Dairy farmer Gillian O'Sullivan, who farms with her husband Neil and her parents Marianne and Michael in Dungarvan, Co Waterford, will welcome TV crews and a 150-strong live audience for the five nights of the show from 9 April, an RTÉ spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The O'Sullivans are among pioneers of once-a-day milking in Ireland and their herd ranked 176th on the top 200 EBI list last year.

Gillian and Neil's children Fionn (6), Hannah (4) and Tim (2) are also expected to feature in the production, which will bring in a celebrity guest presenter every evening. These will include screen stars Deirdre O'Kane and Alison Spittle, as well as sport stars Sean O'Brien of Leinster rugby and Carlow farming fame and Wexford hurler Lee Chin.

Calving and calf-rearing

The show will focus on calving and calf-rearing, with a vet performing a C-section and cameras following the early life of calves on the farm. This year's edition will also put the spotlight on wildlife species sharing farmland with livestock, such as otters and birds including spoonbills.

Following Guinness world records on previous editions of Big Week on the Farm, this year's show will attempt to assemble the largest ever number of Massey Ferguson tractors in one location. Narraghmore Vintage Club in Co Kildare is currently looking for participants for the tractor run.

Technology reports will focus on novel ways of growing food, with robots and artificial intelligence expected to become a common sight on the farms of the future.

While Ella McSweeney and Áine Lawlor will present most of the show from the O'Sullivan farm, Darragh McCullough and Helen Carroll will report from two other farms elsewhere in the country each night.

The show's producers are currently offering audience tickets for members of the public wishing to attend the show.

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