Poultry Farmer
Belview Egg Farm Ltd
Free Range Egg Production
Dermot Herlihy began egg production in 1978 with 5,000 hens expanding to 3 Enriched Colony Systems by 2010. In 2020, Belview established their free-range unit at Carrickbaggot in County Louth. The unit is divided into 4 multi-tier laying houses, each containing 15,000 birds and has a central egg collection room.
The farm is located on 168 acres of land. Point-of-Lay pullets are transferred at 16 weeks of age to the production house. Birds are given access to the range every day. Hens produce on average 346 eggs during the laying cycle of 60 weeks.
Farm Manager John Roche who has 10 years’ experience with poultry runs both farms, with two full time and six part time staff. Rachel Johnson is the General Manager in Belview Eggs, with Dermot Herlihy as Managing Director.
Signpost Farm Measures Undertaken
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is key in layer systems due to the amount of energy used in the system. Belview Eggs will establish the energy used by each system in the unit. By establishing the kW being used, methods to reduce this can be identified.
Carbon Footprint
Belview Eggs will aim to reduce the carbon footprint of producing Free Range eggs. To do this, the carbon footprint must be established. Once established, methods will then be identified and put in place to reduce the CO2 produced per dozen eggs.
Manure Management
Belview Eggs export manure primarily to tillage producers in the local area. In conjunction with the tillage advisers a Nutrient Management Plan will be developed and implemented on the importing tillage farms.
Lidl Ireland Climate Supplier of the Year – 2022
Lidl Ireland ecognise Belview Eggs for establishing a carbon footprint for Free Range egg production in Ireland and Ireland’s first poultry farmer to be part of the Teagasc Signpost Programme..jpg)
Belview Egg Farm are Teagasc’s poultry Signpost Farm with Rebecca Tierney been their Teagasc poultry adviser. The company was established in 1978 by Dermot & Nicola Herlihy with a mere 5,000 hens and has since grown to Ireland’s fourth largest egg packing centre and the largest egg packer and producer in Leinster. The company is currently run by Dermot Herlihy and Rachel Johnson. Belview supply eggs to Lidl, Musgraves, Iceland, Applegreen, BWG, Glanbia and Tesco. The packing centre employs 30 staff and additional 10 staff on their two poultry sites.
In 2020 Belview Eggs built the largest free range layer site in Ireland, Carrickbaggot Free Range Farm, situated on 168 acres of grassland. The house is constructed with four 15,000 bird units under one roof, with a central egg collection room. The unit is managed by John Roche, with the assistance of two full time staff, six part time staff and a robotic egg palletiser.
Belview Eggs have undertaken a number of measures through the Signpost Programme, these include the establishment of the kWh used for the production of free range eggs; as well as establishing a carbon footprint for free range eggs. When this has been completed, Belview Eggs will begin implementing strategies to reduce both energy usage and the farms carbon footprint..jpg)
Belview Eggs export manure primarily to tillage producers in the local area. In conjunction with the tillage advisers, a Nutrient Management Plan will be developed and implemented on the importing to tillage farms.
Belview Eggs are working to reduce their CO2 emissions by changing over to electric company cars with 4 vehicles in the fleet now fully electric.
The company also plans to remove all of its fluorescent lighting from both factory & farm and change to LED throughout.
92% of the egg cartons used at Belview Eggs have been changed over to pulp; 100% of their egg cartons are supplied by sustainably sourced suppliers.
Belview Egg Farm were recently awarded Lidl Ireland Climate Supplier of the Year for 2022. The award was received as recognition for Belview’s work on establishing the carbon footprint of Free Range egg production and for being Irelands’ first poultry farmer to be part of the Teagasc Signpost Programme. Belview Eggs were one of 5 company’s first picked by Lidl in 2021 to be part of their Supplier Engagement Programme.