Ray Doyle, ICOS livestock services executive, says the removal of barriers against the trading of slaughter-fit animals in marts would offer farmers a more competitive trading environment.

Speaking after this week’s industry meeting, Doyle said the ICOS position has not changed.

Ray Doyle.

“Market research of UK retailers carried out by ICOS shows many retailers are not concerned with Quality Payment Scheme (QPS) parameters with the exception of meat coming from quality-assured farms. QPS parameters must be scientifically based,” he said.

"Those such as a maximum of four farm residencies and the 70-day residency period, which will soon be reduced to 60 days, are not a combined requirement by any UK retailer and essentially these are crude tools to limit the live trade of animals pre-slaughter."

Ray said a removal of these barriers would offer farmers access to a more competitive market.

Mart centres have upped their game in every aspect

“We see this firsthand in the trade for cull cows at marts. The barriers in place for slaughter-fit steers and heifers stifle free trade and the transparent auction system.

"Mart centres have upped their game in every aspect from complying with the recently introduced stringent Department of Agriculture regulations to health and safety and animal welfare. Changing these parameters or allowing marts to be classified as quality-assured centres would easily overcome these barriers.”

Ray added that a growing dairy herd should also open up the opportunity to trade higher numbers of dairy-bred stock, with the trade for cows and calves performing particularly well in 2019.

Rising insurance costs continue to threaten the viability of many marts.

No one likes to see their local mart closing but, for some, this has been a reality

A high number of centres have successfully implemented changes ranging from addressing health and safety concerns by improving the infrastructure in marts to restricting access of patrons to lairage and mart intake and loading areas.

Ray said there is also an onus on mart customers to reduce the risk of accidents.

“No one likes to see their local mart closing but, for some, this has been a reality due to rising insurance costs, additional labour requirements to address safety concerns and increasing council rates.

"ICOS will continue to work with all the relative bodies to ensure their future viability but the reality is, marts will not last unless they are supported and this includes all customers acting in the best interest of themselves and the mart.”

Operating costs

New thinking may be required by some marts to reduce operating costs and one option raised as an option is that operated by the Central Auctions model that covers Roscrea, Birr and Nenagh, whereby marts’ operating costs are shared over the three facilities.

It may be unpalatable for some mart boards to consider a link-up with other centres but it is inevitable that this may be the only option available to some in the coming years.