Sheep Ireland
Sheep Ireland is Ireland's national sheep breeding database operator, delivering weekly genomic evaluations, Euro-Star indexes, the LambPlus performance recording service, mobile app, flockbook management and the Central Progeny Test to pedigree breeders, commercial farmers, hill sheep groups and breed societies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersBallincollig, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Sheep Ireland does
Sheep Ireland, legally Sheep Database Ltd, is Ireland's national sheep breed improvement organisation, established in 2008-2009 and headquartered at ICBF's campus in Ballincollig, Co. Cork. It operates the only national sheep breeding database in the country, running weekly single-step across-breed genomic evaluations that integrate performance records, pedigree and DNA genotype data from pedigree breeders, CPT commercial flocks, Teagasc research flocks and independent commercial operations. The product portfolio is anchored by the LambPlus performance recording service, the LambPlus mobile app (Android and iOS) for offline flock data capture, the Euro-Star Index (Replacement and Terminal indexes with 1-5 star ratings) for ranking breeding animals, the Central Progeny Test (CPT) for progeny-proven rams, the Ram Search tool, the Data Quality Index, the Flockbook Management system used by 18-19 Irish breed societies, and ancillary services such as ultrasound scanning, Scrapie genotyping and Oviflock EIP hill-sheep work. Slaughter and carcass data flows in via API from the three major Irish lamb processors (Irish Country Meats, Kepak, Dawn Meats) to power the Days to Slaughter trait.
Sheep Ireland functions as a non-profit genetic improvement entity rather than a venture-backed company. Revenue is assembled from annual DAFM operating grants and capital support through the National Development Plan and Cattle/Sheep Breeding Infrastructure Program, a 15 cent per head slaughter levy (introduced August 2012, raised April 2023) on animals processed at the four largest meat plants, LambPlus membership fees, breed society per-flock fees of €10-€30 plus €750 start-up charges, genotyping fees (normally €24.90 per sample, often subsidised through OVIGEN and Oviflock EIP), and project-specific EU funding such as the €650,000 Oviflock EIP grant. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: direct on-farm engagement, discussion groups, the annual Teagasc National Sheep Conference, the Elite EuroStar Multi-Breed Ram Sale in Kilkenny Mart, the CPT Ram Sale via MartEye, and a third hill ram sale in 2026. Customer segments are pedigree sheep breeders, commercial farmers, hill sheep farmers organised into 17 breeding groups, and breed societies.
The organisation is governed by a board drawn from IFA, DAFM, Meat Industry Ireland, breed societies, LambPlus and CPT/Teagasc Better Farms, with a Chairman (Denis Carroll) and Board Secretary (Sharon Walshe). Headcount is reported as 1-10, though the company is currently hiring. It holds ISO accreditation, the database integrates with Bluetooth EID readers and the MartEye auction platform, and there is no equity investment, M&A activity, or public-market listing.
Sheep Ireland firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sheep Ireland
- Legal name
- Sheep Database Ltd
- Website
- https://sheep.ie
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sheep Ireland is Ireland's national sheep breeding database operator, delivering weekly genomic evaluations, Euro-Star indexes, the LambPlus performance recording service, mobile app, flockbook management and the Central Progeny Test to pedigree breeders, commercial farmers, hill sheep groups and breed societies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sheep Ireland industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Livestock Genetic Services / Sheep Breeding Improvement
- NAICS
- Sheep and Goat Farming (1124)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Genomic Testing & Genetic Evaluation Services (AFAEAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Genetic Testing & Genomic Profiling Services (Parentage, Trait Testing) (AFACAEAE), Genetic Trait Selection (e.g., polled, disease resistance) Services (AFAEAJAJ), Livestock & Farm Animal Veterinary Services (AFAEANAB)
Keywords
Where Sheep Ireland is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ballincollig
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sheep Ireland business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Department of Agriculture Funding: Primary government funding from DAFM through annual operating grants and capital support from National Development Plan/Cattle-Sheep Breeding Infrastructure Program.
- Slaughter Levy: Levy of 15c per head collected on each animal processed through the four largest processing plants, introduced August 2012 and increased in April 2023 after industry consultation.
- Flockbook Management Fees: Annual fees charged to breed societies: €10 per flock for LambPlus members, €30 per flock for non-members. Plus €750 initial start-up fee for new flockbooks.
- LambPlus Membership Fees: Annual membership fees paid by ram breeders for performance recording services. Applications open in November, signups close in December.
- Oviflock EIP Project: European Innovation Partnership project with €650,000 funding supporting hill sheep breeders. Genotyping normally €24.90 per sample but covered by EIP funding for participants.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Flockbook management for LambPlus members |
| Subscription | Annual | Flockbook management for non-LambPlus members |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Flockbook start-up fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Slaughter levy |
| Freemium | Annual | Oviflock genotyping (EIP participants) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sheep Ireland product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sheep Ireland operates the national sheep breeding database for Ireland, providing performance recording services (LambPlus), weekly genomic genetic evaluations, and the Euro-Star Index breeding values for pedigree and commercial sheep farmers. The organisation also delivers the Central Progeny Test (CPT), online Flockbook Management Services for breed societies, DNA genotyping for parentage verification and Scrapie certification, and annual performance-recorded ram sales across Ireland.
