Temperatures are expected to drop below freezing next week, with the first snowfall of the winter likely on high ground in northern counties, according to Met Éireann.

A cold front will push south over Ireland on Saturday night (November 16) and into Sunday morning, bringing some rain which will clear through to the south on Sunday afternoon.

Met Éireann meteorologist, Matthew Martin said Ireland will enter a "much colder" polar maritime air mass from Sunday and through next week.

There will be some wintry showers pushing down over the country in a blustery and northerly air flow. Current forecasts indicate that any wintry precipitation will mainly be on high ground, Martin said.

However, there is a chance of sleet and snow in some areas, he said. It is expected that Connacht and Ulster will be affected the most by wintry conditions, while it will be dry, bright and sunny in the south and east.

Daytime temperatures will range from 3° to 6°, falling below freezing overnight with widespread frost and ice expected next week. With clearer skies at night, temperatures will be coldest in the south and east at -3 or -4°.

According to guidance issued by the Department of Defence and the Office of Emergency Planning, freezing weather conditions affect farming in several ways.

Access to water

Livestock will show signs of dehydration if left longer than 24 hours without water. Milking cows, animals on high concentrate diets and animals fed hay, straw or other very dry feeds are most vulnerable to a water shortage.

Milking cows must have access to drinking water at all times. A cow producing 30L of milk and being fed a silage-based diet requires 75-90L (16-20 gallons) of water per day.

Finishing animals on high levels of dry feed, such as high concentrate diets, have a big demand for water. An animal consuming 10kg dry matter of dry feed will need 60L (13 gallons) of water daily.

Transport problems

Large trucks have poor traction on icy, untreated roads and can get stuck on even modest inclines. Roadways and yards may need gritting to get milk collection vehicles in and out of the farmyard. Have a supply of gritting material available.

Frozen water pipes

Where there is an on-farm supply from a deep well, the pipes and fittings from the pump to the tank and from there to the sheds need to be kept free of ice. Have a thermostatically controlled fan heater in the pump-house.

Advice on sheep

Ewes in early and late pregnancy should get a supply of forage and about 0.5kg of meal per day where there is a blanket of snow and no grass available. Sheep need access to water where dry feeds are fed. Introduce meal gradually to avoid acidosis.

Frozen milking machines

To reduce the risk of ice forming in milking machines:

Make sure that all doors into the parlour are kept closed;
Install a thermostatically-controlled heater in the plant room which should cut in when the temperature falls to 10°;
Keep items such as the power washer in the plant room to prevent the pump from freezing;
Let the machine run a little bit longer to ensure that all excess water is removed from the plant after the final rinse;
Open the machine at the low points, particularly at the fitter sock - some machines may also have a drain at the base of the receiver jar;
Remove the jetters from the claw pieces and let them hang down;
Circulate a saline solution (made by mixing 0.5kg of salt in five gallons of water) through the milking machine, having first made sure that all the detergent has been rinsed out of the plant

Maintaining farm machinery

You can take a number of steps to keep machinery in good condition:

Clear snow from outdoor slurry scrapers at the entrance to the tank. Keep the ratchet mechanism and tracks free of frozen slurry;
Keep tractors in the shed when not in use. Have adequate anti-freeze in the cooling system. Have batteries fully charged to cope with the extra demands of starting in freezing conditions;
Make sure sprayer pumps are fully drained. Remove pressure gauges from sprayers and store away from frost. Clean out and drain the sprayer thoroughly, including all pipes filters and nozzles.

Forage crops

Heavily frosted brassica crops, such as kale and rape, if consumed at a high rate, will cause scouring, digestive upsets and even death in severe situations. Do not feed brassica crops if frozen but bring in silage or hay in round feeders.

Avoid feeding frosted beet as it contains oxalic acid, which can be poisonous if consumed in large quantities. Cover outdoor clamps of beet with straw and an old silage cover to prevent freezing and keep off fresh snowfalls.