The first lamb of the year arrived the other day, two weeks ahead of schedule. Judging by her size, she’s most likely the result of a meeting on the hill before the sheep were gathered and the rams were let out back in mid-November, all part and parcel of farming commonage.

The ewes seem in reasonable shape considering all the rain over the winter. They received a cobalt bolus before tipping which may have helped them hold condition better. They have been dosed for fluke which should eliminate any carryover from last autumn. Ground that has been grazed off received 25 units of urea again last weekend to build momentum. The only stock at grass are the lightest young bulls and the yearling heifers.

Mineral bolus

They all received an Animax mineral bolus as they were being let out to ensure they achieve their potential. On a fragmented farm, the heifers can find themselves way down the list of priorities, often banished to out blocks, especially if grass is tight.

There’s a notable absence around the sales ring at the marts here in the northwest this spring. The penalties imposed by beef processors north of the border for processing southern cattle has killed off what was a beneficial cross-border trade for suckler farmers. Northern farmers were good customers over the years for quality cattle until this situation arose.

So, what’s the real cause of these barriers to a live trade to Britain? What are the reasons that prevent the trade between these two neighbouring EU countries that don’t surface anywhere else in Europe? Not so long ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Germany to visit beef farms. We were based in the northwest near Dortmund in a region that finishes about five million young bulls a year but they had very few cows. Young bulls for finishing were sourced from all around Europe; in fact, one farm we visited had cattle from 13 different countries.

Whenever the farmer had space for more cattle, he simply picked up the phone to his agents all over Europe looking for the best value on the day. When I asked him if he had any difficulty getting cattle slaughtered due to a lack of traceability or cross-border movements he said ‘‘no’’. Once the cattle had fulfilled a residency period on the farm, they were fine.

Bonuses

What’s more, some processors were paying bonuses for carcases under 24 months that weighed over 600kg for retail contracts. It doesn’t compare well with the 360kg restrictions being imposed here in Ireland.

Another example is Italy, a country that imports over a million live cattle for finishing each year. How come then a system of free movement of live cattle can operate throughout Europe and, up until recently, between Ireland and Britain but has had to cease due to “labelling issues”? One wonders how long this problem would take to sort out if these “labelling issues” worked in the farmer’s favour? Why shouldn’t English beef finishers be allowed free access to top quality Irish store cattle? Imagine what effect customers like that would have on the mart trade and the benefits it would have in rural Ireland.

Does the EU have a role to play here in sorting this peculiar anomaly, after all free movement of goods and services has been the central theme of the EU. Are these “labelling issues” in direct contravention of EU law?