Certified Irish Angus has announced its 30c/kg off-season bonus available to beef farmers in 2023.
The announcement comes earlier than usual this year due to high feed and input costs facing farmers.
A statement from the organisation said that the bonus will be available on Angus steers and heifers finished to a certain specification. The off-season bonus will be available between April and May 2023.
Farmers who are interested should complete an application form which is available by contacting Certified Irish Angus.
Beef finishers who are interested in finding out more about the off-season bonus can do so at the Certified Irish Angus stand at the National Ploughing Championships 2022 next week, located at Block 4, Row 9, Stand 157.
Schools’ competition
The finalists of the Certified Irish Angus Schools’ Competition will be presented with their calves at the organisation’s stand during Ploughing 2022.
The announcement will be made on Wednesday (September 21) at 12:00p.m by Certified Irish Angus and its processor partners ABP and Kepak.
Elite Breed Improvement Programme
In other Certified Irish Angus news, last month the organisation launched what it described as “a new programme which will reward breeders with a bonus scheme”.
The programme is called ‘Certified Irish Angus Elite Breed Improvement Programme‘ and is the first of its kind for beef farmers in Ireland.
The key aim of the new initiative is to improve the quality of Angus-cross beef cattle while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 9% per kg.
Certified Irish Angus said the initiative “will enhance the genetics of Angus-cross beef cattle”.
By improving the beef genetics of these Angus-cross cattle, the programme aims to reduce the level of emissions produced.
The programme is also designed in a format that aims to “provide a benefit to pedigree breeders, dairy farmers and beef producers”.
The Breed Improvement Programme will be headed up by Catherine Smyth.
The initiative began in December 2021 with the purchase of Drumcrow Tribesman as part of a joint venture between Certified Irish Angus and Dovea Genetics.