Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has today (Friday, December 15) confirmed that payments under the National Beef Welfare Scheme (NBWS) have commenced.
In total, over €14.2 million has commenced issuing to 15,834 participating farmers.
The minister commented: “I am pleased to confirm that payments have now commenced under the National Beef Welfare Scheme, building on the range of support schemes available for beef farmers.”
National Beef Welfare Scheme
The objective of the scheme for beef farmers is to further increase the economic efficiency of and enhance animal health and husbandry on suckler farms.”
There are two actions in the scheme, and both are mandatory. Participants must introduce meal feeding for a period of four weeks pre-weaning and two weeks post-weaning to reduce calf stress at weaning time.
Farmers will be paid €35 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 40 calves.
Farmers must also get their herd tested for Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) by engaging a veterinarian to select, blood sample and test up to 20 animals for IBR antibodies.
Where a herd has 20 or more bovines, 20 must be tested. If a herd has less than 20 bovines, then all must be tested.
Farmers will be paid up to €300/herd depending on the number of animals tested for IBR.
The minister concluded by stating: “The issuing of payment under the National Beef Welfare Scheme is another crucial support to the beef sector and builds on the issuing of €5 million under the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme last week.”
Payments are expected to be visible in farmers’ bank accounts in the coming days.