The Irish Cooperative Organisation Society (ICOS) has urged farmers nationwide to minimise all contacts with others in line with guidance from the health authorities and to take every possible precaution to suppress and prevent Covid-19 at community, regional and national levels.

While marts are allowed to continue offering online sales only, customers are asked to check-in with their local mart in advance of anticipated sales as some marts have decided to remain closed until January 11, at the earliest, based on their consideration of local and regional circumstances.

Speaking to AgriLand, Ray Doyle, the livestock and environmental services executive with ICOS, said: “Under the current measures, it is ‘drop and go’ for sellers of livestock, and potential buyers may then view animals in pens for a short period of time and must then leave the premises and bid online.

“Marts and their customers have demonstrated very strong compliance to date and this will continue where marts may also take decisions to operate temporary suspensions of trading, or restricted hours, in the interests of safety.

“We’re asking customers to check in with their mart locally and marts themselves will also be keeping their customers directly advised and updated.”