The EU wants minimal delays when cattle are being assembled for export to another member state – to reduce disease risks – but the proposal would not suit Irish exporters who assemble suitable cattle in small batches over several weeks.

IFA president Joe Healy has slammed EU proposals to tighten rules on live exports of cattle from one member state to another, warning they would damage weanling exports in particular.

At present an exporter purchasing a weanling must export that animal before a 29 day “assembly period” has expired. That is normally enough time for an exporter to assemble sufficient numbers to fill a livestock truck and get that truck on a ferry.

New proposals

However, under the new proposals the assembly period would be cut to 14 days. After more than 14 days in the exporter's yard an animal would no longer be eligible for export.

Healy warned that a shorter assembly period could suit on the continent where larger herd sizes allow exporters purchase big batches of cattle in one go and where export consignments can then be delivered immediately along the motorway networks to another member state.

It would not work in Ireland where exporters purchase animals in smaller numbers from marts and directly from small herds and then, when they have enough to fill a truck, must book them on to a ferry to France.

Attempt to tighten the noose

“Minister Creed must reject outright this attempt to tighten the noose on the live trade,” he said. “This might suit the factories but live exports are critical in providing increased price competition to counteract the cartel like behaviour of meat factories.

“The Minister must face down the EU bureaucrats and tell them that this change will not be accepted by Ireland. As an island nation we already have additional challenges to get cattle to the continent."

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