The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue T.D. advised farmers and advisors of the official opening of the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Sucklers (BEEP–S) and the Dairy Beef Calf Programme under the new Beef Sector Efficiency Pilot for 2021 on 16 March 2021.
BEEP (S) has a funding provision of €40 million in 2021 and targets the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves by measuring the live weight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow’s live weight. In recognition of the crucial role of animal health and welfare in economic and environmental efficiency, applicants to the scheme can also select from a number of optional health and welfare measures including meal feeding or vaccination of weanlings and/or faecal egg testing of suckler cows.
How to qualify for BEEP-S 2021:
You can apply if you:
- Are the owner of an active herd number with Herd Owner status.
- Submit a Basic Payment Scheme application in 2021.
- Had suckler calves born in your herd between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021.
- Agree to complete what is known as the “mandatory action” (more details on this below)
Previous involvement:
If you were in BEEP-S in 2020, you must apply again this year to be in the scheme for 2021.
Screens are now live for scales registration and weight recording. All herds will need to reregister their scales for 2021.
Mandatory action:
Weigh the live calf and dam and send details of the weights data to ICBF by 1 November 2021.
This action must be completed in full to be eligible for any payment under the programme.
Optional actions:
You can get an extra payment if you carry out optional welfare actions.
Optional action 1 – Vaccination or Meal Feeding at weaning as set out in the Terms and Conditions.
Optional action 2 – Faecal Egg Testing as set out in the Terms and Conditions.
Rate of payment:
| Mandatory action (for the first 10 weighings) | €50 |
| Mandatory action (for weighings 11-100) | €40 |
| Optional action 1 | €30 |
| Optional action 2 | €10 |
How to apply:
Applications must be made on agfood.ie
The closing date for applications is 26 April 2021.
The full terms and conditions of BEEP-S can be found here www.gov.ie/en/service/a52418-beef-environmental-efficiency-pilot-beep/
Dairy Beef Calf Programme:
The objective of the Dairy-Beef calf programme is to support decision making on farms through better quality data on herd performance and to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of the beef from the dairy herd, and to facilitate further the integration of the dairy and beef sectors by providing support for farmers who are rearing progeny from dairy herds.
How to qualify for the Dairy Beef Calf Programme:
- Are the owner of an active herd number with Herd Owner status.
- Submit a Basic Payment Scheme application in 2021.
Mandatory action:
Participants must weigh a minimum of five eligible calves and submit weights to ICBF. All weights should be submitted within 7 days and no later than 01 November 2021. This action must be completed in full to be eligible for any payment under the programme.
In the event of oversubscription, a linear reduction may be applied.
If data is deemed to be unusable as a result of failure by an applicant to comply with these Terms and Conditions, payment may be withheld. Only one payment will be made per calf.
Rate of payment:
The payment rate is up to €20 per eligible calf weighed up to a maximum of 20 calves in total.
The full terms and conditions and calf eligibility requirements of the Dairy Beef Calf Programme can be found here https://www.gov.ie/en/service/4ea72-dairy-beef-calf-programme-as-part-of-beef-sector-efficiency-programmes/
Weighing FAQs:
Why weigh suckler cows and calves?
Two of the most significant traits in the Euro-Star Replacement Index are milk and cow liveweight (Table 1). It is important to collect as much data as possible on these traits to ensure higher reliability Euro-Star Indexes. The milking ability of suckler cows is measured by the pre-weaning weight gains of their calves. Cow liveweight is measured by recording the weight of suckler cows post calving. Recording liveweights on both suckler cows and their calves will allow farmers to identify their most efficient cows as well as helping ICBF to improve the reliabilities of important traits in the Euro-Star Index. The optimum time to weigh a suckler cow and her calf is when the calf is between 5-8 months old.
How will I weigh my animals?
Animals must be weighed on-farm using a weighing platform and indicator. The platform is placed in a cattle race (crush) and animals are weighed as they pass over it (pictures 1 & 2). An owned/borrowed scales can be used or a scales can be rented. Borrowed/owned scales will have to be registered with ICBF before weighing can be done. Please go to www.mybeep.ie to arrange the rental of a scales. Weights must then be submitted to the ICBF database via paper forms or online.
What animals are eligible to be weighed in the BEEP?
All suckler calves (beef sire x beef dam) born from 1st Jul 2020 – 30th June 2021 and their dams. Calves must be weighed before they are weaned. Cows and calves must be weighed on the same day.
When do I submit weights?
All weights should be submitted within 7 days of weighing and no later than 01 November 2021.
Where can I rent a scales?
Weighing scales will be available throughout the country for farmers to rent for the purposes of carrying out BEEP weighing. Please go to www.mybeep.ie to arrange the rental of a scales.
If you have any queries on the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot or the Dairy Beef Calf Programme, please contact DAFM on 076 1064420 or [email protected].