Payments have begun by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to participants in the National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS). It is expected that 15,835 farmers participating in the scheme will receive over €14.2 million in payments.
The scheme is designed to increase the economic efficiency of suckler farms while also improving animal health and husbandry. There are two mandatory actions in the scheme that require participants to introduce meal feeding for a four week period before weaning and for a further two week period post-weaning to reduce stress in calves during the weaning process. Farmers are paid €35 per calf up to a maximum of 40 calves.
Farmers must also get their herd tested for IBR and will be paid up to €300 per herd depending on the number of animals tested.
Minister McConalogue stated:
“The issuing of payment under the National Beef Welfare Scheme is another crucial support to the beef sector and builds on the issuing of €5 million under the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme last week.”
Further information about the scheme is available here.