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Flock of sheep

A group of sheep is called a flock. There are many different strains or breeds of sheep in Ireland, with two main categories - hill/mountain breeds and lowland breeds. The lowland sheep are concentrated in the inland counties and low lying land, while the hill sheep are a hardier type more suited to the tough terrain of the mountains in the west and in Wicklow. Females that are over one year of age and that have given birth to a lamb are called sheep. A mature female sheep is called a ewe. A mature male sheep is called a ram and a castrated (neutered) male sheep is called a wether.

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Pigs

Pigs farmed for meat are mainly of the breeds Large White and the Landrace. More than half of all pigs are found in just four counties - Cork, Cavan, Tipperary and Waterford. Females that have had one or two litters are called sows. A male is called a boar, whilst a newborn is called a piglet. A group of piglets is called a litter. The meat from pigs is called pork, while cured pig meat is called bacon.

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Turning the soil

The soil of Ireland is an immensely valuable, and finite, national resource, which forms and evolves slowly over very long periods of time. It is the basis for almost all farming activity. Soil is a biologically active, complex mixture of weathered minerals, organic matter, organisms, air and water that provides the foundation for life in terrestrial ecosystems. The general consensus is that soil quality in Ireland is good. Irish farmers have a major responsibility to nurture and protect this valuable resource for future generations.

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Suckler cow and her calf.

A suckler cow pictured with her young calf. The cow would typically give birth (calve) in the Spring and her calf would suckle her milk until the autumn when he or she would be weaned onto a diet of grass and concentrates. The cows are bred to terminal beef sires selected for their carcase growth rate and conformation. The most popular breeds used in the beef cow herd are Charolais, followed by Limousin, Angus, Belgian Blue and Hereford.

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A Charolais calf

Charolais cattle are the most popular beef breed in Ireland – (www.icbf.com). They originate in the Massif Central region of France, with the first imports to Ireland in 1969. Today, there are over 3,000 breeders of pedigree Charolais cattle in Ireland (www.charolais.ie). Pure bred or pedigree Charolais cattle have a distinctive white coat, although when crossed with other breeds they can be seen in various shades of grey or white. Their main attributes are fast growth, docility and ability to thrive when grazing or when fed intensively indoors.

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