Ireland-Collapse of fallen animal scheme.

IRELAND-COLLAPSE OF FALLEN ANIMAL SCHEME.

The Cattle Movement Monitoring System (CMMS) is in danger of collapsing as a result of the abolition of the Fallen Animal Scheme (FAS), animal collectors have warned.

Higher animal disposal charges would lead to unrecorded animals being dumped, James Lambe of the Animal Collectors Association (ACA) said.

Mr Lambe said the number of dead calves he collected last week fell by 80pc after the abolition of the fallen animal subsidy due to the emergency budget cuts.

"The whole thing is close to falling asunder," he said. "It’s as if those calves never existed because they were not tagged."

Mr Lambe said the CMMS and FAS systems had been working like clockwork until the subsidy was abolished.

Animal collectors have angrily refuted claims they are operating a price cartel for the collection of dead animals.

They have blamed rendering plants for the massive surge in the cost of animal disposal.

"We are charged €160/t by the rendering plants and we have transport, diesel and labour on top of that, bringing our costs close to €200/t," explained Mr Lambe.

Farmers are now being charged €36 a calf, €100 for animals aged from 6-12 months, €140 for animals aged 12-24 months and €190 for each adult animal up to 48 months.

There are just four plants licensed for the rendering of animal carcasses: Waterford Proteins in Ferrybank, Co Waterford, Dublin Products in Dunlavin, Co Wicklow, College Proteins in Nobber, Co Meath, and Premier Proteins in Ballinasloe, Co Galway.

Last year 160,000 calves, 45,000 animals aged 6-24 months and 95,000 adult animals were disposed of through the Fallen Animal Scheme.

IFA deputy president Derek Deane has called on the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith to immediately change the rules for fallen animal disposal to break up the collection and rendering cartel and remove the exorbitant costs now being faced by farmers.

He said the new knackery charges were clearly anti-competitive and brought the cost of animal disposal for farmers to at least €22m a year.