THE animal welfare group, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), will oppose the export of live cattle to Egypt and other north African countries when the markets reopen.
Last week, one of the biggest livestock export companies, Purcell Brothers of Waterford, said it had signed a new deal with Egypt's Ministry of Trade and Supply to provide 35,000 live animals.
Mr Seamus Purcell said when the market reopens later in the year there will be a potential demand for 70,000 head of cattle.
But CIWF's spokeswoman, Ms Mary Ann Bartlett, said that it will organise a series of port protests in the coming months to object to the resumption of the live trade.
"In view of the very serious welfare problems in the trade which have been highlighted by CIWF and the media over the past two years, CIWF is calling for live exports of Irish cattle to non EU countries to be replaced by exports of meat and carcasses," she said.
She said the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, had put new regulations into place governing the trade last February, but they were seen to fail when a shipment of cattle got into difficulties on arrival in Libya and four shipments of Irish cattle were refused entry to Egypt last March.
"These incidents showed beyond doubt that once Irish cattle leave EU waters their welfare is totally outside our control.
"They face an inhumane death by having their throats cut whilst still fully conscious, bleeding to death in abattoirs that do not comply to EU standards."