The ban on live exports of breeding animals to Northern Ireland is having a major impact on the mart trade. Marts in the west have been forced to cancel breeding heifer sales, while marts along the border are feeling the effects of not being able to export cattle, as normal, on a weekly basis.

Stephen Hannon, chair of Aurivo marts said that he is getting no answers as to when the ban will be lifted.

“We’d usually have a breeding heifer sale in Balla but we’re so dependent on the buyers from Northern Ireland that we didn’t hold it.

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“They’re saying that it will be July before the ban is lifted. I don’t understand how cattle can be exported to Spain and Italy but can’t go 20 miles across the border,” Hannon said.

Manager of Ballybofey and Stranorlar Mart in Donegal Brian Crawford said that exporting accounts for at least 25% of its business, which is now at a complete standstill.

“It’s having a huge affect on us being closest to the border. We’d be moving 150 to 200 cattle a week to Northern Ireland. This is the peak time of year for Northern Ireland farmers looking for stock. They don’t have the stock themselves. I think in the region of 40,000 cattle were exported to Northern Ireland last year,” Hannon said.

George McGarrigle in Co Down said: “I was buying breeding bulls, breeding heifers and weanlings to go north. I can do nothing now, I have no access to get cattle out of the south at all – that was nearly all my business.”

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said that the Department is continuing to explore options to facilitate trade keeping in mind all the risk factors that are relevant.

Cross-border movement restrictions have been in place since January, after the first case of bluetongue was detected on a farm in Wexford.