asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries the number of canning cows killed at Irish factories during (a) December, 1972, and December, 1973, and (b) January, 1973, and January, 1974.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Canning Cows.
6.
Slaughterings of cows at meat factories during December, 1972, were 18,766, December, 1973, 28,590 and January, 1973, 16,862. Slaughterings of cows during January, 1974, are estimated at 38,000.
Would the Minister think that this is a very undesirable trend and that it will lead to a reduction in our cow population if cattle are now being sold because people cannot see their way to keep them owing to rising costs?
Is the Deputy aware that there were more slaughtered in 1971? The Deputy should know what he is talking about.
I am asking the Miniister about the trend that is taking place in the years mentioned. I did not get an answer to that.
And I am telling him that there were more slaughtered in 1971.
That does not answer the question. I am asking does the Minister think that the present rise in slaughterings will finally bring about a reduction in cow numbers?
In my view it simply indicates that people kept cows. In the previous year slaughterings were reduced to half in anticipation of big prices in EEC. They kept cows they would otherwise have culled in order to have extra calves. These cows are now coming on the market. That is the simple explanation.
The cow population is decreasing.
It was decreasing in 1971.
The Minister still has not answered the question.
(Interruptions.)