Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2020
1031. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the overall kill of cattle in the previous three years up to the end of August 2020 that came from feedlots [27205/20]
View answer1035. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of cattle slaughtered for the previous three years up to the end of August 2020 that came from factory owned feedlots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27330/20]
View answer1036. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the percentage of the overall kill of cattle for the previous three years up to the end of August 2020 that came from feedlots; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27331/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1031, 1035 and 1036 together.
As part of the TB eradication programme, beef finishing herds, if they meet the necessary criteria, are allowed to avail of a special status, termed “Controlled Finishing Unit (CFU)” (formerly known as "feedlots"). Where a herd meets the criteria to be regarded as a CFU under the programme, the herd is restricted under the TB Regulations and a special official supervisory and testing protocol is established.
Restricted Controlled Finishing Units are TB tested at least once a year. This Controlled Finishing Unit status arrangement allows the delivery of an effective level of disease risk management while controlling the risk of further disease spread in compliance with animal health legislation, and enabling business continuity in this particular type of enterprise through the inward movement of cattle. Cattle from Controlled Finishing Unit herds restricted under the TB Eradication programme are only permitted to move to a EU-approved slaughter plant.
Data on the throughput of Controlled Finishing Units are published on my Department’s website: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/animalhealthwelfare/animalidentificationandmovement/cattlemovementmonitoringsystem/bovinebirthandmovementsmonthlyreports/Kill%20numbersatEUapprovedslaughterplantsoriginatinginControlledFinishingUnits170820.xlsx The proportion of the overall national bovine kill originating from Controlled Finishing Units for the period from 2017 to TYD 2020 is 16%.
My Department does not differentiate herds on the Animal Identification and Movement System (AIM), CFU or otherwise, between farmer and factory owned.
