Landowners who used donkeys’ passports to claim the Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) payments for 2019 and previous years will see a change in 2020.

Landowners who used only donkey passports in the past, can only use them next year to account for 50% of the land area from 2020 onwards.

For example, if a landowners minimum stocking rate of 0.15 LU/ha is the equivalent to four donkeys, from 2020 onwards, they can only use two donkeys and two other livestock units (LU) from cattle and or sheep.

You can also use breeding ponies provided that a mare had a foal in 2019.

Replacing 2 LU/ha with either bovines or ovines is the equivalent to two cows or 3.33 cattle under two years old or 14 ewes/hoggets.

These numbers are for the full year and if landowners plan to keep cattle for only seven months, they will have to carry more so that the minimum for the year is 0.15 LU/ha.

If in doubt of these requirements, landowners can contact yourcommonage.ie on (091) 738900 for further details.

Now is the time to plan for 2020 in regard to eligibility for the ANC payment. If your herd number for cattle and/or sheep is dormant you may have to fill out a form to reactivate it.