Weather warning helped farmers save livestock

January 1987

LIVESTOCK survived the wrath of this week’s Arctic conditions because of the gradual build-up of the snowstorm since last Sunday.

Large amounts of sheep are often lost on the Wicklow hills when an overnight blizzard occurs but farmers were breathing a sigh of relief this time after they had time to bring the animals to safety. However, west Wicklow farmer Sean Eustace denied national media reports that all stocks in the county were safely housed.

‘Only a mminority of farmers are fortunate enough to have enough housing for their sheep but the majority must leave them outside in close proximity to feeding centres on the farm,’ he explained.

However, he did admit that most stocks were saved after farmers had an opportunity on Monday to take sheep from the hills.