Expert livestock handlers commenced the loading of weanling bulls on to the Atlantic M in Greenore Port, Louth on Tuesday.

The vessel has five decks, four of which hold livestock. Almost 3,300 cattle will make the trip to Turkey, which will take 13 days. The boat will depart on Thursday.

This time round, R-grade type suckler-bred calves between 300kg and 400kg are making the trip. These animals will have been bought lighter but held in quarantine (21 days) prior to loading – a requirement of the Turkish buyer.

Listen to an interview with IFA livestock chairman Angus Woods at Greenore port in our podcast below:

Listen to "New shipment of live cattle to Turkey" on Spreaker.

Walking through the livestock decks, cattle were calm and contented – animals loaded earlier that day are lying out already. The boat has a ventilation system and all pens are bedded with sawdust. Cattle have constant access to a supply of fresh water and access to hay.

The development of the Turkish live export market is a welcome boost to the Irish beef producer at an uncertain time. Indeed, the exporter informed us that another boat was nine days away from our shores.

For more on the weanling to Turkey, see this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

Look at the highly complex and professional operation of loading the 3,300 weanling bulls on to the Atlantic M boat

Trucks line up to unload cattle at the boat.

Cattle are run up the chute to the boat.

The immaculate conditions in the Atlantic M where the bulls will call home for the next 10 days or so. The boat has a ventilation system and all pens are bedded with sawdust. Cattle have constant access to a supply of fresh water and access to hay.

Feed for the bulls was provided by Kiernan Feed, Longford.

Angus Woods and Kevin Kinsella from the IFA oversee the unloading of the cattle.

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Full coverage: live exports to Turkey