Concerns over threat to suckler herds

SIGNS of a cereal acreage fallback will increase the beef industry’s concerns about the possible loss of the suckler herds, which ultimately supply Ireland’s higher quality beef.

At last week’s Irish Grassland Association conference, spokesmen for AIBP, Kepak and Dawn Meats said it was essential to protect suckler herds from decoupling. “Stacking” will hit suckler herds.

The more extreme example of this arises where a 100 hectares farmer with 150 ewes and 30 suckler cows who sold weanlings can now plant 50 hectares under forestry, and end up about €20,000 per year better off.