THE EXPORT of live cattle and calves from Ireland has risen dramatically and is expected to reach a 10-year high of over 350,000 animals by year end.
Figures issued by Bord Bia at the weekend showed that so far this year 291,297 animals have been sent abroad compared with 232,623 at this stage last year, an increase of 25 per cent.
The exports have been driven by a strong demand from continental buyers for Irish calves from dairy herds. To date this year, 155,489 head have been shipped out compared to 123, 451 animals at this stage in 2009.
The Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Belgium has seen the greatest number of transactions with over 61,000 calves going to the Netherlands and over 35,000 to Spain, with Belgium in third place with over 30,000.
Total export of calves is expected to reach a 20-year high by the end of the year and most of the animals being exported are Friesian calves from dairy herds which fetch a poor price from Irish meat factories.
Of concern to the meat-processing factories is the growth in the export of beef cattle ready for slaughter which is running at a total of 1,200 animals per week since the beginning of the year.
Exports of these cattle were standing at 47,493 from January 1st to October 2nd this year, well up on last year’s figure for the same period, which was 42,844 head.
Many of these animals were exported to the UK for slaughter there and meat factories have warned we cannot support a home-processing industry if large volumes of animals are leaving the country.
The farm organisations claim that without the competition from live exports factories would have a monopoly position which would lead to the exploitation of beef producers.