Certified Irish Angus has today (Wednesday, January 4) announced its 2023 off-season bonus, which will be made available to its members this spring.
This off-season bonus will be paid in addition to the Quality Price System (QPS) bonus which ranges from 12-20c/kg per animal, and any other scheme bonuses the animal may be eligible for.
To avail of the bonus, animals must be booked with Certified Irish Angus before Monday, January 23, 2023.
The beef producer group is offering a bonus of 30c/kg for animals slaughtered between April 3, 2023 and June 9, 2023.
Commenting on the announcement, Certified Irish Angus general manager Charles Smith said: “We are delighted to announce details of this substantial bonus which is on offer to our members, allowing them to make plans for spring 2023 with confidence.
“The bonus will provide an opportunity for members, helping them to offset the additional feed and fertiliser costs that are currently being experienced, and enable them to plan their spring beef production with additional certainty.”
How to apply
To apply for the bonus, farmers can visit Certified Irish Angus website to download and complete the application form.
Farmers can book-in their Angus cattle by downloading the form on the Certified Irish Angus website, emailing [email protected] or logging onto the members’ online portal.
This will allow farmers to book their Angus cattle for slaughter online with its processor partners, ABP and Kepak.
Applicants that have an Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Herd Plus account will be provided with details of the terminal index of each animal as they make their online booking, allowing them to assess the benefits of using better Angus genetics.
Certified Irish Angus
Certified Irish Angus was established in 1995 with the primary goal to produce better Irish Angus animals.
Today, the group combines traditional farming methods with innovative genetic programmes to produce beef “of superior quality in a more sustainable way”.
It uses data from Bord Bia Quality Assurance audits to underpin its measures and support it in delivering on its vision. This, it believes, will further help to create a market preference for Certified Irish Angus among consumers with stated sustainability targets.
The Elite Breed Improvement Programme aims to improve the environmental and economic sustainability of its 12,000 active farmer members.
According to Certified Irish Angus, the programme has integrated a top-quality bull (Drumcrow Tribesman) in partnership with Dovea Genetics through artificial insemination.
The group is also calling on pedigree breeders to avail of sexed semen and to produce stockbulls using Drumcrow Tribesman genetics.
Pedigree breeders that genotype male progeny which is part of the programme, will be entitled to an €80 subsidy. Along with this, there are plans to introduce additional bulls to the programme in 2023.