GVM Group is to suspend all sales except calf sales until at least 28 March.
GVM chief executive PJ Buckley told the Irish Farmers Journal the decision was taken to protect mart goers, staff and their families: “Many of our customers and staff are middle-aged to older people and they are most vulnerable.
“Our understanding [of the virus] has moved on a lot in the last five to seven days. [Chief medical officer] Tony Holohan has said that the next seven days are critical.
“We need to do the right thing. This is just for two weeks, and then we will review our procedures.
“We tried to do it with guidelines, and we did, but you still have reports of guys at the rings. For their safety and the safety of our staff, we decided to do this. We are all connected to vulnerable people.”
Buckley added that some people did not yet understand how serious the situation is.
“I spoke to a customer at one of our marts in his 70s, and I was telling him that he shouldn’t be here, but another person walked past, saying ‘We’re tough people from here’,” Buckley said.
“We will have to do physical distancing if we can’t do the social distancing.”
We will have to do physical distancing if we can’t do the social distancing
Calf sales will continue, but under strict rules. They are deemed essential in order to ensure calf welfare and continuity into the national herd during the calving season.
Calf sales will take place in:
Kilmallock on Monday and Wednesday evening.Drumcollogher on Thursday.Abbeyfeale on Saturday.Carrigallen on Saturday.“People will have to keep back from the ring, buyers will be up in the sets, spaced 2m apart and I’ll be saying that we won’t start the sale unless we can do that,” the GVM boss said.
The same rules will apply to the two special sales that are planned for Thursday and Saturday.
They are the special show and sale of heifers in Carrigallen on Thursday 19 March and the special pedigree sale in Kilmallock on Saturday 21 March.
A decision will be made early next week about the organic sale scheduled for Kilmallock on Saturday 28 March.
Meanwhile, Nenagh Mart has decided, due to coronavirus, to split the sale in Nenagh this week.
Calves will be sold on Thursday 19 March at 11am.
All other stock will be sold on Wednesday at the usual times.
Read more
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GVM Group is to suspend all sales except calf sales until at least 28 March.
GVM chief executive PJ Buckley told the Irish Farmers Journal the decision was taken to protect mart goers, staff and their families: “Many of our customers and staff are middle-aged to older people and they are most vulnerable.
“Our understanding [of the virus] has moved on a lot in the last five to seven days. [Chief medical officer] Tony Holohan has said that the next seven days are critical.
“We need to do the right thing. This is just for two weeks, and then we will review our procedures.
“We tried to do it with guidelines, and we did, but you still have reports of guys at the rings. For their safety and the safety of our staff, we decided to do this. We are all connected to vulnerable people.”
Buckley added that some people did not yet understand how serious the situation is.
“I spoke to a customer at one of our marts in his 70s, and I was telling him that he shouldn’t be here, but another person walked past, saying ‘We’re tough people from here’,” Buckley said.
“We will have to do physical distancing if we can’t do the social distancing.”
We will have to do physical distancing if we can’t do the social distancing
Calf sales will continue, but under strict rules. They are deemed essential in order to ensure calf welfare and continuity into the national herd during the calving season.
Calf sales will take place in:
Kilmallock on Monday and Wednesday evening.Drumcollogher on Thursday.Abbeyfeale on Saturday.Carrigallen on Saturday.“People will have to keep back from the ring, buyers will be up in the sets, spaced 2m apart and I’ll be saying that we won’t start the sale unless we can do that,” the GVM boss said.
The same rules will apply to the two special sales that are planned for Thursday and Saturday.
They are the special show and sale of heifers in Carrigallen on Thursday 19 March and the special pedigree sale in Kilmallock on Saturday 21 March.
A decision will be made early next week about the organic sale scheduled for Kilmallock on Saturday 28 March.
Meanwhile, Nenagh Mart has decided, due to coronavirus, to split the sale in Nenagh this week.
Calves will be sold on Thursday 19 March at 11am.
All other stock will be sold on Wednesday at the usual times.
Read more
Coronavirus: latest farming, mart and price updates as they happen
Beef trade update: coronavirus causing trade disruption with cows hardest hit
Covid-19: wash hands, watch for symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, fever
Radical new mart rules as virus fears spread
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