In excess of 17,000 farmers, covering in the region of 80% of the national breeding ewe flock, joined the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme. Participants can avail of a payment of up to €13/ewe in return for completing three actions.
Participating farmers must select two mandatory actions from a Category A listing including shearing, body condition scoring of ewes, with appropriate follow-on management and clostridial vaccination of ewes (or lambs, if ewes are not vaccinated). Farmers completing only these two actions will receive payment of €8/ewe.
The two voluntary B actions, as also outlined in Table 1, include footbathing of breeding ewes and plunge dipping to control external parasites. Payment for completion of one of these actions will generate an additional €5/ewe.
Numbers game
Participants must abide by the payable number of ewes submitted at application stage and chosen actions must be carried out on this number of sheep.
If an applicant wishes to reduce their payable number during the course of the year to better reflect numbers present, they can do so by emailing sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie, or writing to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, R32 RPA6.
If in the case on inspection it is found that actions are carried out on a lower number of breeding ewes than the payable figure, then a penalty of double the shortfall will apply.
It is important to ensure that invoices, dates of actions, numbers present for actions tally and that any requested documentation is returned swiftly to the Department.
Category A – shearing
This action is straightforward and essentially involves shearing the required number of breeding ewes. The terms and conditions state that documentary evidence of completion of this action will include, but is not been limited to, completion of the Scheme Action Record Sheets, receipts from a shearing contractor and/or evidence of sale of the wool to a wool merchant. There is new elements to the evidence required for 2025 as follows: “if shearing has been carried out by the applicant, a photograph of the shorn sheep will be required. If wool has not been sold to a wool merchant, a photograph of the wool on the holding will be required”.
Category A – body condition scoring
Farmers must carry out the practice of body condition scoring of ewes twice – the first between 15 April and 15 July 2025 and the second between 1 August and 15 October 2025. The assessments must take place at least eight weeks apart.
The terms and conditions advise that breeding ewes in the flock with a BCS score of one or two should be separated and given access to preferential feeding such as high-quality grass / forage.
The number of breeding ewes that were identified as thin (BCS 1 or 2) should be clearly recorded in the scheme action record sheets.
Shearing pic option
Category A – clostridial vaccination
Farmers selecting this option must carry out vaccination of breeding ewes, or alternatively on lambs born to the payable number of ewes, before the deadline dates of 17 October/28 November. Breeding ewes that have been vaccinated previously should be given an annual vaccination four to six weeks before the expected lambing date. Where lambs are being vaccinated, they must be vaccinated from three weeks of age onwards and a second booster vaccination must be administered no later than four to six weeks after the first vaccination. Documentary evidence included scheme action record sheets and invoices to show the required volume of vaccine was bought.
Category B – plunge dipping
Dipping on the number of breeding ewes entered at application stage can be carried out on-farm where a dipping tank is present, or by a mobile plunge-dipping operator. Shower units will not be accepted as an alternative to plunge dipping.
Documentary evidence of its completion include completion of the scheme action record sheets, receipts from a contractor and/or receipts for the purchase of the appropriate volume of dipping material.
Sheep option pic. \ Donal O' Leary
Category B – footbathing
Footbathing should be carried out at least twice over the period from 1 April to 1 October, and a minimum of two weeks should be left between footbathing. Documentary evidence will include, but is not limited to, completion of the Scheme Action Record Sheets, receipts from a contractor and/or receipts for the purchase of appropriate products. It is recommended that for footbathing to be successful, an effective facility needs to be in place with an appropriate solution to a depth of 5cm and ideally sheep first walking through a water bath before footbathing for five to 10 minutes.
In excess of 17,000 farmers, covering in the region of 80% of the national breeding ewe flock, joined the 2025 National Sheep Welfare Scheme. Participants can avail of a payment of up to €13/ewe in return for completing three actions.
Participating farmers must select two mandatory actions from a Category A listing including shearing, body condition scoring of ewes, with appropriate follow-on management and clostridial vaccination of ewes (or lambs, if ewes are not vaccinated). Farmers completing only these two actions will receive payment of €8/ewe.
The two voluntary B actions, as also outlined in Table 1, include footbathing of breeding ewes and plunge dipping to control external parasites. Payment for completion of one of these actions will generate an additional €5/ewe.
Numbers game
Participants must abide by the payable number of ewes submitted at application stage and chosen actions must be carried out on this number of sheep.
If an applicant wishes to reduce their payable number during the course of the year to better reflect numbers present, they can do so by emailing sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie, or writing to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Government Buildings, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, R32 RPA6.
If in the case on inspection it is found that actions are carried out on a lower number of breeding ewes than the payable figure, then a penalty of double the shortfall will apply.
It is important to ensure that invoices, dates of actions, numbers present for actions tally and that any requested documentation is returned swiftly to the Department.
Category A – shearing
This action is straightforward and essentially involves shearing the required number of breeding ewes. The terms and conditions state that documentary evidence of completion of this action will include, but is not been limited to, completion of the Scheme Action Record Sheets, receipts from a shearing contractor and/or evidence of sale of the wool to a wool merchant. There is new elements to the evidence required for 2025 as follows: “if shearing has been carried out by the applicant, a photograph of the shorn sheep will be required. If wool has not been sold to a wool merchant, a photograph of the wool on the holding will be required”.
Category A – body condition scoring
Farmers must carry out the practice of body condition scoring of ewes twice – the first between 15 April and 15 July 2025 and the second between 1 August and 15 October 2025. The assessments must take place at least eight weeks apart.
The terms and conditions advise that breeding ewes in the flock with a BCS score of one or two should be separated and given access to preferential feeding such as high-quality grass / forage.
The number of breeding ewes that were identified as thin (BCS 1 or 2) should be clearly recorded in the scheme action record sheets.
Shearing pic option
Category A – clostridial vaccination
Farmers selecting this option must carry out vaccination of breeding ewes, or alternatively on lambs born to the payable number of ewes, before the deadline dates of 17 October/28 November. Breeding ewes that have been vaccinated previously should be given an annual vaccination four to six weeks before the expected lambing date. Where lambs are being vaccinated, they must be vaccinated from three weeks of age onwards and a second booster vaccination must be administered no later than four to six weeks after the first vaccination. Documentary evidence included scheme action record sheets and invoices to show the required volume of vaccine was bought.
Category B – plunge dipping
Dipping on the number of breeding ewes entered at application stage can be carried out on-farm where a dipping tank is present, or by a mobile plunge-dipping operator. Shower units will not be accepted as an alternative to plunge dipping.
Documentary evidence of its completion include completion of the scheme action record sheets, receipts from a contractor and/or receipts for the purchase of the appropriate volume of dipping material.
Sheep option pic. \ Donal O' Leary
Category B – footbathing
Footbathing should be carried out at least twice over the period from 1 April to 1 October, and a minimum of two weeks should be left between footbathing. Documentary evidence will include, but is not limited to, completion of the Scheme Action Record Sheets, receipts from a contractor and/or receipts for the purchase of appropriate products. It is recommended that for footbathing to be successful, an effective facility needs to be in place with an appropriate solution to a depth of 5cm and ideally sheep first walking through a water bath before footbathing for five to 10 minutes.
SHARING OPTIONS