THE contribution of hill sheep farmers to maintaining and enhancing the environment in the uplands of Ireland has acquired a new focus with the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Cow vaccination, milky suckler cows, separate grazing, no maintenance-only diet at any time, high quality concentrates and excellent quality silage — these are the demanding requirements if you want to produce under-16-month bull beef, according to Northern Ireland advice.

In December, IFA warned members, out of the blue, that beef processors who encouraged farmers to keep bull calves from the dairy herd two years previously, were now turning their back on them, and not even offering to bid on dairy beef bulls.