Flor McCarthy,
suckler farmer,
Co Kerry
“I am absolutely disgusted as to how our Minister of Agriculture and Dr Frank O’Mara, the Teagasc director, can cast away the suckler herd with no regard for the 12,000 farmers they are getting rid of and who they are forcing from their farms with the CAP policies they are enforcing.
“Back in 2000, we were getting €305 in support with €76 in extensification (€381 per cow) to produce top-quality weanlings for the continental market.
“The knock-on effect that this will have is that no young farmers will come into the beef or sheep industry.
“It is beyond comprehension that leaving the land from Donegal to west Cork idle is beneficial for sequestering carbon.
“I only have to observe the national park which my land borders. It has a wildfire every five or six years due to unmanaged land and no management plan.
“The scale of carbon released during these wildfires would need to be quantified as these fires will become more common as more land becomes unmanaged.
“The heart of the matter is that it is the farmers who are farming the land and who have no overgrowth of scrub which is preventing a more large-scale disaster from happening.
Flor McCarthy. \ Valerie O'Sullivan
“I would like to know if Teagasc has done any modelling on the removal of 400,000 suckler cows from the Irish countryside considering the majority are stocked very extensively.
“Be under no illusion, it is Government policy which is driving these suckler cows and farmers from our landscape.”
Peadar Glennon,
secretary, Irish
Simmental Cattle Society
“When I saw the headline on Wednesday night last, I thought it was a joke!
“For Teagasc to promote a 29% reduction in the suckler herd as the answer, while still promoting growth in the dairy herd is alarming, especially after the events of last week which highlighted the issues arising from some dairy cows not being genetically capable of breeding a calf of any value.
“The suckler [herd] has seen a reduction in numbers over the last number of years, which has greatly helped in respect of reaching carbon reduction targets.
“Now policy must address the areas of the dairy sector where growth in cow numbers has been as high as three-fold.
“Dairy farmers must be encouraged to, where necessary, change their cow type to one capable of producing a calf which will be sought after in calf-to-beef systems. The higher monetary value of calves produced will allow dairy farmers reduce numbers slightly, leaving such farms better insulated to possible nitrates reductions.
“A policy which will expect suckler farmers whose farming practices are seen as being very environmentally friendly to be scapegoated will not be accepted.”
Denis Large
, beef farmer, Tipperary
“I’m really disappointed in the Teagasc narrative in relation to the MACC curve. I genuinely believed that our State research and advisory service was there for all sectors but last week’s publication seems to write off one sector in favour of another.
“Suckler farmers are being told essentially that we are not wanted and dairy farmers are being given the nod to drive on. I really cannot understand how wiping 29% off our suckler herd will contribute to lowering our emissions.
“Division is not good among farmers but the dairy sector needs a thriving beef sector for it to continue. Beef farmers are going to become more and more important to the sustainability of dairy systems so why are we turning our back on them. We are like the dirt on the end of agriculture’s boot at the moment and they can’t wipe us away quick enough. Nobody can tell me what will happen the 30,000 dairy calves that were slaughtered this year next year when the slaughter ban comes in. Will beef farmers be asked to rear them and get rid of their sucklers?
Denis Large at Urard, Urlingford, Co Tipperary \ Odhran Ducie
“The Government and Teagasc are only kidding themselves if they think that farmers in the west of Ireland will rear these calves on difficult land and it’s an even bigger joke if they think these calves will be finished at 22 months on difficult marginal land.
“The suckler cow kept these areas going because there wasn’t anything else that could survive in these areas. Any Teagasc research I see requires a very high stocking rate and growing a lot of grass to make money. I have the genetics to do 420kg at 16 months. Dairy beef will struggle into 300kg at 22 months. How does that add up for carbon efficiency?
“We have spent years working hard to build up our reputation for world-class beef production which is now going to be eroded by more and more dairy beef.
“We’ll be mincing more and more beef in the future and competing with the Brazils of this world on the bargain basement shelf.
“I think in 10 years’ time, we’ll regret we didn’t support our suckler herd because when they’re gone, they won’t be back.”
Nevan McKiernan, secretary,
Irish Charolais Cattle Society
“It is fair to say that there is a lot of anger and disappointment among suckler farmers regarding the front page article on last week’s Irish Farmers Journal, especially with the week that was in it. Let’s be realistic, the surplus of dairy calves coming on stream today is a result of advice given to farmers to increase production and stocking rates in the past. But pitting one sector against the other is not the answer. A feasible solution to the issues is what’s needed.
“We are constantly being told we need to reduce cow numbers to meet climate targets, yet Ireland produces beef and dairy products as efficiently as anywhere in the world. We should learn from the mistakes of the past and not make ill-judged predictions.”
