Agneau du Bourbonnais

Agneau du Bourbonnais is a PGI covering carcases and portions of carcases of slaughter lambs produced in the Department of Allier and adjacent cantons in the Departments of Creuse, Saône et Loire, Cher and Nièvre. The lambs are preferably raised at foot without weaning, fed on natural fodder, principally meadow grass, and are reared for between 90 and 210 days.

About this designation

Agneau du Bourbonnais was registered as a PGI on 21 June 1996 under file number PGI-FR-0182, with eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013198. The designation covers carcases and portions of carcases of slaughter lambs characterised by fairly light red meat and white, firm fat. The defined geographical area comprises the Department of Allier and adjacent cantons in the Departments of Creuse, Saône et Loire, Cher and Nièvre. The lambs are preferably raised at foot without having undergone weaning, with feeding based on natural fodder, mainly meadow grass. The duration of rearing is 90 to 210 days. When very young, the lambs are fed with their dams' milk at foot and browse grass. The link with geographical origin rests on outdoor rearing in natural grassland meadows, a practice with roots traceable to a gradual shift from wool production in the eighteenth century towards the production of slaughter lambs. The product must meet the minimum criteria of the National Technical Notice on the Red Label for Slaughter Lambs and the specifications of Red Label No 31-90. Evidence of origin is established through identification of the animals in stockrearing documents and in documents relating to consignment to the slaughterhouse. The certifying body named in the specification is AUCERT AUVERGNE CERTIFICATION, located in Clermont-Ferrand. The applicant group at registration was the Association pour la Défense de l'élevage traditionnel en Bourbonnais des Animaux de Boucherie (A.D.E.T.), based in Bourbon l'Archambault.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 21 June 1996 under file number PGI-FR-0182 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013198).
• The geographical area covers the Department of Allier and adjacent cantons in the Departments of Creuse, Saône et Loire, Cher and Nièvre.
• Lambs are preferably raised at foot without weaning, on natural fodder principally meadow grass, for a duration of 90 to 210 days.
• The product must comply with both the National Technical Notice on the Red Label for Slaughter Lambs and Red Label No 31-90 specifications.

Tasting notes

Bourbonnais (Allier) lamb IGP. Lean delicate flesh.

HoReCa use

Spring lamb preparations.

Packaging

• Same as other lamb IGPs

Seasonality