Following the launch of the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) in recent months, the weighing of cows and calves began earlier this month on March 8. The registration of scales for the programme, if using one’s own, is crucial.

Farmer participants in the scheme will have until November 1 to weigh their unweaned calves and their dams.

This data is then submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in return for a €40 payment per cow-calf pairing; payments will be made throughout the month of December.

However, applicants can only use scales that are provided for rental by an approved field service agent, or scales that are registered with the department if they are your own or borrowed from elsewhere.

To aid in the process, the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has provided information for participant farmers on how to register their scales for recording.

This is done through the ICBF website, under the BEEP category.

According to the federation, animals must be weighed on-farm using a weighing platform and indicator.

The platform is placed in a cattle race/crush and animals are weighed as they pass over it. An owned/borrowed scales can be used or a scales can be rented.

Borrowed/owned implements will have to be registered with ICBF before weighing can be done.

Weights must then be submitted to the ICBF database via paper forms or online, again through the ICBF website.

Only unweaned calves that were born between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 will be eligible for the scheme, and their weights must be submitted along with the weight of their dams.