9 MAY 2018

ICSA suckler chairman John Halley has advised farmers to prepare now for the autumn live export market. “Expectations are for a lively trade to Turkey at the back end of the year. It’s likely that the 2017 figure of 30,000 head will be exceeded and could reach 50,000 head by the end of the year. Anybody with an eye on that market should be preparing the groundwork now.”

Mr Halley said, “Provision should be made for weanlings to be dehorned in advance of travel. It is important to have stock eating meal regularly, be free of ringworm in good shape generally. Cattle need to be in the right saleable style to achieve a maximum price.”

“Turkey imports 500,000 cattle each year, so the scope is there to increase the numbers going from Ireland year on year. The importance of Turkey to sucklers cannot be underestimated. These kind of live export opportunities provide a level of competition for the meat plants which is badly needed as ever. The future for sucklers will be determined by live exports to lucrative markets.”

ENDS