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News
Roadside trees - who is responsible for them and do I need approval to cut them?
Darren Carty
With ash dieback weakening ash trees and increasing the risk of falling branches and trees there is a growing concern among farmers regarding safety risks posed to road users.
23 December 2024 Markets
Sheep Trends: lamb price hits €9/kg before year end
Farmers delivering significant numbers of lambs for Christmas week have received slightly higher prices, with the general run of lambs trading from €8.80/kg to €8.90/kg.
23 December 2024 News
New Nitrates livestock rules coming in to place in 2025
The rules apply to all farmers and include changes to slurry spreading regulations, chemical fertiliser restrictions and lower crude protein levels in concentrates fed during the grazing season.
Sheep management: nitrates rules, culling ewes and hill ram DNA samples
From 1 January 2025 farms in Ireland with a grassland stocking rate in excess of 100kg/ha organic nitrogen cannot avail of reduced storage capacity via outwintering sheep.
23 December 2024 Management
€21.9m paid to 5,143 more ACRES participants
The payment brings total funds paid to 39,836 tranche one and tranche two participants to €172m, with approximately 14,700 farmers yet to receive payment.
23 December 2024 Schemes
Schemes update: NPI applicants reminded to use correct specifications
The Department ACRES unit contacted advisers to stress that ACRES participants who have received approval must adhere to revised specifications when completing investments.
20 December 2024 Schemes
Sheep quotes up 20c/kg
Throughput in recent weeks has faltered badly, now running over 350,000 head lower than in 2023.
19 December 2024 Markets
Sheep mart watch: sales drawing to close on strong note
Mart throughput in recent weeks has benefitted from a vibrant live trade encouraging producers struggling to negotiate higher prices with factories to sell live.
18 December 2024 Markets
Sheep Trends: prices lift by 20c/kg to 30c/kg
Opening prices for quality assured (QA) lambs are in the region of €8.70/kg in most plants, with agents keen to try to maximise throughput over the Christmas processing schedule.
18 December 2024 Markets
Don’t put housing on the long finger
While there may be a perception that ewes are in good condition Teagasc are finding that some flocks have significant numbers of ewes requiring preferential treatment.
18 December 2024 Management
Sheep Management: straw requirements, feeding space and catch crops
Doing a straw budget now will allow decisions to be made, such as retaining a portion of sheep outdoors to conserve supplies.
18 December 2024 Management
Farmers urged to submit equine census
The deadline for returning census forms is 20 December 2024 and all registered equine keepers, must make a return even if there was no equines present on the holding on 30 November.
18 December 2024 News