Implications of and solutions for labour shortages associated with calf rearing

Previously, European milk production was heavily impeded by the introduction of milk quotas in 1984, resulting in a cap in production and growth of the dairy industry. In April 2015, these restrictions on milk production were lifted across Europe, resulting in an increase in expansion throughout many EU countries, including Ireland. In light of this, the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine desig_ned a series of industrial initiatives including; 'Food Harvest 2020' and 'Food Wise 2025'. These initiatives encourage individual farmers to improve on farm efficiencies and advocate the use of research and technology in achieving a more sustainable agricultural industry at farm level. Current Irish young stock levels indicate that further expansion is likely to occur in the coming y-ears (Kelly et al., 2017).