Virus not hitting sheep as badly as predicted, says Teagasc expert
Damien Barrett, from the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Sligo, told yesterday’s Teagasc National Sheep Conference in Athlone that the disease has been contained.
His views were based on the laboratory’s monitoring of the virus.
Mr Barrett said: “There was little or no evidence of further spread of the virus during 2013, contrary to what was expected.
The Regional Veterinary Laboratories are interested in submissions of deformed newborn lambs and calves so that we can continue to monitor the prevalence and trends.”
The conference also heard that sheep output contributes €209m to the agricultural and national economy, with about 80% of this exported. The conference continues tomorrow in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
The conference in Athlone was addressed by Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney.
Dr John McEwan, from Agresearch in New Zealand, spoke about the future prospects for genetic improvement in sheep. He pointed to the gains that genetics has already delivered in terms of increased numbers of lambs born, improved lamb survival, higher weaning weights, heavier carcass, reduced carcass fat, and heavier fleeces.
Teagasc researcher Noirin McHugh said that genetic evaluations are a powerful tool for sheep farmers enabling to make more informed breeding decisions and potentially increase productivity and profitability at farm level.
Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle emphasised the importance of active participation in discussion groups, which have been shown to be an effective way of getting new technology adopted on farms and subsequently translated into increased productivity and increased farm income.
Teagasc sheep enterprise leader Michael Diskin said that new research programmes on finishing hill lambs, meat quality, genetic improvement, and grassland science are all under way and are important for the future of the sheep industry.
“We are ready now to embark on a new sheep-breeding initiative at Teagasc Athenry with the establishment of genetically elite Suffolk and Texel flocks drawing on the best genetics from Ireland, the UK, and New Zealand,” he said.
Head of sheep knowledge transfer in Teagasc, Michael Gottstein, said the conference had afforded delegates the opportunity to hear, at first hand, expert speakers from both Ireland and abroad on themes of flock health and genomics which are critical to every sheep farmers’ business.
The Teagasc National Sheep Conference is sponsored by MSD Animal Health.
