Some pig farmers have been left unable to sell animals, as a dispute between temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) and the Department of Agriculture continues to disrupt slaughtering at meat factories.
"I'm 400 pigs behind," Co Monaghan farmer Frank Brady told the Irish Farmers Journal, adding that he has had two loads of finished hogs for delivery to Rosderra Irish Meats in Edenderry, Co Offaly, cancelled since before Christmas.
"We're already on a low price, it's just making the agony last longer," Brady said.
Cull sow slaughter has been suspended in Edenderry this week. The factory would normally account for 75% of cull sow slaughter.
10,000 head behind
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that Rosderra is 10,000 head behind normal kill figures and its factory in Roscrea is not as badly affected as Edenderry.
Rosderra normally kills 37,000 head of pigs per week across both sites.
IFA pig chair Tom Hogan said he had no indication of a resolution in the dispute over contracts and conditions between the Department and the vets supervising slaughtering, but both parties will have to talk.
"Cashflow is tight," he said. "There's serious anger out there."
Tension
There is currently no disruption at Dawn Meats, according to another farmer supplying that processor, who wished to remain anonymous because of the "tension" surrounding the dispute.
He said disruption to slaughtering showed "disregard for animal welfare".
The farmer recalled an incident last summer at the factory he supplies, when a vet temporarily walked off the slaughter line over a disagreement with the processor, leaving thousands of pigs waiting in suffocating conditions in lorries outside.
"Now there is a welfare risk again at the worst possible time of year, the week after Christmas when factories were closed for six days," he said.
Additional reporting by Odile Evans.
Read more
Vet standoff poses threat to pig kill
Factory vet issue causing major farm cashflow problems
Vets v Department of Agriculture: what’s the row about?
Some pig farmers have been left unable to sell animals, as a dispute between temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) and the Department of Agriculture continues to disrupt slaughtering at meat factories.
"I'm 400 pigs behind," Co Monaghan farmer Frank Brady told the Irish Farmers Journal, adding that he has had two loads of finished hogs for delivery to Rosderra Irish Meats in Edenderry, Co Offaly, cancelled since before Christmas.
"We're already on a low price, it's just making the agony last longer," Brady said.
Cull sow slaughter has been suspended in Edenderry this week. The factory would normally account for 75% of cull sow slaughter.
10,000 head behind
The Irish Farmers Journal understands that Rosderra is 10,000 head behind normal kill figures and its factory in Roscrea is not as badly affected as Edenderry.
Rosderra normally kills 37,000 head of pigs per week across both sites.
IFA pig chair Tom Hogan said he had no indication of a resolution in the dispute over contracts and conditions between the Department and the vets supervising slaughtering, but both parties will have to talk.
"Cashflow is tight," he said. "There's serious anger out there."
Tension
There is currently no disruption at Dawn Meats, according to another farmer supplying that processor, who wished to remain anonymous because of the "tension" surrounding the dispute.
He said disruption to slaughtering showed "disregard for animal welfare".
The farmer recalled an incident last summer at the factory he supplies, when a vet temporarily walked off the slaughter line over a disagreement with the processor, leaving thousands of pigs waiting in suffocating conditions in lorries outside.
"Now there is a welfare risk again at the worst possible time of year, the week after Christmas when factories were closed for six days," he said.
Additional reporting by Odile Evans.
Read more
Vet standoff poses threat to pig kill
Factory vet issue causing major farm cashflow problems
Vets v Department of Agriculture: what’s the row about?
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