If you have views or
opinions on the required 29% reduction in suckler cows by 2030 to meet
our climate change targets get in touch at awoods@farmersjournal.ie
Flor McCarthy,
suckler farmer,
Co Kerry
“I am absolutely disgusted as to how our Minister of Agriculture and Dr Frank O’Mara, the Teagasc director, can cast away the suckler herd with no regard for the 12,000 farmers they are getting rid of and who they are forcing from their farms with the CAP policies they are enforcing.
“Back in 2000, we were getting €305 in support with €76 in extensification (€381 per cow) to produce top-quality weanlings for the continental market.
“The knock-on effect that this will have is that no young farmers will come into the beef or sheep industry.
“It is beyond comprehension that leaving the land from Donegal to west Cork idle is beneficial for sequestering carbon.
“I only have to observe the national park which my land borders. It has a wildfire every five or six years due to unmanaged land and no management plan.
“The scale of carbon released during these wildfires would need to be quantified as these fires will become more common as more land becomes unmanaged.
“The heart of the matter is that it is the farmers who are farming the land and who have no overgrowth of scrub which is preventing a more large-scale disaster from happening.
Flor McCarthy. \ Valerie O'Sullivan
“I would like to know if Teagasc has done any modelling on the removal of 400,000 suckler cows from the Irish countryside considering the majority are stocked very extensively.
“Be under no illusion, it is Government policy which is driving these suckler cows and farmers from our landscape.”
Peadar Glennon,
secretary, Irish
Simmental Cattle Society
“When I saw the headline on Wednesday night last, I thought it was a joke!
“For Teagasc to promote a 29% reduction in the suckler herd as the answer, while still promoting growth in the dairy herd is alarming, especially after the events of last week which highlighted the issues arising from some dairy cows not being genetically capable of breeding a calf of any value.
“The suckler [herd] has seen a reduction in numbers over the last number of years, which has greatly helped in respect of reaching carbon reduction targets.
“Now policy must address the areas of the dairy sector where growth in cow numbers has been as high as three-fold.
“Dairy farmers must be encouraged to, where necessary, change their cow type to one capable of producing a calf which will be sought after in calf-to-beef systems. The higher monetary value of calves produced will allow dairy farmers reduce numbers slightly, leaving such farms better insulated to possible nitrates reductions.
“A policy which will expect suckler farmers whose farming practices are seen as being very environmentally friendly to be scapegoated will not be accepted.”
Denis Large
, beef farmer, Tipperary
“I’m really disappointed in the Teagasc narrative in relation to the MACC curve. I genuinely believed that our State research and advisory service was there for all sectors but last week’s publication seems to write off one sector in favour of another.
“Suckler farmers are being told essentially that we are not wanted and dairy farmers are being given the nod to drive on. I really cannot understand how wiping 29% off our suckler herd will contribute to lowering our emissions.
“Division is not good among farmers but the dairy sector needs a thriving beef sector for it to continue. Beef farmers are going to become more and more important to the sustainability of dairy systems so why are we turning our back on them. We are like the dirt on the end of agriculture’s boot at the moment and they can’t wipe us away quick enough. Nobody can tell me what will happen the 30,000 dairy calves that were slaughtered this year next year when the slaughter ban comes in. Will beef farmers be asked to rear them and get rid of their sucklers?
Denis Large at Urard, Urlingford, Co Tipperary \ Odhran Ducie
“The Government and Teagasc are only kidding themselves if they think that farmers in the west of Ireland will rear these calves on difficult land and it’s an even bigger joke if they think these calves will be finished at 22 months on difficult marginal land.
“The suckler cow kept these areas going because there wasn’t anything else that could survive in these areas. Any Teagasc research I see requires a very high stocking rate and growing a lot of grass to make money. I have the genetics to do 420kg at 16 months. Dairy beef will struggle into 300kg at 22 months. How does that add up for carbon efficiency?
“We have spent years working hard to build up our reputation for world-class beef production which is now going to be eroded by more and more dairy beef.
“We’ll be mincing more and more beef in the future and competing with the Brazils of this world on the bargain basement shelf.
“I think in 10 years’ time, we’ll regret we didn’t support our suckler herd because when they’re gone, they won’t be back.”
Nevan McKiernan, secretary,
Irish Charolais Cattle Society
“It is fair to say that there is a lot of anger and disappointment among suckler farmers regarding the front page article on last week’s Irish Farmers Journal, especially with the week that was in it. Let’s be realistic, the surplus of dairy calves coming on stream today is a result of advice given to farmers to increase production and stocking rates in the past. But pitting one sector against the other is not the answer. A feasible solution to the issues is what’s needed.
“We are constantly being told we need to reduce cow numbers to meet climate targets, yet Ireland produces beef and dairy products as efficiently as anywhere in the world. We should learn from the mistakes of the past and not make ill-judged predictions.”
If you have views or
opinions on the required 29% reduction in suckler cows by 2030 to meet
our climate change targets get in touch at awoods@farmersjournal.ie
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