Irish Country Meats is one of Europe’s leading lamb processors, combining craftsmanship, innovation and quality in every cut.
We’re proud to be globally recognised for innovation in the lamb category, giving our customers a true competitive edge.
Through our partnerships with farmers and producer groups we’re helping to protect the environment and secure the future of Irish farming.
As part of ABP Food Group, Irish Country Meats plays an active role in pioneering more sustainable farming practices through the ABP Demonstration Farm in Co. Carlow. Established to research and test practical ways to reduce on-farm emissions, the farm operates as a live model of how environmental and economic sustainability can work hand in hand.
Run in collaboration with Teagasc, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, and Sheep Ireland, the farm provides valuable data and insights to help farmers improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact across beef and lamb production.
Irish Country Meats joined the initiative in 2021, bringing a dedicated focus on lamb sustainability. The results to date have been outstanding, demonstrating real progress toward a more sustainable future for Irish livestock farming.
We’re investing in research that delivers real results for farmers and the environment. Through our Five-Star Ram Trials, we’re demonstrating the economic and environmental benefits of using top-rated rams across different farming systems. To date, fourteen rams have been purchased for the project, with performance data tracked on more than 1,200 lambs annually from birth to finish.
Each lamb’s birth, weight and identification are recorded to monitor progress, with one participating farm finishing all of its lambs. All flocks involved are part of the Sheep Ireland LambPlus programme and a proportion of lambs are genotyped each year.
Progress to date: Five-star sired lambs have finished 12 days sooner than conventional counterparts on the same farms, drafted 1.8kg heavier with a 2% higher kill-out rate, resulting in a 1.5kg heavier carcass. These findings support the benefits of a genetics-led approach.