There were over 400 respondents to last weekend’s exporter boycott survey carried out by the Irish Farmers Journal.

There has been divided opinion in mart manager and farmer circles over the last few days, and those voices came through in our survey.

The majority of respondents were suckler farmers producing weanlings for sale.

ADVERTISEMENT

Some 53% of farmers did not agree with the exporter boycott, while 47% were in favour.

Ninety percent of farmers would be willing to vaccinate weanlings if exporters refused to buy unvaccinated weanlings.

Only 25% of farmers felt exporters should pay the cost of vaccinating weanlings.

Meanwhile 80% of farmers would be willing to pay a premium for vaccinated weanlings, if they bought them.

A total of 31% of farmers said respiratory disease was an issue on their farm.

Some 59% of farmers who responded to the survey had selected pneumonia vaccination as an option under the National Beef Welfare Scheme and 75% of farmers felt the pneumonia vaccination should be made compulsory.

Sixty-eight percent of farmers felt marts should have a greater role in facilitating increased vaccination of weanlings.

Marts

Mart managers are reporting little affects on trade over the last few days, with increasing farmer buying filling the void that exporters have left.

Both Ballyjamesduff Mart in Co Cavan and Roscrea Mart in Co Tipperary have postponed this week’s special weanling sales on the back of the exporter boycott, with both sales to take place next week instead.

Big sales of weanlings in Ennis, Roscommon, Balla, Kilkenny and Manorhamilton all appeared to have a steady trade with very little change, from last week’s prices.

Exporters are expected to be back ringside in marts from Monday 12 October.