asked the Minister for Agriculture if he is satisfied with the numbers of heifers being mated each year; if he regards these numbers as indicating a future increase in the numbers of cattle on Irish lands; and if he will take any steps to encourage the mating of further heifers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Mating of Heifers.
9.
The numbers of cows, in-calf heifers and cattle under one year recorded at the livestock censuses during the last three or four years are appreciably higher than in previous years and are to that extent satisfactory. The number of cows in January, 1962, was actually a post-war record, despite operations under the Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Scheme. These are indications of a healthy trend in cattle production, and I do not consider that additional measures of encouragement are called for.
Is the Minister not aware that the number of heifers coming forward each year is approximately half a million and the highest number mated so far on record is 137,000? Does he regard this as satisfactory or anything approaching our potential?
The number of in-calf heifers is influenced by very marked conditions such as the prices available and the profitability of calves but the numbers of milch cows and in-calf heifers are, according to the last reports, higher now than for many years.
Even though there has been some small and modest improvement does the Minister not agree that, from the figures I have mentioned, our potential is not being fully employed or anything like it? A large number of heifers suitable for mating are not being mated and it is his job to foster conditions in which they would be.
(Interruptions.)
It is easy to get out of an awkward question that way.