SIS new entrants

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon announced on Wednesday the opening of year four of the Sheep Improvement Scheme to new entrants.

A new entrant is defined as a person(s) who has started/commenced sheep farming for the first time in their own name(s) in the last three years – namely 2023, 2024 and/or 2025.

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Where a new entrant joins an existing herd number that has been involved in sheep farming they are not considered a new entrant unless each person(s) listed/named on the herd number are considered new entrants.

If a new entrant joins an active herd number that has not been involved in sheep farming during 2023 to 2025, then the terms and conditions state that they will be considered new entrants.

In addition, new entrants must have submitted a 2025 sheep census return within the required timelines with breeding ewes declared.

The terms and conditions add that for the purpose of year four of the scheme, new entrants are those who submitted a sheep census for the first time based on sheep on their holding on either 31 December 2023, 31 December 2024 or 31 December 2025.

The minister also raised the possibility of €13 per head being paid under the National Sheep Welfare Scheme in 2026 by stating “when both the SIS and the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, which has an allocation of €22m in 2026 are combined, they collectively offer financial support of up to €25 per ewe for undertaking measures which will improve the welfare of the national flock”.

Marketing sheep

There have been some exceptional prices reported from the live trade over the last week. Spring lambs hit as high as €250 to €287 in Tullow mart on Tuesday, with butchers competing to get their hands on limited supplies for the Easter trade. Cull ewes have increased in price to as high as €300 plus for top-quality ewes.

These prices are obviously well above the normal range and not in line with the general run of sales, but it raises the value of considering the most lucrative outlet for the types of sheep on hand.

Factories are paying to a maximum carcase weight of 21kg for spring lamb, so the live trade is likely a better option for heavier top-quality lambs that will generate interest from butcher/wholesale buyers. At current prices, €210 is the top opening factory price on offer for lambs.

Likewise liveweight prices for heavy top-quality ewes have increased to upwards of €2.80/kg to €3/kg in some sales for ewes capable of delivering high value carcases. There are also reports of factories willing to give extra allowances on weight where such ewes make up a small percentage of a batch, so it is worth negotiating for the best terms available.

Bluetongue vaccination

This week’s announcement that bluetongue vaccination is added to the optional vaccination action in the National Sheep Welfare Scheme is welcome.

Where considering vaccinating, it is worth discussing with your vet the optimum timing of administering the vaccine and gaining advice on vaccine selection.

There is still time for farmers to consider their options ahead of the higher risk period, with the onset of immunity following vaccination listed as 21 days for Bluevac-3 and Bultavo 3, while the onset of immunity with Syvazul BTV 3 is 28 days.

Bluevac-3 requires two doses administered three weeks apart, while the other two vaccines are a single treatment.