Sheep Farm Walk at Kevin Farrell's Farm

Declan Kealy (Dawn Meats), Kevin Farrell (Host Farmer), Brian Byrne (TESCO Ireland), Peter Maguire (Longford Lamb Group)

The picture above was taken at a recent open day on Kevin Farrell’s Farm at Ballymahon, Co. Longford.  The event was organised to acknowledge achievements in sheep production on this farm.

The farm received a merit award in the development category at the Teagasc / Bord Bia Quality Lamb Producer Awards 2008.  Kevin’s farm was nominated for the award by Dawn Meats Lamb Operation in Ballyhaunis.

The lamb production system on the farm consists of 220 ewe breeding flock which is split between an early and mid season lambing.  Replacements are bred within the flock.  The majority of ewes are Belclare cross and are put to Suffolk Texel and Charolais Rams.  In 2009 Kevin had a weaning percentage of 1.53 lambs per ewe.

All lamb’s produced on the farm are marketed through the Longford Lamb Producer Group.  The Group contract’s its supply to Dawn Meats Ballyhaunis on an all year round basis.  Kevin is also the Group Co-Ordinator and works in partnership with the procurement team in Ballyhaunis.

The open day also informed farmers of the latest developments in sheep production.  Teagasc explained the new Euro Star Sheep Indexes for the selection of rams.  Bord Bia, Dawn Meats and Tesco were represented at the event and spoke on the developments in the marketplace.