In August 2024, 710 store lambs were purchased at an average weight of 33.4kg.

ABP's farm liaison officer Gavin Healy explained that these lambs are sourced from a limited number of farms and a grass-only diet is provided to the group until the final finishing period.

Concentrates were added to the diet in early January 2025 at a rate of 1kg/head/day to get lambs fleshed for slaughter.

All lambs remained outdoors throughout the finishing period.

Once target weights and fat scores were achieved, the lambs were drafted for processing at Irish Country Meats (ICM) in Camolin, Co. Wexford.

The average live-weight at finishing for the group was 52.7kg, achieving a mean carcass weight of 23kg or a 44.5% kill out.

Across the group, the lambs averaged 211 days on farm. In terms of grades, 70% of the lambs graded ‘R’ with the remaining 30% grading ‘U’.

A consistent fat score of ‘3’ was maintained throughout the drafting period.

Autumn 2025 store lambs on the ABP Demo Farm

In August 2025, just over 670 lambs were purchased mainly from repeat sources. From the point of arrival, these lambs are subject to a strict animal health protocol which is in place on the farm.

Once the lambs are settled a few days after arriving on farm, they are vaccinated against:

Pasteurellosis;
Pneumonia;
Clostridial diseases;
(Booster shot four weeks later).

Lambs are fluke and worm dosed as required and also receive a cobalt-based mineral drench.

A blowfly preventative pour-on is also used on the lambs.

All lambs are then gathered once a month for a fluke dose based on dung sample results and are also given a mineral drench.

Regular dung samples are taken and the lambs are dosed only if required.

Lameness control for the lambs on the farm is taken on a prevention rather than cure approach.

Lambs are put through a zinc sulphate footbath at each monthly handling to discourage disease spread between the group after handling.

This year’s group of store lambs on the ABP Demo Farm were introduced to a high-energy lamb finisher nut in December and have now been built up to 1/kg/head/day.

All lambs will remain at grass throughout the winter and silage will be introduced when grass covers have all been grazed off.

A full breakdown of lamb kill-out performance and weights will be made available once all lambs have been slaughtered.