AIMING FOR A 500-EWE FLOCK

PHILIP HIGGINS is the latest farmer to join the Sheep Tech joint venture run by Teagasc in conjunction with Irish Country Meats.

Philip farms a mixed suckler and sheep farm just outside the village of Skreen in Co Sligo where he lives with his wife Amanda, son Jonathan and daughters Naomi and Hannah.

His flock consists of 316 commercial ewes, 29 pedigree Texel ewes and 115 ewe lambs put to the ram in 2017.

He plans to increase ewe numbers to 500 in the next few years.