Meal feeding action, vaccinating weanlings and either faecal egg counts or silage testing have been confirmed as the actions included in the 2025 Beef Welfare Scheme.
The scheme sees creep feeding calves pre- and post-weaning as a mandatory action paying €35/head, clostridial or pneumonia vaccinations paying an additional €15/head and the taking of either three silage samples or two faecal egg counts paying another €25/head.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon confirmed the measures after they were communicated to farming organisations last week.
Some €28m was pledged to the Beef Welfare Scheme in Budget 2025 and farmers completing three actions can claim €75/head for 45 cow-calf pairs.
“The 2024 Beef Welfare Scheme proved to be very popular among the target population with the budget allocation fully spent and over 23,000 farmers paid for participating in it,” Minister Heydon said.
“This year’s enhanced scheme retains the same measures from last year, but I have increased the overall budget by 40% and lifted the cap on eligible calves from 40 to 45 head.
“I have also introduced some additional optional measures. As a result, the maximum payment that a farmer can receive will rise from €2,000 to €3,375 for correctly completing three scheme actions. That’s an increase of 69% in the total maximum payable.”
The scheme is open in early August and suckler calves born between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 are eligible.
“When coupled with the SCEP, participants in the 2025 BWS will be eligible to receive €225 per cow/calf pair for the first 22 pairs,” the minister added.
Reacting to the measures last week, the Irish Farmers Association called on Minister Heydon to “make good on his election promises to bring total suckler cow supports to a minimum of €300/cow” and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association stated that the 45-cow payment cap should be raised.
Read more
Mid-August opening for National Beef Welfare Scheme
IFA encourages farmers to draw full €75/cow from Budget 2025 beef scheme
ICSA wants payment limit in Beef Welfare Scheme upped to 100 calves
Meal feeding action, vaccinating weanlings and either faecal egg counts or silage testing have been confirmed as the actions included in the 2025 Beef Welfare Scheme.
The scheme sees creep feeding calves pre- and post-weaning as a mandatory action paying €35/head, clostridial or pneumonia vaccinations paying an additional €15/head and the taking of either three silage samples or two faecal egg counts paying another €25/head.
Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon confirmed the measures after they were communicated to farming organisations last week.
Some €28m was pledged to the Beef Welfare Scheme in Budget 2025 and farmers completing three actions can claim €75/head for 45 cow-calf pairs.
“The 2024 Beef Welfare Scheme proved to be very popular among the target population with the budget allocation fully spent and over 23,000 farmers paid for participating in it,” Minister Heydon said.
“This year’s enhanced scheme retains the same measures from last year, but I have increased the overall budget by 40% and lifted the cap on eligible calves from 40 to 45 head.
“I have also introduced some additional optional measures. As a result, the maximum payment that a farmer can receive will rise from €2,000 to €3,375 for correctly completing three scheme actions. That’s an increase of 69% in the total maximum payable.”
The scheme is open in early August and suckler calves born between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 are eligible.
“When coupled with the SCEP, participants in the 2025 BWS will be eligible to receive €225 per cow/calf pair for the first 22 pairs,” the minister added.
Reacting to the measures last week, the Irish Farmers Association called on Minister Heydon to “make good on his election promises to bring total suckler cow supports to a minimum of €300/cow” and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association stated that the 45-cow payment cap should be raised.
Read more
Mid-August opening for National Beef Welfare Scheme
IFA encourages farmers to draw full €75/cow from Budget 2025 beef scheme
ICSA wants payment limit in Beef Welfare Scheme upped to 100 calves
SHARING OPTIONS