Bull slaughtering delays cause profit pressures

Delays in young bull slaughtering undoubtedly put pressure on producer profit margins, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney acknowledged in a written reply to a Dáil question.

“But neither I nor any agriculture minister can interfere in a trade that is cyclical in nature and prone to short-term price fluctuations,” he said.

Mr Coveney said he is, of course, entirely sympathetic to those farmers facing difficulties in getting their cattle slaughtered.