It’s all about grass...

SEAN CONWAY (pictured) farms at Coondrihara, Lavagh, Ballymote at the foot of Knocknashee in Co Sligo.

The farm is of heavy soil type by nature, and this was one of the reasons why Sean changed his farming enterprise 16 years ago from dairying to contract rearing and sheep.

Getting the simple management practices right on the farm has allowed Sean to maximise flock output and minimise variable costs. What are the simple practices adopted on the Conway farm?

They all revolve around a single common denominator: grass.

An adequate supply of quality leafy grass in August and September ensures that replacement ewe lambs are at least 48kg and ewes are in good body condition score, 3.5 and above, going to the ram in mid-October.

Having all lambs sold by the end of September makes sure that there is enough grass to match ewe requirements prior to housing in late December.

Closing paddocks in rotation as they are grazed from early October almost always guarantees an adequate supply of grass for lambing in mid-March.