Three organic lamb finishing events to take place in August
The three organic lamb events will take place on August 5 in Westport, Co Mayo, August 11 in Kenmare, Co Kerry, and on August 12 in Fenagh, Co Carlow.
Three organic lamb finishing events are set to take place in August in an effort to explore opportunities within the sector.
A series of three organic lamb finishing events, ‘From Farm to Fork,’ aims to bring together farmers, researchers, processors, and industry leaders to explore the opportunities and challenges for organic lamb production.
The three events will take place on August 5 in Westport, Co Mayo, August 11 in Kenmare, Co Kerry, and on August 12 in Fenagh, Co Carlow.
Each event will combine practical on-farm demonstrations with the latest research and expert discussion, giving attendees valuable insights they can apply to their own enterprises.
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Highlights will include:
- A live demo of drafting lambs with the aim of helping farmers make better decisions in terms of choosing lambs fit for slaughter;
- Latest research from Teagasc, Athenry, on the organic lamb finishing feeding trials;
- Financial analysis of finishing lamb;
- Discussion forum: Processors and industry stakeholders will debate the challenges and successes of finishing lamb and accessing premium markets for organic lamb.
The first event in Mayo will be hosted by Michael Holmes, Newfield, Mulranny, Westport, Co Mayo, and will start at 6:30pm.
Mr Holmes entered organic farming in 2023 and has successfully adapted to the system, overcoming challenges such as sourcing organic feed and controlling weeds.
In 2025, Mr Holmes finished all his lambs organically and produced over 18kg carcasses for Irish Country Meats. The majority were finished from grass, with the remainder supplemented using organic concentrates and hay produced on the farm.
A highlight of the event will include a live demonstration of weighing and grading lambs that will interest both organic and conventional sheep farmers.
On August 11, the event moves to Kenmare Livestock Mart in Gortamullen, Kenmare, Co Kerry, at 7pm.
This event will feature a practical live demonstration of drafting lambs, designed to help farmers identify animals that are fit for slaughter and make more informed finishing decisions.
Attendees will hear the latest findings from Teagasc's organic lamb finishing feeding trials, followed by an analysis of the financial performance of lamb finishing systems.
The evening will conclude with a discussion forum featuring processors and industry representatives, who will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with finishing lambs and accessing premium markets for organic lamb.
The events will conclude on August 12 at Joe Nolan’s farm in Fenagh, Co Carlow, at 6:30pm.
Mr Nolan operates a diverse 98ha organic sheep and tillage enterprise, integrating spring cereals, protein crops, grassland, red clover swards, riparian grassland, and native woodland.
His farm includes a 310-ewe March lambing flock, 20 pedigree Charollais ewes and about 300 store lambs carried over the winter.
Since making the move to organics, Mr Nolan has altered the sheep system, moving towards the Easy-Care breed of sheep. Cover crops of rape and leafy turnip, sown after tillage crops, form the basis of the winter diet, while protein crops are undersown with grass and clover to provide overwinter grazing.
Cereals and legumes produced on the farm are also used. Post-grain cleaning, barley, and oats are used to supplement store lambs, while peas were fed to ewes to boost milk production.
