Purcell Brothers are expected to fill the livestock boat Sarah with 1,200 young feeder bulls at Waterford Port late next week. The cattle are now completing quarantine, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.

This could be the final boatload the company sends to Turkey this year. Purcells, and other major exporters, continue to seek new contracts to supply cattle to this market but there are no reports of a deal done.

A small number of cattle have been exported in recent weeks from Ireland to Turkey by specialist livestock truck. This is permissible now that the high summer temperatures have ended. The cattle are given rest stops and this batch arrived in good health. It’s reported that this was a sample delivered by an exporter to a new customer to demonstrate the quality and health of Irish cattle.

The exporter involved is hoping to send a boatload around year end or in January. Nonetheless, there is less exporter-buying at marts in recent weeks and this, along with fodder difficulties, is being reflected in prices.

Calves

No alternate ferry arrangements have yet been put in place for the four weeks in February and March during which Stena Line’s Horizon will be off route for refurbishment. This will coincide with the peak of dairy calf exports from here to the continent.

Stena has been attempting to charter an alternate boat from SeaTruck but no deal is yet done. Another possibility is that Irish Ferries would increase the number of weekly sailings with livestock trucks on the Ireland-to-France route.

Irish Ferries is in the process of acquiring a new ferry boat for this route but it is not due to start operation until June. This could lift capacity for livestock trucks after that date.