Current bluetongue restrictions banning the movement of cattle and sheep to Northern Ireland, other than directly to slaughter, could be “resolved” in the coming week, according to a farming organisation.
Speaking at a farmer meeting in Co. Leitrim last night (Tuesday, February 24), Thomas Burke from the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) livestock committee said that “most of the [export] certs for the third countries at this stage have been resolved or are in the process” of being resolved.
Burke said: “We were fortunate that most of these countries had already amended their certs for other European countries so it wasn’t a step into the unknown and at least two or three of them are effectively resolved at this stage.
“Northern Ireland unfortunately comes in as a third country as well in that regard but that one we would be hoping would be resolved if not during the end of this week, certainly early next week.”
The meeting was titled Leitrim Positive Future in Suckler Farming Seminar and took place at the Landmark Hotel in Carrick on Shannon.
The event heard from a series of suckler farmers about their systems and outlooks for the suckler sector.
DAFM engaging with NI authorities
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has previously told Agriland it is “engaging with” the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs of Northern Ireland (DAERA) and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in Britain on the matter.
The current position according to DAFM is that “BTV 3 vaccines do not have an established duration of immunity so cannot be used as a basis for certification currently”.
While this is the case for animals going to Northern Ireland for breeding or further feeding, cattle can still be moved to or from Northern Ireland to the Republic directly for slaughter.
The official line from DAFM is that slaughter moves are permitted once cattle “come from establishments in which infection with bluetongue virus (serotypes 1-24) has not been reported during the last 30 days prior to the date of departure of the consignment”.
With several special sales of pedigree bulls and heifers as well as commercial breeding stock taking place this month, current restrictions mean no Northern Ireland customers can purchase cattle in these sales and famers selling livestock that traditionally target these markets will be hopeful the issue is resolved soon.
