National Beef Welfare Scheme dates: I’ve had some enquiries around meal feeding in the National Beef Welfare Scheme. While the terms and conditions or application forms are not available yet, the criteria around meal feeding is expected to stay the same in 2025.

You don’t need to notify the Department of Agriculture when you intend to start meal feeding or when you are weaning calves. You do need to keep a record of when you started meal feeding and when you weaned calves.

If you get an inspection, you need to provide the inspector with evidence that you have been meal feeding for the required number of weeks around weaning.

Meal feeding must commence four weeks before weaning and continue for two weeks after weaning. If you are selling weanlings the Department will have the date of sale and will be able to work back six weeks from this date to look for meal dockets.

Meal must be purchased from a Department-approved meal stockist. A list of these can be found at agriculture.gov.ie. Keep an eye out as the scheme is expected to open for applications very soon with all applications having to be completed online. Table 1 outlines some example dates to reference by.

In-spec bonus payment: There are always questions at this time of year about the criteria and conditions that need to be met in order to get the 20c/kg in-spec bonus when slaughtering cattle. The criteria to obtain the payment are:

  • The bonus is payable on steers and heifers with the grades of O= or better on conformation and from 2+ to 4= on fat. A 12c/kg bonus is payable on O- or 4+ grading cattle provided below conditions are met.
  • Bullocks and heifers are under 30 months.
  • Bullocks and heifers must have been on an SBLAS-approved farm(s) for at least 70 days continuously prior to slaughter.
  • Cattle must have been a minimum of 60 days on the last SBLAS farm.
  • Cattle must have a maximum of four farm residencies.

    • Different factories can have different criteria but the above is the standard. Some factories have been flexible around the 70-day residency period, but this is down to the individual factory you are dealing with.

    There should be no issue taking an animal to a mart, not selling and still obtaining the in-spec bonus once other conditions have been met.

    Scanning: For any suckler farmers that finish up calving in March, scanning can be completed at any time from now on. Cull cows are a very good trade in marts at the moment and cows in general are in good condition after a pretty good summer in most parts. Scanning operators can pick up pregnancies from 30 days, so don’t delay and book in your scan now to see what you have in calf.