The Mayo Blackface Group was established in 2004 by a group of hill farmers concerned about the declining numbers of the Mayo Blackface. Its initial aim was simple: to run small breeding sales for Mayo Blackface ewes and ewe lambs. The group started with 45 hill farmers from north and west Mayo; thanks to its success, membership has now grown to over 400.
From the outset the focus was on breeding females, but every ewe lamb born is matched by a male lamb that historically attracted a lower sale value. To address this, the group developed a supply chain with Kildare Chilling Company to collect and process male lambs and cull ewes. This arrangement provided an outlet for male lambs and secured a premium price for members. As group member Tom Gill puts it, “A producer group is the way to go in this part of the country, as we have strength and unity in numbers.”
The producer group has continued to expand. This year alone the group sold over 30,000 lambs, while breeding sales achieved record prices — breeding ewe lambs reaching up to €250 per head and breeding ewes up to €400 per head.
About the breed
The Mayo Blackface is a traditional hill sheep associated with County Mayo and the west of Ireland. It is a hardy, durable breed that thrives on rough, wet and exposed hill ground. Renowned for its mothering ability, the Mayo Blackface is capable of rearing lambs in tough environments and efficiently converting poor-quality forage into quality meat.
Chairman Pat Chambers highlights the breed’s strengths: “The Mayo Blackface ewe is now a recognised breed across Ireland for its hardiness and mothering ability, with the ewe being able to rear two lambs off the mountain.”
Early-stage Support for Producer Organisations (ESSPO)
The Mayo Blackface Sheep Producer Organisation was added to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine Register of Producer Organisations recognised under the Early-Stage Support for Producer Organisations (ESSPO)
ESSPO is co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU under the CAP Strategic Fund 2023 – 2027. It supports groups of producers to form recognised Producer Organisations across the following seven sectors – beef, sheep, milk, potato, tillage, plant amenity, fruit and vegetables.
The scheme has proved valuable to the group by providing practical, financial and technical support during its formative stages. The assistance helped strengthen the group’s marketing position, improve returns for members and support the development of the group’s own brand and label.
A bright future
In recent years the group adopted a new identity as Ólas Hill Farms. Ólas — from the Irish for “knowledge” — reflects the group’s core values. Looking ahead, the group aims to continue growing and to raise the profile of the Mayo Blackface breed.
Recently the group linked with Irish Country Meats (ICM), a company that exports Irish lamb to the United States. The group hopes to export lamb bearing the Ólas label to the US in the near future, offering a promising new market for members and further recognition for the hardy Mayo Blackface.
To learn more about the Early-Stage Support for Producer Organisations (ESSPO) Scheme, click here.