Product overview
Sheep Ireland operates a national sheep breed improvement programme centered on the LambPlus performance recording service, which collects data across pedigree and commercial flocks for weekly genomic genetic evaluations. The core product portfolio includes: LambPlus (performance recording service), LambPlus App (mobile data recording), Euro-Star Index breeding values (Replacement and Terminal indexes with 1-5 star ratings), and Central Progeny Testing (CPT) for ram validation. Supporting services include Flockbook Management for breed societies (used by 19+ societies), OviFlock EIP for hill sheep flockbooks, Ram Search tool for finding recorded rams, Genomic Testing for parentage and breeding values, Data Quality Index scoring, and annual Elite Multi-Breed Ram Sales. The system integrates slaughter data via API from meat processors (Irish Country Meats, Kepak, Dawn) for Days to Slaughter evaluations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- LambPlus: Performance recording service for pedigree and commercial sheep farmers in Ireland
- CPT
- Euro-Star Index
- Oviflock EIP
Products and services
- LambPlus Performance Recording Service Annual subscription service for pedigree and commercial sheep farmers to record flock performance data (mating, lambing, weights, health, pregnancy scanning) used in weekly genomic genetic evaluations and EuroStar ratings. Includes ultrasound scanning, genomic testing, and access to performance-recorded ram sales.
- LambPlus App Mobile application for Android and iOS devices that enables farmers to record flock data offline including mating, lambing events, weights, health information, pregnancy scanning, retagging, animal additions, deaths, and movements. Data syncs automatically when internet connection is restored.
- Euro-Star Index Breeding index with 1-5 star ratings quantifying the genetic component of animal performance across all traits of importance for Irish sheep farmers. Includes Replacement Index (for maternal/ewe replacement breeding) and Terminal Index (for factory/slaughter lamb production). Euro values allow across-breed comparison.
- Central Progeny Test (CPT) Programme that brings together influential bloodlines across widely used sheep breeds in Ireland and uses them across commercial ewes for intensive performance recording. Provides independent commercial data, validates EuroStar ratings, and creates genetic linkage between flocks. Over 400 different rams have been used since 2009.
- Flockbook Management Services Online flockbook management system for breed societies (18-19 currently hosted) to maintain society flockbooks, generate pedigree certificates, create sales catalogues, record matings/lambs/pedigrees, and manage member flocks. Priced at EUR 10/flock annually for LambPlus members and EUR 30/flock for non-members, with EUR 750 initial start-up fee.
- Genomic Testing Services DNA genotyping services providing parentage verification, parentage predictions, genomic breeding value evaluations, and DAFM-approved Scrapie certification. Genotyping increases index accuracy by 15-20% and enables identification of correct parentage where recording errors have occurred.
- Oviflock EIP Project Project supporting hill sheep breeders across 17 hill breeding groups in establishing Hill sheep flockbook databases for 6 distinct hill sheep breeds. Provides free genotyping (normally EUR 24.90/sample) to participants and helps develop verified pedigrees for hill breeds to prevent inbreeding and improve ram value.
- Ultrasound Scanning Service Service measuring eye muscle depth, fat depth, and liveweight at approximately 140-150 days of age. Used to predict carcass conformation and fat depth levels, contributing to the accuracy of EuroStar evaluations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Lambs sired by 5-Star Terminal rams weigh 1.0kg heavier at 40 days and 2.2kg heavier at 150 days compared to 1-Star lambs
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Sheep Ireland
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sheep Ireland technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability2 records
Feature6 records
Sheep Ireland partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ICBF (Irish Cattle Breeding Federation)coreSheep Ireland is located at ICBF's headquarters in Ballincollig, Co. Cork. ICBF provides infrastructure, genetics expertise, and IT systems. Sheep Database Ltd operates in close collaboration with ICBF for cattle and sheep breeding services. The graduate programme and job postings are listed through ICBF's recruitment platform.
- TeagasccoreResearch collaboration including BETTER Farm programme, sheep research flocks, and joint projects like Grass to Gas. Teagasc provides commercial flock data for genetic evaluations. Collaboration on OVIGEN genomic research project.
- Meat Processors (Irish Country Meats, Kepak, Dawn)coreMeat processors are linked to the Sheep Ireland database via API providing automatic slaughter data feed. This data is integrated into genetic evaluations providing essential Days to Slaughter trait information.
- Irish Breed Societiescore18 breed societies use the Sheep Ireland flockbook management system including Belclare, Beltex, Blue Texel, Charollais, Donegal Cheviot, Galway, Hampshire Down, Lleyn, Rouge de l'Ouest, Ryeland, Suffolk, Texel, Valais Blacknose, Vendeen, Zwartbles, and others.
