DEAR EDITOR

I read in the Irish Farmers Journal that, due to a shortage of beef cattle, there could be staff layoffs in the meat processing sector.

That is not surprising as, since the milk quota was abolished, there was a surge of dairy expansion at the expense of the suckler cow sector.

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The powers that be went all in for dairy farming, so it is not surprising that there is a shortage of beef cattle. Some of the biggest and best-known beef farmers went to dairy.

On a positive note, it is good to see the high livestock price. Hopefully what remains of the beef sector can be protected and respected.

Beef farming has to be looked after and seen in a positive light for the long term. Also the dairy sector positives have to be looked after too.

All farming enterprises are needed including sheep, beef, tillage and dairy.