The Irish Farmers Journal exclusively revealed in March that the valuable Turkish market was to open to live Irish cattle after progress was made on agreeing a veterinary certificate.

According to Joe Burke, the main reason for demand for Irish beef in Turkey will be based on the outbreak of bluetongue in France. The Turkish market will demand young beef bulls under 300kg liveweight. He added that the Turkish market looks set to open up in the next few weeks and supply of animals of that specification will be low.

Its a difficult time of year for exporting small cattle because it coincides with the beginning of grass growth, he said.

Burke was speaking at the Quinns of Baltinglass livestock seminar in Aughrim on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere, the Egyptian market has opened in recent weeks and Burke is optimistic that it will keep a floor under the live export market that is suffering due to lower exports to our large UK market.

Live exports in recent weeks have been down by 9% on last year, which itself was down 25% on 2014. Most notably, exports to the UK have decreased by 60% compared to 2015. Burke said this is partly the impact of their much lower cattle price rate, partly because of the exchange rate and also because the British price has fallen and is at the equivalent of 3.20/kg.

When the euro was weak throughout last year, we got the equivalent of a 10% increase on price for beef we sold to the UK

Their price in euro terms has fallen as a result of the fact that the sterling value has weakened. When the euro was weak throughout last year, we got the equivalent of a 10% increase on price for beef we sold to the UK.

Meanwhile, live cattle exports to France have increased by 64% this year.

Across Europe, beef production has been on the increaseover recent years while there has been a reduction in consumption.

Peoples overall consumption of meat was down, said Burke. There has been a recovery of 0.5% each year over the last two years. But we still need to find other homes outside of Europe for our beef.

Online veterinary contributor to the Irish Farmers Journal, Tommy Heffernan, was also speaking at the Quinns of Baltinglass livestock seminar.