The last 12 months have been a tough time for suckler farmers. Many have seen their support payments slashed through convergence and have taken a big income hit as a result of the new CAP.
Thousands of suckler farmers had to wait until last week for their first ACRES payment, 12 months after it was applied for.
The mess that is SCEP and the direction in which suckler breeding is going is the cherry on the top of 12 months that many will want to forget. The only light at the end of the tunnel is that prices have remained good with some exceptional prices being paid for top-quality weanlings over the last number of weeks.
It’s ironic that it seems countries with no suckler herds place a real value on Irish-bred suckler weanlings, paying over €4/kg for top-quality weanlings.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, our policymakers are using a carrot-and-stick approach to nice and quietly coax people out of suckler production. With the current trend in numbers, you have to ask yourself what the Irish suckler industry will look like in 10 years. Less marts, less agri-stores, less rural shops, schools and general services.
It’s ironic that countries with no suckler herds place a real value on Irish-bred suckler weanlings, paying over €4/kg for top-quality weanlings. \ Philip Doyle
Huge change is coming to suckler systems, whether we like it or not, and with that huge changes will happen in rural Ireland. The weather continues to wreak havoc with turnout and is adding to pressures in yards where calving is in full swing.
Kieran Mailey looks at managing the late spring on suckler farms and how to avoid issues like losing body condition on suckler cows and the knock-on effects that it can have on fertility. Martin Merrick pays a visit to organic beef farmer Ken Gill, while we also take a look at the SCEP scheme requirements and what has changed in recent weeks.
The last 12 months have been a tough time for suckler farmers. Many have seen their support payments slashed through convergence and have taken a big income hit as a result of the new CAP.
Thousands of suckler farmers had to wait until last week for their first ACRES payment, 12 months after it was applied for.
The mess that is SCEP and the direction in which suckler breeding is going is the cherry on the top of 12 months that many will want to forget. The only light at the end of the tunnel is that prices have remained good with some exceptional prices being paid for top-quality weanlings over the last number of weeks.
It’s ironic that it seems countries with no suckler herds place a real value on Irish-bred suckler weanlings, paying over €4/kg for top-quality weanlings.
Meanwhile, in Ireland, our policymakers are using a carrot-and-stick approach to nice and quietly coax people out of suckler production. With the current trend in numbers, you have to ask yourself what the Irish suckler industry will look like in 10 years. Less marts, less agri-stores, less rural shops, schools and general services.
It’s ironic that countries with no suckler herds place a real value on Irish-bred suckler weanlings, paying over €4/kg for top-quality weanlings. \ Philip Doyle
Huge change is coming to suckler systems, whether we like it or not, and with that huge changes will happen in rural Ireland. The weather continues to wreak havoc with turnout and is adding to pressures in yards where calving is in full swing.
Kieran Mailey looks at managing the late spring on suckler farms and how to avoid issues like losing body condition on suckler cows and the knock-on effects that it can have on fertility. Martin Merrick pays a visit to organic beef farmer Ken Gill, while we also take a look at the SCEP scheme requirements and what has changed in recent weeks.
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