Sheep farmers can take a leaf from the New Zealanders
New Zealand is home to 25.7m sheep and has recently initiated a dairy sheep industry.
Irish sheep farmers can pick up a few tips from their New Zealand counterparts at an upcoming EuroSheep webinar.
Dr Brid McClearn from Teagasc, Ireland, recently visited New Zealand with members from another EU thematic network – Sm@RT: Small Ruminant Technologies.
EuroSheep network aims to exchange knowledge and expertise on flock nutrition and health management based on the industry’s current needs.
The project is funded by the EU H2020 research programme and includes Ireland, the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, Greece and Turkey, representing 80% of sheep production in Europe.
The objective of Dr McClearn’s visit was to identify best practices in flock health and nutrition from the large meat, wool and milk sheep flocks in New Zealand, which operate in a range of climatic conditions.
New Zealand has 25.7m sheep, and is a major exporter of sheep meat and wool and has recently initiated a dairy sheep industry.
Dr Clearn will present her findings during the webinar on April 20, from 1-3pm. Participants will hear from farmers who have forward sold their wool for ten years; manage flocks of up to 30,000 sheep; and manage meat sheep flocks with 2,000 ewes per labour unit; as well as new entrants into dairy sheep production; and mixed sheep, beef and deer farms; developing new dairy sheep breeds.
