Close to 20,000 farmers have applied for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) scheme, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has confirmed.

In a statement, the department said it had received applications from 18,536 herd owners in respect of the scheme.

It also advised that because calves born up to June 30, 2019, are eligible, the final figure for calves cannot be determined until thereafter.

‘Economic and environmental efficiency’

Meanwhile, the scheme was introduced to increase economic and environmental efficiency in the suckler herd, through better quality data on herd performance, supporting decision making on farm.

A spokesperson said this would be achieved through “the enhancement” of the national herd data-set for genetic evaluations with a view to supporting the adoption of best practice and more informed decision making at farm level.

The scheme will target the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves through the collection of the live weights of cows and progeny in the herd of each participant.

She continued: “It is open to all suckler beef farmers and payment will be based on beef breed [dam and sire] animals born in the herd between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019.”

Requirements

The scheme requires that all calves submitted for weighing must have been born between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019.

Also, unweaned live calf and dam must be weighed on the applicant’s holding, individually and on the same day.

“Only scales registered in accordance with the scheme’s terms and conditions may be used and weights must be submitted between March 8, 2019, and November 1, 2019,” the spokesperson concluded.