The Dealer was intrigued to see the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) criticising northern meat plants this week for increasing the number of cattle imported from Ireland for direct slaughter.

Up to 16 February, some 2,290 cattle moved north for direct slaughter, compared to 432 cattle for the corresponding period in 2018. Imports and exports are a contentious subject among farmers the world over and it is easy to see how farmers get aggrieved.

Sheep

What the UFU did not mention, however, is the 400,000-plus sheep that were imported from Northern Ireland by Irish factories in the south for direct slaughter.