Heydon outlines measures in place to support weanling health
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon has outlined the measures currently in place to support good weanling health at sale time.
Responding to a question from Labour TD Robert O'Donoghue relating to the health of weanlings at sale time and if going for export, Minister Heydon said: "Strong animal health and welfare standards is a key priority for my department.
"In that regard, I have allocated significant supports and investments for this area.
"These include a Targeted Advisory Service on Animal Health (TASAH) focused on biosecurity to support farmers on a range of animal health matters including parasite control.
"Also, in August 2025, I launched a national-funded Beef Welfare Scheme with a budget of €28 million, which will include supports for a vaccination programme for suckler calves."
Legislative requirements
Minister Heydon also noted the legislative requirements the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has in place to protect animals moving through livestock marts.
He said: "All marts operating in Ireland are licensed under the Animal Health and Welfare (Livestock Marts) Regulation 2018 and must comply with the general terms and conditions of their licence as well as their legislative requirements under the regulations.
"The regulations prohibit the sale at marts of infirm livestock or livestock affected with disease.
"Operators of marts are required to provide separate covered pens with appropriate facilities for feeding and resting animals that have been deemed unfit for sale and to facilitate their veterinary examination and treatment.
"Livestock marts are subject to regular inspection by my department to ensure these rules are being complied with and that they are maintaining high standards of animal welfare."
Exports
Commenting on the health status of cattle being exported, Minister Heydon said: "The intra community trade and export of live cattle to third countries is a private commercial activity that is heavily regulated by my department in accordance with EU and national law.
"My department exercises close oversight and deploys considerable resources in the matter of regulating this trade and of protecting animal welfare to ensure that it is conducted to the highest possible standard.
"Independent reports indicate that calves travelling from Ireland arrive in Europe with good health and welfare outcomes.
"My department takes all possible measures, some of which go beyond current EU regulations, to ensure animals are transported in a manner which protects their welfare."
