Farming sources say that there may be little demand for the scheme here because calves are currently being sold for more than 100. But if prices fall there may be a greater demand. A quarter of all the businesses surveyed said they expected difficulties with creditors or their banks if the ban continues. Over the last fortnight six new cases of BSE have been confirmed in Ireland. However, the MBM ban has been in force here four more than four years.
Early indications are that the four year old is a native born calf.
Both media and department of Agriculture are scanty on details. Current offical cumulative BSE total for the Republic of Ireland is 135. The attitude here among farmers and vets seems to be that based on a type of dissonance - we know it, but we won't believe it. Traditionally, most feed was silage based. Over the last ten to twelve years conctrate consumption has risen from 200K tons to 800K tons.