Asda Lamb Group
The Asda Lamb group has been established over 10 years and is run in partnership with Dunbia. It is made up of 15 forward thinking farmers across North Wales and Northwest England.
Aim of the group …
The group aims to:
- Promote best practice and innovation
- Build dialogue and knowledge exchange across the supply chain
- Empower farmers to make informed business decisions
- Use data and marketing to promote the environmental value of sheep farming
Members meet 3-4 times per year, through farm walks, industry shows, factory visits and technical workshops with guest speakers. We also work closely with AHDB to deliver valuable and insightful farmer meetings. Activities include, Land App habitat mapping, carbon footprinting, carcase data benchmarking and 1:1 consultant sessions to focus on a business area of the farmer's choosing.
Collaborating on projects that drive change
Project name: Farmland Habitat Mapping
Project aim: Establish a baseline habitat map and identify areas for creating, extending or improving wildlife habitats.
Group members have undergone remote mapping of their farms through Land App. The mapping exercise determines which farmland habitats are already present and allows Promar specialists to work with the farmers to identify which habitats could potentially be extended, improved or created to make more space for nature.
From the 2024/25 analysis:
- The group covers 3,190 acres, with 16% a managed diverse habitat
- 30 habitat types were recorded, including heathland and scrub, fens marsh and swamp, and broadleaved woodland, which are all vital to supporting a range of wildlife species.
Meet one of our Sheep farmers...
Steven & Lizzie Walker from Lancashire
Lizzie and Steven farm in partnership with Lizzie's parents and have transformed the family business with a renewed focus on data, animal performance and grassland management. They run 1,000 breeding ewes, supplying around 1,500 prime lambs annually to Dunbia. They also manage a growing pedigree Hereford cattle herd of 50 breeding cows and recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary with a successful on-farm sale.
Overview of the sheep system:
- Low-input, rotationally grazed flock of Aberfield x Logie ewes
- Lamb outdoors from March-May to coincide with better weather and increasing grass growth for the ewes and their lambs
- Lambs are reared on a natural, grass-based diet throughout their lives, supply from August
Their commitment to sustainability and profitability earned them the ‘Family Farming Business’ award at the British Farming Awards 2025.
What's their focus for the future?
After achieving their 10-year plan, they are currently establishing what the next 10 years might look like for their business. Including aligning land capability, whilst remaining conscious of the evolving needs of both the commercial supply chain, alongside customers for pedigree breeding stock.
What value do they get from being in the Asda group?
They have been a part of the Asda Lamb group for 3 years and say they have benefited from the networking and to engage with like-minded people who are striving to improve their farm businesses. They have utilised the independent consultant support from Promar to apply for the SFI scheme (Sustainable Farming Incentive) and gained valuable insights following visits to Asda's Skelmersdale Distribution Centre and Dunbia's Preston site.