TB crisis in Ireland: why cattle disease cases are at their highest in 15 years

With herd incidence at a 15-year high, bovine TB remains Irish farming’s most costly, persistent and emotionally draining disease

Fri, 05 Sep, 2025

Farmers deserve Mercosur deal to be judged on safeguards, not slogans

Farmers deserve Mercosur deal to be judged on safeguards, not slogans

New text of Mercosur deal will be presented to European commissioners today, and the changes will dictate our next moves

Wed, 03 Sep, 2025

Meat industry,meats hanging in the cold store. Cattles cut and hanged on hook in a slaughterhouse. Halal cutting.

Throughput at the factories remains seasonally well below normal

There are increasing reports of more of the factory intake being purchased on fixed flat prices this week

Tue, 26 Aug, 2025

Fluffy Woolly Sheep

Factories paying up to 820c/kg for lambs despite 'quiet' trade

Processors are maintaining the markets continue to be 'quiet enough', and currently do not justify higher prices to the suppliers

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

workplace food industry - factory butchery for the production of sausages - butcher cuts meat

Weekly kill rises but remains below 2024 levels

There is more than a hint now of the factory bosses taking a more cautious approach and adjusting the cost structure and the processing operations

Tue, 19 Aug, 2025

Farming

Newsletter

Keep up-to-date with all the latest developments in Farming with our weekly newsletter.

Farming Crossword

Play Today

PLAY THE WEEKLY FARMING CROSSWORD

The interactive version of the crossword that appears in Thursday’s Farming supplement. No cheating.