Organic lamb in 2014

Siamsa Sessions

Hi all,

After a spell away from the farm, we're jumping back in again at home on 1st January 2015.

We'll be running a few sheep and I was wondering what people on here thought of organic lamb?

I've been told two opposing things about organic lamb myself: (1) it's the only way forward (2) it's useless and no one cares about organic since the recession.

What would people here think? Is there a market for organic lamb, or is it too much hassle to try and produce?

Thanks.

ganmo

2)!
Put the effort into selling your lamb locally. Better way than organic imo
The main difference that I currently see between organic and normal lamb production is the use of gm soya in late pregnancy rations.

Siamsa Sessions

Thanks ganmo.

So if there's not a local market for organic, then trying to sell it nationally wouldn't really be an option either.

Makes sense, i suppose - thanks.

Is there anyone who farms organic lamb on here?

jmrc

Not sure organic is really as big a deal as it once was. better management and overall animal welfare seems to be the bigger issue.
this lamb lived and died well and tastes nicer for that. And the farming model is more sustainable......!

paddysdream

Not really organic per say but anyone see the ad in todays independent with the boxed Connemara lamb for 90 plus 15 delivery?

Think that was the price anyways.Either a very small lamb or not complete at that money I should think.Just glanced at it when getting the dinner in another persons house so unsure of all the details.

gazahayes

paddysdream wrote: »

Not really organic per say but anyone see the ad in todays independent with the boxed Connemara lamb for 90 plus 15 delivery?

Think that was the price anyways.Either a very small lamb or not complete at that money I should think.Just glanced at it when getting the dinner in another persons house so unsure of all the details.

Was it this one?

gazahayes

paddysdream wrote: »

Not really organic per say but anyone see the ad in todays independent with the boxed Connemara lamb for 90 plus 15 delivery?

Think that was the price anyways.Either a very small lamb or not complete at that money I should think.Just glanced at it when getting the dinner in another persons house so unsure of all the details.

Was it this one?

paddysdream

gazahayes wrote: »

Was it this one?

Sin e.So it is 99 not 90 euro.

Sounds cheap for a boxed lamb but at that price would assume its a rather small carcase.

rangler1

paddysdream wrote: »

Sin e.So it is 99 not 90 euro.

Sounds cheap for a boxed lamb but at that price would assume its a rather small carcase.

Our lamb group acts as a collection point for organic lamb and we provide the transport for them, The farmers were telling us that they were getting 25% bonus last year, but its down to 15% this year on the base price, ordinary farmers would be getting 20c on the base price any way

razor8

Was watching feirm on tg4 a couple of weeks ago and were promoting Connemara lamb, think carcasses were 15/17kg weight so would explain the price

tealcottage

Is there an export market for organic lamb or is it produced for domestic market only.

Siamsa Sessions

tealcottage wrote: »

Is there an export market for organic lamb or is it produced for domestic market only.

Connemara lamb is big in Germany, apparently, because of the heather it eats and the flavour this gives the meat.

Or so I heard anyway

goz83

Speaking as a semi-ignorant shopper, I have to say that I do prefer organic, where the price is not taking the mick. Times are tough, but people still want good food. But, as long as I know the animals were treated well, I can smile as I chew through their cooked flesh.

rangler1

goz83 wrote: »

Speaking as a semi-ignorant shopper, I have to say that I do prefer organic, where the price is not taking the mick. Times are tough, but people still want good food. But, as long as I know the animals were treated well, I can smile as I chew through their cooked flesh.

Lamb is nearly organic anyway, selling june to sept, the profit isn't there to feed anything other than nice green grass

Connemara Farmer

paddysdream wrote: »

Not really organic per say but anyone see the ad in todays independent with the boxed Connemara lamb for 90 plus 15 delivery?

Think that was the price anyways.Either a very small lamb or not complete at that money I should think.Just glanced at it when getting the dinner in another persons house so unsure of all the details.

That would be a full lamb I'd say, he'll be tasty.

Username John

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Hi all,

After a spell away from the farm, we're jumping back in again at home on 1st January 2015.

We'll be running a few sheep and I was wondering what people on here thought of organic lamb?

I've been told two opposing things about organic lamb myself: (1) it's the only way forward (2) it's useless and no one cares about organic since the recession.

What would people here think? Is there a market for organic lamb, or is it too much hassle to try and produce?

Thanks.

I remember looking at this a while back...

I stand to be corrected on this, but I think you need to join an organic association, which was a yearly fee.
And if you don't have large numbers, then the cost of joining vs the (small) increase in return (on small numbers) wasn't worth it.

But you'd have to look at the overall picture, of what going organic might mean in terms of payments.
I don't know if the payments listed here are still valid or not?

and I know its kinda bad to post 'what payments could you get if going organic' but you need to look at the entire picture to weigh up all pros and cons...

Connemara Farmer

Username John wrote: »

I remember looking at this a while back...

I stand to be corrected on this, but I think you need to join an organic association, which was a yearly fee.
And if you don't have large numbers, then the cost of joining vs the (small) increase in return (on small numbers) wasn't worth it.

But you'd have to look at the overall picture, of what going organic might mean in terms of payments.
I don't know if the payments listed here are still valid or not?

and I know its kinda bad to post 'what payments could you get if going organic' but you need to look at the entire picture to weigh up all pros and cons...

We had an organic piece on the Options course this week, tbh I wasn't paying a lot of attention to it as you can't be organic on commonage. But I do remember the very top payment being €12k a year.

Siamsa Sessions

rangler1 wrote: »

Lamb is nearly organic anyway, selling june to sept, the profit isn't there to feed anything other than nice green grass

I see what you mean - it's probably chicken and pigs that have the "intensive" image, where the consumer is more likely to consider the difference between organic and conventional produce.

With all due respect to chicken and pig farmers of course.

Lamb and beef probably have a better "grass-based" image.

greysides

I think you need a higher standard of management for organic. Running faster to stand still.
At one point the best organics coming through an abattoir were poor-normal. Now they seem to be more average-normal (as in, they don't stand out amongst other non-organic lots but they also don't have the 'yow factor' that the best lots have) so there's been some changes made to management.