There has been a slight move away in recent years from mixed suckler and sheep enterprises. Some farmers reported a higher workload in running the sheep enterprise as a reason for the switch. Others reported challenges in operating a rotational grazing system in the absence of heavy investment in sheep fencing. Wicklow sheep farmer and host of this year’s IGA sheep farm walk John Pringle is bucking this latter trend. Along with his wife Linda, daughter Lucy (10) and twin sons Scott and William (5), John farms a 50-cow suckler-to-beef enterprise alongside a 255-ewe mid-season lambing flock and 70-head yearling hogget lambing flock.