Farmers are paying wildly different fees for knackery disposal of animals, a new IFA survey has revealed.

The cost of disposing of a calf under three months of age ranges from €10 to €20, when delivered to the knackery by the farmer. Collection of the same animals from the farm costs €15 with some knackeries, with others charging double that at €30.

Calf collection in Munster is cheaper by €5 than all other areas.

The price variation is even more obvious for heavier animals. Cattle of 24 to 48 months of age can be collected for €50 by some knackeries but this rises to over €120 for others.

Cheapest quotes

The cheapest quotes for collections of these animals were found in south Leinster, Ulster and north Leinster at €50, rising to €80 in the lowest-cost knackeries in Connacht and Munster.

For sheep, ewe disposal is €15 for the cheapest knackeries, rising to more than three times that, €50, in other knackeries.

The highest fees for ewe disposal were in Connacht and south Leinster at €50 collected, compared with average collection charges of as low as €15 in Munster and €50 at the upper end in Ulster and north Leinster.

In Northern Ireland, only one company, Linergy in Dungannon, allows farmers to deliver animals to the site, with all others collecting from farms.

Collection charges are very similar for all three disposal companies, although Foyle Proteins has increased its rate from £14/ewe to £16/ewe this year. There is a minimum charge of £30, which is up from £25 last year.

Commenting on the results of the IFA survey, IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell described the charges some farmers are exposed to in order to have their fallen animals disposed as “unacceptable”.

“It is very evident from the results of the survey that farmers in areas where real competition exists between knackeries are able to avail of much lower charges.”

The IFA has proposed changes to the knackery licensing system that would ensure all farmers have access to a competitively priced fallen animal disposal service.

“It is incumbent on the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed and his officials to ensure this is provided.”

He advised farmers to use the survey information to drive down their fallen animal’s disposal costs.

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