INHFA president Colm O'Donnell has proposed that the national dairy herd be culled to prevent the growing number of dairy bull calves undermining both the beef and sheep trade.
He said he was deeply concerned about the sustainability of the dairy expansion and the expected births of over 750,000 dairy bull calves next spring.
“Recent reports that our State advisory service, who were encouraging this expansion, hadn't factored in how they would deal with the increasing number of dairy calves is appalling. It also raises the question that if they miss something as basic as this, then what else have they missed?
The most effective way of ensuring this is through a cull of the dairy herd
“There are also uncomfortable questions for many of our co-ops, our lending institutions and the Government. All of these facilitated and encouraged farmers to expand and should not now be allowed walk away from the mess they created."
The INHFA president said that in the short term, the Department, advisers, banks and co-ops must work with dairy farmers to ensure adequate housing and labour for calves next spring.
Cull needed
However, he added that the “in the medium to long term we need to ensure that this situation never arises again. The most effective way of ensuring this is through a cull of the dairy herd.”
He said that the obvious starting point for a cull was among dairy herds in nitrate derogation territory and those exporting slurry.
Acknowledging that a cull may seem drastic, he pointed out that overgrazing of some commonages in the late 1990s resulted in a mandatory 30% stocking reduction on all commonage farmers.
“No other sector was asked to help in delivering a solution as the issue was addressed on the basis of the polluter pays principle and this principle must now apply to the current crisis in the dairy sector,” he said.
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INHFA president Colm O'Donnell has proposed that the national dairy herd be culled to prevent the growing number of dairy bull calves undermining both the beef and sheep trade.
He said he was deeply concerned about the sustainability of the dairy expansion and the expected births of over 750,000 dairy bull calves next spring.
“Recent reports that our State advisory service, who were encouraging this expansion, hadn't factored in how they would deal with the increasing number of dairy calves is appalling. It also raises the question that if they miss something as basic as this, then what else have they missed?
The most effective way of ensuring this is through a cull of the dairy herd
“There are also uncomfortable questions for many of our co-ops, our lending institutions and the Government. All of these facilitated and encouraged farmers to expand and should not now be allowed walk away from the mess they created."
The INHFA president said that in the short term, the Department, advisers, banks and co-ops must work with dairy farmers to ensure adequate housing and labour for calves next spring.
Cull needed
However, he added that the “in the medium to long term we need to ensure that this situation never arises again. The most effective way of ensuring this is through a cull of the dairy herd.”
He said that the obvious starting point for a cull was among dairy herds in nitrate derogation territory and those exporting slurry.
Acknowledging that a cull may seem drastic, he pointed out that overgrazing of some commonages in the late 1990s resulted in a mandatory 30% stocking reduction on all commonage farmers.
“No other sector was asked to help in delivering a solution as the issue was addressed on the basis of the polluter pays principle and this principle must now apply to the current crisis in the dairy sector,” he said.
Read more
IFA hustings: beef grading and labelling raised in Mayo
75% clearance rate at Dungannon Charolais sale
Beef to benefit from devastation to Chinese pig herd
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