Animal Welfare

Animal Welfare is as important to us as the health and safety of our people.

We are proud to maintain the highest welfare standards and animal welfare has always been, and always will be, core to what we do.

All Pilgrim’s UK lamb producers are Farm Assured and produce lambs to our higher welfare standards, independently audited by Farm Assurance assessors.

Lamb Supply Chain

Pilgrim’s UK works with around 450 of the UK’s leading independent lamb producers to supply the highest quality lamb to our customers. Working closely with our farmers, we provide support and guidance to ensure our high welfare and production standards are met and to help drive environmental sustainability.

We have been working with a dedicated group of farmers for over 30 years who farm unique and diverse regions of the country.

Health

Health planning is key to productive flocks, and we run events and training sessions to focus on key areas to improve health. We are proud to have developed an industry-leading database on antibiotic and vaccine usage across our UK supplying farms, something we achieve through our close relationships with producers.

Feed

We encourage our producers to grow their own feed and work collaboratively on projects to help producers achieve this. All our lambs are 100% grass fed.

Antibiotics

Through collaborative working over the past three years, the Pilgrim’s lamb supply chain has reduced antibiotic usage to levels well below UK industry targets.                          

Key welfare indicators

Our lambs are all reared outdoors and are delivered to local processing facilities. The average transport time between our farms and these facilities is less than two hours, well within the Red Tractor standard.

Abervale Lamb

Bred for tenderness and succulence. 

We have bred Abervale lambs by using the latest research to identify superior eating quality. 

Working in partnership with a specially selected group of farmers we have developed a breed of lamb that converts sunlight, rain and grassland environment into the ultimate eating experience.

 

Dorset Breed Lamb

We use the unique ability of this native breed of sheep to produce lambs naturally out of season.

We work closely with a group of specialist farmers who lamb their Dorset breed flocks in the Autumn to provide us with British New Season lamb as early as January each year.

Organic Lamb

Our organic producers focus on building and maintaining a harmonious relationship between livestock and nature.

Free from pesticides and artificial fertilisers, they focus on using natural resources and traditional farming skills to protect our natural world and enhance the environment for future generations.

Welsh Lamb

Sourced from a local community of family farms that have been working with us for almost 30 years.  

Sheep and grass farming are a perfect match for the upland and hill farms and have helped shape the rugged landscapes of Wales for centuries.

All our Welsh lambs have PGI status. 

West Country Lamb

The south west of England is renowned for its diverse range of picturesque scenery and local produce. 

Lamb production plays a crucial role in the close-knit community of diverse farms. The untamed moorlands flow down to sun drenched beaches and hidden coves. All of our West Country lambs have PGI status.

Our contracted farmers provide the land, grazing, fencing, water and the shepherding.

BQL provides the lambs, management support and management fee.

Our BQL team is involved at each stage, from sourcing high health store lambs, to our own in-house veterinary support, bespoke production and management standards and dedicated livestock transport. It means we can keep animal health and welfare at the forefront of our operation.

Lamb Farming Opportunities

As we grow, we are looking for more farmers to join our successful operation.  

For more information about lamb farming opportunities with us, please contact: lambsupplychain@dalehead.co.uk