Advisory services urged to promote cattle health and reduced production

Teagasc and dairy co-ops should offer tailored advice to protect cattle’s long-term health, while reducing production over the next month, said IFA dairy chairman Kevin Kiersey.

“A national superlevy fine is now almost certain,” said Mr Kiersey. “Over-quota farmers in over-quota co-ops cannot afford to relax their efforts to reduce or eliminate a potentially hugely financially damaging exposure.

“I urge Teagasc and co-ops, through their advisory services, to give those farmers any assistance to help them minimise production this month and next, without damaging the long-term productive potential of their herd and their enterprise.”

Mr Kiersey said he was planning meetings in Brussels in early March to outline Ireland’s case for a soft landing in the run-up to the end of the quota era in 2015. However, he also warned of strong opposition from the majority of EU member states to this move.