Leading Russian livestock importers to buy Irish cattle

Russia's leading livestock buyers are sourcing stock for dairy and beef herds, and have expressed an interest in buying cattle from Ireland and establishing links with Irish breeders.

The representatives of the importers last week visited three Irish holdings, where they inspected a pedigree Holstein herd, a Hereford herd and an Angus herd.

The Russians are looking to buy registered purebred animals, said Joe Burke of Bord Bia.

Last year, Russian farms imported nearly 50,000 dairy and beef cattle, with most of the dairy cattle imported from the US and Canada.

While the North American cows produce a high amount of milk per year, maximising the potential of their expensive genetics is not easy and Bord Bia is promoting the merits of easier-to-manage Irish stock.

Bord Bia claimed that Irish dairy cows are bred to perform in a more commercial environment and have higher survivability rates.

In terms of beef cattle, the Russians have expressed an interest in Irish Hereford and Angus cattle but may also consider buying purebred Continentals.