This is a subscriber-only article
Dawn Meats is moving cattle from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland for slaughter, the Irish Farmers Journal understands.
Some 150 cattle were loaded in Co Meath on Thursday evening to be slaughtered in the Dunbia plant in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. The Dungannon plant is the UK-based sister operation of Dawn Meats.
The move will surprise Northern Irish farmers, who have been waiting for up to two weeks to have cattle slaughtered. They now look like they are being leapfrogged by cattle from the south because of the ongoing beef crisis and protests.
Prime cattle prices at most plants in Northern Ireland are mainly starting at a base of 318p to 320p/kg (€3.54-€3.57/kg) this week.
ABP
The Irish Farmers Journal also understands that large number of staff from ABP's Clones plant have been redeployed to Linden Foods, also located in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. Linden Foods is a joint venture between ABP and Fane Valley.
Some 17 plants in the Republic have ceased operating and hundreds of staff in factories have been temporarily laid off.
Shortages
Earlier on Thursday, retailer Aldi said that to counteract shortages in Irish supplies, some Irish beef and pork has been processed in factories in the UK.
Bord Bia chief executive Tara McCarthy has said that export customers for Irish beef are now having to consider alternative sources of beef.
SHARING OPTIONS: