A new €5 million Dairy Beef Calf measure has been announced by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the new Beef Sector Efficiency Pilot.
Opening for applications today (Tuesday, March 16), submissions for the measure can be lodged through agfood.ie with the closing date on Monday, April 26.
The objective of this new scheme is to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of beef from the dairy herd, and to facilitate further the integration of the dairy and beef sectors by providing support for farmers who are rearing progeny from the dairy herd.
Though the scheme will be funded by the Irish exchequer, details of the scheme have been notified to the European Commission in accordance with the Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework.
Applications must be done online at agfood.ie and to ensure their application is actually submitted, rather than having a status as a “draft application” on agfood.ie.
Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, you must weigh a minimum of five eligible calves and submit the weights to the ICBF.
You can apply if you have either a male calf of the dairy breed or a male or female calf of a beef breed sire born to a dairy breed dam in your herd.
These eligible calves must have been: in your herd for at least 10 days before weighing; and born on or after January 1, 2021.
Payments will be made in December 2021.