€500,000 for cattle handling simulators for use in agri colleges

In excess of 5,000 learners per annum will benefit from these new simulators.

The use of bovine simulators has been shown to be an effective training tool when handling large animals. Through simulator use, conditions are created or replicated to resemble real-life situations, the Department of Agriculture has said.

The provision of €500,000 in funding to Teagasc for the procurement of calving and injecting simulators for use in agricultural colleges and research centres has been announced.

Cattle have been involved in almost a fifth of fatal farm fatalities over the past decade.