The Atlantic M is waiting outside Greenore to take on a load of weanlings to Turkey. It could load on Thursday. Export company Viastar has already quarantined 3,000 wealings for this shipment.

The Brahman Express will arrive here in the middle of this month for a final shipment of weanlings. “That will bring to near 20,000 the number of cattle that have been exported to Turkey in 2016,” said IFA livestock chair Angus Woods.

“I am working to ensure that exports will continue on in the new year,” he added.

The Express 1 is now in the Mediterranean and due to dock, with a load of adult cattle, at Misurata, Libya on Saturday.