Herd mentality: What is the national herd and why does it matter?

What exactly is the ‘national herd’, and why does it matter? Irish Examiner Farming Editor Rachel Martin explores the term, its history, and why cows and their burps are a hot topic in the context of the climate crisis.

To cut or not to cut — that’s the question that has obsessed politicians and farmers alike in recent months as our carbon emissions come under the spotlight.

In the climate change numbers game, the focus on farming — one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland — has been on the size of the national herd, or the overall numbers of cows in the country.