A number of further positive developments on live cattle exports are taking place this week.

Quinn International Livestock has obtained bank letters of credit to finance the export of a consignment of heavy cattle to Algeria.

The customer is a major private importer, who is seeking bulls of up to 400kg for delivery during the month of Ramadan, which starts on Friday 26 May.

Algerian contracts are traditionally in the size range of 1,000 to 1,500 head, and this order is for 1,200 head.

It will be the first significant shipment from Ireland to this market in recent times and follows visits by Algerian buyers to Ireland at the invitation of Bord Bia.

It will also be the first recent export offering direct competition to the beef factories.

About half of the order will be filled by Charolais and Limousin cross bulls, and half by Angus crosses from dairy herds. The bulls will complete a 30-day quarantine before leaving Ireland and must meet strict health standards.

Turkey

Meanwhile, demand in Turkey for Irish cattle continues to grow. Purcell Brothers’ first boatload of up to 3,000 cattle departed from Waterford Port on Tuesday evening and is now sailing in calm sea conditions.

The boat is expected to return to Ireland for a follow-up load.

The company is then bringing another dedicated livestock carrier boat to Ireland for inspection and approval by the Department of Agriculture and Marine officials.

It plans to use that boat to transport the remainder of its 20,000 head contract before September.

A number of other major Irish livestock exporters continue to actively seek further contracts from Turkey’s meat and dairy board for 2017.

IFA livestock chair Angus Woods on Wednesday said he expects additional contracts for Turkey to run through the summer and into the autumn.

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Algerian cattle buyers in Ireland

Second shipment to Turkey to load