The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme is “drastically underfunded” and “significantly oversubscribed” according to the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA).
The organisation is now urging the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, to try and secure additional funding.
The ICMSA has also called on the minister to ensure that every farmer that applied for the Dairy Calf-to-Beef scheme in 2023 “and completed the weighing measure is paid in full”.
It has put forward a proposal that Minister McConalogue should also ask for additional funding to enable the Dairy Calf-to-Beef Scheme – which includes the weighing measure and is paid to the famer rearing the calves – and the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2024 – which is paid to the dairy farmer to use 3-star AI bulls – to run in parallel with each other next year.
Des Morrison, chair of the ICMSA’s livestock committee, said the organisation is convinced that there is currently “very significant potential across a range of desirable targets for a scheme which supports the rearing of dairy beef calves”.
Morrison said the Dairy Calf-to-Beef Scheme and the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2024 are extremely important both from an “emissions and animal welfare perspective”.
He added: “ICMSA’s original proposal for the Dairy Calf to Beef Scheme consists of two payments of €75, the first to be paid when weights are submitted and second when the animal is slaughtered under a certain age.
“The scheme should be partly funded by the Department of the Environment, as the early slaughter measure reduces emissions which aid in Ireland reaching Climate Action targets.
“The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme 2024 is essential in encouraging dairy farmers to produce a calf better suited for the beef industry.”
According to the organisation it welcomes the inclusion of the 3 star stock bulls which it had previously sought but it also believes that the “stock bulls be 3 stars within their own breed and for the inclusion of all beef AI bulls on the Dairy Beef Index (DBI).
Morrison added: “If they are considered good enough to be on the DBI than they should be eligible for the scheme.
“When AI is used under the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme, it is essential that the payment is based on the number of straws used, not the number of calves born.”
The ICMSA confirmed that it met with senior officials from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) last week where it highlighted key issues for its members.
According to its chair the organisation also raised questions around the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), specifically in relation to “if a farmer purchased a bull with 4 stars and that bull then goes down to 3 stars” as to whether they would remain eligible for the scheme.
Morrison said: “SCEP and other beef schemes should accept the star rating at the date of purchase.
“ICMSA also expressed our concern regarding the Bord Bia audits under SCEP.
“We believe that if a farmer has applied for SCEP and is still awaiting their audit or result on or after the closing date of October, 16 then they should automatically be accepted into the scheme.”