Developing a market for grass-fed Irish veal would “hugely help the suckler herd” by removing dairy-bred calves from the kill, farmers at the Beef Plan meeting in Tipperary were told.

Jack Madigan of Kilkenny Rosé Veal said there was an opportunity to export Irish veal to the European market, marketed as high welfare, outdoor-reared and uniquely grass-fed.

“No one is doing it, we could do it like spring lamb, calves born from January to April could be reared on grass, killed in the backend at eight to nine-months-old and exported as veal,” said Madigan.

However, he added that demand in Ireland for veal would have to be driven by educating consumers.

Madigan currently buys calves from Friesian dairy herds at €4.20 to €4.30/kg and finishes them at eight to nine-months-old. They average 1.4kg over nine months and kill out at 180kg to 200kg, grade O2.

A price of €7/kg for six-month-old milk-fed veal in France was quoted by Eamon Corley at the meeting.

“That’s over €1,200 for the calf in six months,” he said.