Weanling and calf exporters were competing to secure bookings on ferries this week, as a combination of poor weather and strike action by dock workers in Cherbourg hit sailings.

Both Irish Ferries and Stena Line confirmed that a number of sailings were cancelled over the last 10 days and they cautioned that they may not be in a position to carry additional livestock trucks this weekend to shift the backlog of cattle and calves building in exporters’ lairages and on farms.

“Stena Line cancelled one round trip between Rosslare and Cherbourg last week due to weather, and another round trip on Tuesday 25 February due to industrial action in France.

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“Normal service is expected to resume on Thursday 27 February. We are limited to the number of units we can carry on a sailing, and we cannot confirm we will ship [an] additional number of units on future sailings,” the Stena Lines spokesperson said.

Irish Ferries said its sailings to Cherbourg have been similarly impacted.

“Irish Ferries is working with its freight and passenger customers to accommodate them on alternative sailings, and regrets the inconvenience caused by the [French] dockers’ strike action,” the ferry company said.

The continuing disruption to ferry services is a worry for livestock exporters, and particularly for calf shippers as the numbers of calves coming off farms are set to peak in March.

However, the shipping problems have not impacted the mart trade to date for either weanlings or calves. Weanling prices remain at record levels, while calf prices are also soaring.

Bandon Mart manager Seán Dennehy said the calf trade this week was “on fire”, with shipping-type Friesian bulls making from €70 to €170 a head.

Meanwhile, in a huge boost for live shipping, Brittany Ferries has confirmed that it is planning to transport livestock onboard the Cotentin ferry between Rosslare and Cherbourg from March.