Trouble ahead for live cattle exports
In the first step of formulating new EU policies on animal health and welfare, the Commission has recommended stocking density reductions which reduce the number of 300 kilo animals in a typical transporter from 64 to 44.
“On a typical journey from Ireland to Spain or Italy costing 6,350, the increase in cost per animal would be from 99 per head to 144 per head. It is thought that this increase of 45 per head would make the proposition unviable,” said sources in the ICOS National Co-op Marts Committee.
The Commission also recommended maximum permissible journey times in transit, maximum wind speeds for travel by livestock ships, and that use of staging posts be discontinued. Only five member states, Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and Greece rejected the proposals on maximum journey times.
Nor is there much political support for Ireland’s stand on staging posts, because many Northern European authorities view these locations where cattle can be rested during transit as a potential source of disease. “However, the retention of staging posts is critical to the Irish transporter as the ability to rest the cattle off the truck maximises the number of stock that can be carried,” say ICOS sources.
The higher transport costs which would result from the EU recommendations will be less of a problem for the Dutch, Belgian and French, says ICOS.
ICOS says it is lobbying intensively to ensure that the status quo is maintained for Irish live exporters. Already, Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh has made a robust defence of the current position, ponting out that in many of the markets available to Ireland, the demand is for live animals rather than beef.
“He stated that if the EU countries could not supply these markets, the gap would be filled by non-EU countries, where animal welfare standards are not as rigorous with consequent worsening of conditions for animals being exported,” said ICOS sources.
ICOS has worked closely with Teagasc and the farming organisations to prepare a strong defence of the current shipping arrangements. Dr Bernadette Early, Teagasc Grange Research Centre, had carried out a number of trials on cattle during transport to ascertain the level of stress caused. Loads of cattle have been monitored for stress on trips to the continent and on experimental 12 hour journeys around Ireland, at the existing stock density, and at the new density recommended in an EU Scientific Committee report.
ICOS said no difference was recorded in either animal stress levels or subsequent weight gains.
