The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has today (Tuesday, March 25) announced €4 million towards the opening of a new National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme (NDBWS).

The scheme has been introduced to support farmers rearing progeny from the dairy herd and to "further encourage" greater integration of the dairy and beef sectors.

Commenting on the opening of the measure, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon said: "This scheme will target farmers rearing dairy beef progeny from the dairy herd, whether they are dairy farmers rearing their own calves or non-dairy farmers rearing dairy beef calves.

"A successful dairy beef strategy will improve the resilience of the sector to future shocks, with additional benefits for calf health and welfare.”

The dairy beef weighing scheme is a successor to similar schemes which operated in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and were aimed at providing a diversification option for beef farmers.

Participants in the NDBWS will be required to weigh eligible calves and submit weight data to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF).

To qualify for payment, liveweight data must be submitted for a minimum of five calves in a herd and for a maximum of 50. All calves must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of weighing.

Weight data should be submitted within seven days of weighing and before 5:30p.m on November 1, 2025. Farmers should note that they will only be paid on the number of calves in respect of which they submit liveweight data.

“Both dairy and beef farmers recognise advantages for both buyers and sellers in a scheme that provides a market outlet for dairy beef calves, as well as an alternative business option for beef farmers," Minister Heydon said.

"Both the national and CSP schemes are aligned with the 10-point plan to develop and support our growing dairy-beef sector, which was published by my department in March 2024.

"The primary objective of both schemes is to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of beef from the dairy herd," the minister said.

Minister Heydon added that while beef from the dairy herd contributes a growing proportion of national production, he will also continue to support suckler farming as "a foundation block of Irish beef output".

Applications for the 2025 NDBWS must be lodged online through agfood.ie before midnight on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Late applications will be accepted, subject to payment deductions, until midnight on Monday, June 9, 2025.