The recently-released consultation document on the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CSP) includes an outline of a follow-up to the Sheep Welfare Scheme under Pillar II of the CAP 2023-2027.
The aim of the planned Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS) is to build on the progress under the Sheep Welfare Scheme in the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme (RDP).
The scheme will continue to provide support for actions that improve animal health and welfare in the sheep sector, the CSP document said.
Analysis shows that lameness in sheep is a significant animal welfare issue. The scheme will be targeted towards that issue as well as parasite control, flystrike and appropriate supplementation.
Participating farmers will choose to undertake two actions altogether, one action from ‘Category A’ and one from ‘Category B’, appropriate to whether they have lowland or hill flock.
The following is the list of potential options:
- Lowland flock Category A – lameness control/mineral supplementation for ewes post-mating/parasite control (faecal egg reduction test);
- Lowland flock Category B – Genotyped ram/scanning and recording of results/flystrike control;
- Hill flock Category A – Mineral supplementation for ewes post-mating/meal feeding lambs post-weaning/parasite control (faecal egg reduction test);
- Hill flock Category B – Genotyped ram/scanning and recording of results/mineral supplementation of lambs pre-weaning.
These choices are subject to a number of restrictions. For example, hill flock farmers cannot choose both mineral supplementation pre-weaning and meal feeding post-weaning for lambs.
All farmers must complete the genotyped ram action once during the period of the scheme. Farmers with flock sizes greater than 150 breeding ewes must complete this action twice over the course of the scheme. In all other years, an alternative option must be chosen and completed from Category B.
In their applications for the first year, farmers must indicate in what years they will complete the genotyped ram action.
The CSP document outlines that all applicants must have a flock number; breeding ewes on their holding for the duration of each scheme year; and declared breeding ewes on their 2022 Sheep Census return.
The maximum number of ewes eligible for payment will be the average of the number of ewes in a specified historic reference period. Payment in a given year will be based on this maximum reference number or the latest sheep census figures returned – whichever is lower.
Applicants will be required to submit a completed Sheep Census return by the specified date for each year of participation in the SIS. Participants must also be a member of the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS).
The calculations for this scheme are based on costs incurred minus the net economic benefit associated with the actions. A transaction cost of 20% of the total cost per ewe is included in the calculations.