The price of cattle and sheep will always be first and foremost for mart-goers.

However the rising cost of fuel and fertiliser has quickly became another bill for farmers to keep a close eye on since the conflict in the Middle East began.

Agriland visited Kilkenny Mart to hear how the recent increase in the price of inputs, such as nitrogen fertiliser and diesel, has impacted farmers.

For most of the farmers we spoke to fertiliser was bought the very moment they first heard about the conflict and some also stocked up on diesel before prices also.

Some farmers told us that their decision to buy these commodities was based on past experiences such as other conflicts, including the Ukraine-Russia war, which also resulted in price increases.

One farmer, who said he bought fuel on the day before the war broke out, described the difference in cost "as a massive increase in such a short space of time."

He also said that times like this make him appreciate the fact that his farm has been organic for the last three years, with the current price of fertiliser having no impact on his margins whatsoever.

However, this farmer warned that cutting and buying silage could be more expensive this year due to the extra cost of plastic and diesel.

Fuel

While many farmers are already feeling their margins getting tighter and tighter, opinions at the mart suggested that the biggest worry for some may not be the price of inputs - but whether supplies remain available.

One farmer said: "My biggest concern is that it'd run dry and I wouldn't be able to get it.

"It's the day when you go to the pumps and they are closed down with no diesel - that's when you're in trouble."

Another farmer also felt the current spike in prices may be more about market reaction than genuine shortages.

"I'm trying to hold back on buying [fuel and fertiliser] at the minute," he said.

The farmer reckoned that there may be some "people jumping on the bandwagon" to profiteer from the conflict.