The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has directed livestock marts in Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan to adjust their operations.
This comes following the implementation of Level 4 restrictive measures in the three respective counties as of midnight last night (Thursday, October 15th).
Measures:
- Sales rings may stay open, but 2 metres distancing must be enforced at the ring and throughout the premises of the mart;
- Sellers must drop their livestock off and then leave the mart premises;
- Where feasible, mart personnel should unload livestock, while sellers remain in their vehicles and hand passports to mart personnel;
- Previewing of livestock at penside is not allowed;
- Face coverings must be worn by both staff and visitors on marts premises.
Revised SOP
In a statement, a spokesperson for the department said: “Marts in the three affected counties wishing to use sales rings and auctions must submit a revised Covid-19 Level 4 standard operating procedure) to their Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) for approval.”
“DAFM has informed the livestock marts and the marts representative organisations of this requirement. As of October 15th, 77 of the 86 licenced marts are in operation.”
Letters
In a statement to That’s Farming yesterday (Thursday, October 15th), a DAFM spokesperson said: “We have a plan for level 4, which enables marts continue.”
“This does include further restrictions above those that apply at level 3 (but does not currently include full online). Letters to issue to marts in impacted counties today.” the spokesperson concluded.
