Dunnimere Farm owner and manager Edward Calcott has set a new national record with a European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) score of 512.
Edward Calcott, the owner and manager of Dunnimere Farm has scored a European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) of 512, setting a new national record for the UK poultry sector. Dunnimere Farm is now the first in the UK to exceed an EPEF of 500.
The EPEF score, a calculation based on average daily weight gain, mortality, and feed conversion, is used worldwide by farmers and producers to measure farm performance. With few farms worldwide registering scores above 480.
Top performances
Calcott, who farms near Tamworth, Staffordshire, utilising the Pilgrim’s complete internal supply chain, with chicks from Newark hatchery and feed from Ashbourne, is among other Pilgrim’s Europe farmers who have been applauded for their flock performance results, recognising their husbandry and farming practices.
Other top performing farms include Horsley Brook Farm, with farmers Edward McMahon and Dan Sealey, and the company’s own team at Beech Farm, Ryan Wright and Andrew Wells, both achieving an EPEF of 500.
Since the start of 2025, Pilgrim’s Europe has had more than 20 flocks from 20 individual farms score more than 450 EPEF, qualifying them for the ’Ross 450 Club’, an initiative by poultry breeding company Aviagen.
Pilgrim’s Europe has said that these achievements form part of the company’s commitment to excellence and innovation in farming practices across its operation.
“Ed’s result of 512 is a stand-out achievement.”
Aaron Mckenna, Pilgrim’s Europe
Aaron McKenna, head of broiler operations UK at Pilgrim’s Europe, said: “Pilgrim’s Europe growers have demonstrated a commitment to world-leading husbandry and farming practices, with a determination to continually improve. Our farmers and farm managers have a long and successful history of scoring in the top percentile for EPEF, and Ed’s result of 512 is a stand-out achievement.
“Coming off the back of a recent transition into broiler production, the result is a testament to the level of hard work, care, and attention to detail that Ed provides as he develops his flock management skills, alongside the guidance of his area manager Ben Vernon.
