The Department of Agriculture has been busy launching schemes under the new Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020.

The first to be launched in the past week was the new Knowledge Transfer Scheme for beef farmers to replace the previous beef discussion groups.

Following that was the Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) 2015 – 2020.

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The one that will generate the most debate amongst farmers will be the new Beef Data and Genomics Programme. From my initial reading of the terms and conditions I don’t see any requirement that will be too difficult to complete on this farm, but this is not easy money.

Recording of calving data and surveys were part of the previous suckler and beef data schemes, completed online via ICBF.

While the genotyping requirement looks high on first viewing, at 60% of the number of calved cows in 2014, the fact that samples may be selected from calves could make this task easier than tagging cows.

Would it make sense to take a sample from calves as part of the calf registration process? One ear notch for the BVD test and the other ear notch for genotype testing. I see no mention of the likely cost of this genotype test in the terms published by the department so far.

The bar is certainly set high in terms of the replacement strategy for breeding heifers and cows in the herd. I took a look at my current €urostar rating to see how many of the current herd would qualify.

Happily 50% of the current suckler cows would qualify while 60% of heifers earmarked for breeding are either 4 or 5 star on the replacement index.

In order that all farmers are able to reach the targets set, by breeding their own replacements through either artificial insemination or stock bulls, there is an onus on AI companies to only supply semen from bulls rated 4 or 5 star on the replacement index to their suckler farmer customers unless the farmer specifically requests otherwise.

Where I see a possible problem in the scheme is that there could be a shortage of 4 and 5 star heifers available for farmers to purchase to hit the targets set.

There can only ever be 40% of the national suckler herd rated either 4 or 5 star and farmers in the scheme will not want to dispose of their high value heifers. However, this may be an opportunity for some to increase the sales value of their surplus breeding heifers.

My other concern is that I see no provision to increase the payments to farmers who increase the size of their herd over the next six years. This is something that should be looked at, especially as there are so many new entrants and joint herd numbers being taken up at present.

While financial support for the suckler herd is required and welcome the result at the end of the programme must be a more profitable national suckler herd.