Application deadline nears for Beef Welfare Scheme 2026
The 2026 Beef Welfare Scheme (BWS) worth €28 million will close soon for applications.
Farmers have until 5:00p.m on Wednesday, September 23 to apply.
The objective of the 2026 BWS is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and husbandry on suckler farms.
This year’s scheme is similar in structure to last year’s version.
It contains the same broad range of straightforward measures, along with the new inclusion of an additional option to vaccinate animals against the current strain of the bluetongue virus.
Meal feeding
The meal feeding action is a mandatory element of the scheme, paying €35 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 calves.
Teagasc beef specialist and manager of the Future Beef Programme, Martina Harrington has provided advice on the importance of starting your meal feeding programme on time.
Harrington explained: “The most important thing to work back from is your planned sale date.
“If you are selling weanlings, you should work back at least 43 days from the planned sale date and farmers need to be aware the earliest sale date is 15 days after weaning."
Harrington has prepared a practical guide for suckler farmers participating in the scheme, focusing on the importance of starting your meal feeding programme on time.
“The factsheet includes a meal feeding and sale date reckoner and is a useful tool for farmers to work back from their planned sale date to identify when meal feeding and weaning should begin,” she added.
Meal feeding rates
Harrington said the recommended meal feeding rate prior to weaning is 1kg of meal for four weeks.
"This increases to 2kg per calf per day for the two weeks after weaning," she said.
As 5% of applications participating in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine scheme will be subject to administrative checks, receipts and invoices, feed labels, delivery dockets, weaning dates and feeding and other action records should be retained.
