NI producers ‘refusing to slaughter’

REPORTS that Northern Ireland beef processors are refusing to slaughter cattle raised in the south and exported to the north were queried in the Dáil. ICOS National Marts Committee had earlier warned that the development would serve to undermine cattle prices during the critical autumn sales period in livestock marts.

Traditionally up to 20,000 weanlings and forward stores have been exported to the north in the last quarter of the year and northern dealers are normally strong buyers in livestock marts all over the country, particularly in western and border counties.

Northern Ireland beef plants have reportedly instructed some suppliers not to continue to import southern cattle. In addition, it is believed there are several thousand southern cattle on farms in the north, for whom there is no apparent market.