- AbacusBio LtdminorConsulting firm with expertise in animal breeding and genetics. Timothy Byrne of AbacusBio helped establish Sheep Ireland in 2008. Firm commissioned for hill strategy review published February 2025.
- Hill Ram Breeding Groupscore17 hill breeding groups across Ireland including Donegal Cheviot, Mayo Connemara Blackface, West Kerry Scotch Mountain, Wicklow Cheviot, Kerry Blackface, Cooley, and others. These groups participate in SIS scheme and Oviflock EIP.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sheep Ireland competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- AbacusBio: Animal breeding and genetics consultancy that helped establish Sheep Ireland in 2008 and was commissioned for the 2025 hill strategy review. Provides evaluation methodology, consulting, and software to multiple national sheep and beef improvement programmes.
- EGENES (SRUC): SRUC's EGENES unit runs UK-wide national genetic evaluations for beef, sheep, and dairy using single-step genomic methods similar to Sheep Ireland's approach, providing a research and evaluation peer in the same technical category.
Direct peers
- Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF): ICBF runs the parallel national cattle breeding database in Ireland using the same single-step genomic evaluation model, infrastructure, and governance template that Sheep Ireland replicates for sheep. Sheep Ireland is co-located at and operationally linked to ICBF.
- Sheep Genetics (MLA / LAMBPLAN): Sheep Genetics delivers Australian Sheep Breeding Values and the LAMBPLAN system for across-flock, across-breed genomic evaluation in meat and maternal sheep. Directly comparable to Sheep Ireland's single-step across-breed EuroStar evaluations.
- AHDB Beef & Lamb (Signet Breeding Services): Signet, part of AHDB, provides the UK's national sheep and beef genetic evaluation services with estimated breeding values and ram performance recording — the closest international analogue to Sheep Ireland's EuroStar and LambPlus programmes.
- Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ Genetics): B+LNZ Genetics operates New Zealand's national sheep and beef genetic evaluation infrastructure, including SIL (Sheep Improvement Limited), a parallel performance-recording and across-flock EBV system analogous to LambPlus.
- National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP): NSIP is the US national sheep genetic evaluation programme, providing estimated breeding values and performance recording services to pedigree and commercial producers — functionally equivalent to Sheep Ireland's LambPlus and EuroStar services.
Broad incumbents
- CRV International: Global livestock breeding cooperative providing genetic evaluation software, AI services, and herd improvement programmes. Comparable as a broader incumbent in livestock data and genetics services though primarily focused on dairy.
Others
- Teagasc: Irish agricultural research authority that supplies commercial and research flock data, co-develops evaluation methods, and runs the BETTER Farm programme feeding Sheep Ireland's database — a critical upstream data and research partner.
Regional players
- Canadian Sheep Breeders' Association: Operates Canada's national pedigree registry and genetic improvement infrastructure for sheep, including the GenOvis performance recording programme — a regional counterpart to Sheep Ireland's flockbook and evaluation services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sheep Ireland social profiles
Digital presenceSheep Ireland compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sheep Ireland financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sheep Ireland leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Sheep Ireland funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sheep Ireland M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sheep Ireland
What does Sheep Ireland do?
Sheep Ireland operates the national sheep breeding database for Ireland, providing performance recording services (LambPlus), weekly genomic genetic evaluations, and the Euro-Star Index breeding values for pedigree and commercial sheep farmers. The organisation also delivers the Central Progeny Test (CPT), online Flockbook Management Services for breed societies, DNA genotyping for parentage verification and Scrapie certification, and annual performance-recorded ram sales across Ireland.
Is Sheep Ireland a public or private company?
Sheep Ireland is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sheep Ireland founded?
Sheep Ireland was founded in 2008. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sheep Ireland based?
Sheep Ireland is headquartered in Ballincollig, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Sheep Ireland make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Department of Agriculture Funding is the primary driver. The others are slaughter Levy, flockbook Management Fees, lambPlus Membership Fees and oviflock EIP Project.
Who are Sheep Ireland's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are AbacusBio and EGENES (SRUC). Direct peers are Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), Sheep Genetics (MLA / LAMBPLAN), AHDB Beef & Lamb (Signet Breeding Services), Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ Genetics) and National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP). CRV International is listed as a broad incumbent. Teagasc is listed as an others. Canadian Sheep Breeders' Association is listed as a regional player.
Does Sheep Ireland have an API?
Yes. Sheep Ireland operates an API for integrating slaughter/carcass data from meat processors. Crucial slaughter data from CPT flocks is integrated into genetic evaluations via an API from meat processors (Irish Country Meats, Kepak, and Dawn), providing essential insights into traits like Days to Slaughter.
What industry is Sheep Ireland in?
Sheep Ireland's product category is Livestock Genetic Services / Sheep Breeding Improvement. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAJAC, Genomic Testing & Genetic Evaluation Services, with a secondary code of AFACAEAE, Genetic Testing & Genomic Profiling Services (Parentage, Trait Testing). Its NAICS code is 1124 and its SIC code is 700.