Horses may have a role to play in diversifying farm income streams, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett has told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The minister raised the possibility of livestock farmers introducing horses as a way of reducing emissions at the Dublin Horse Show last week.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal this week, she said: “It can be practical for some farmers, not all. Many farmers already keep horses. As with any farm enterprise, it requires appropriate skills and knowledge of the marketplace.”

She added that she was not suggesting farmers replace cattle by breeding horses, but that in certain cases, horses may have a role to play in diversifying farm income streams.

Cross-country gallop

In response to her comments, the ICMSA said she was on “a bit of a cross-country gallop”.

“[The] ICMSA fully accepts that we must ‘think outside the box’ when it comes to emissions and the transition to lower carbon.

“All we ask for is that the policies and ideas be based in some reality.

“We are struggling here to see the basis on which Minister Hackett can come to the conclusion that introducing horses on to threatened family dairy farms represents economic and environmental progress,” ICMSA president Pat McCormack said.

IFA

The IFA also hit out at Minister Hackett’s comments and said that many foals are already being sold below the cost of production.

“Many breeders of thoroughbreds and commercial sport horses that I know are struggling to make it pay,” IFA deputy president Brian Rushe has said.