Irish Hereford Prime has launched a new restructured breed bonus scheme that will come into effect in September. Irish Hereford Prime is a promotional company that markets Hereford beef.

At a joint farm walk held with ABP in Monaghan this week, farmers got a taster of what’s to change under the new restructure. There will be two new pillars added onto the current breed bonus of an existing 10c/kg which will increase the possible bonus up to 20c/kg for eligible cattle. The two new pillars will add 5c/kg each onto the current breed bonus and are both optional for farmers to select.

Under the new breed bonus when the 20c/kg is paid on top of a potential 20c/kg farmers can avail of under the ABP Advantage Beef Program and 20c/kg paid under Board Bia bonus it is an additional 60c/kg in bonuses paid on top of beef price for cattle killed on the grid that week. On a 300kg carcass that is an additional €180/head when all bonuses are included.

Sustainability Pillar

The Sustainability pillar will add 5c/kg to qualifying cattle and what farmers are required to completed is signing up to AgNav completing a whole farm sustainability program and selecting three qualifying actions from over 53 possible actions. Some of the actions farmers are eligible to select are Low emission slurry spreading (LESS), reduced age of finish or Improve Dairy Beed Index (DBI) of beef sires. Actions must be completed by 2029.

Genetics Pillar

The Genetics Pillar is relative to each individual animal and will add a further 5c/kg to the price paid to farmers for eligible cattle. From its restructure in September 2026 cattle must have a Hereford sire recorded or be Genotyped. Building on this, from 2028 to qualify for the bonus cattle must have a minimum Commercial Beef Value (CBV) of €100. In 2029 these cattle will be required to have their CBV verified and only cattle with a verified Genotype will be eligible for the Genetics bonus of 5c/kg.

Standard Breed Bonus

The standard bonus of 10c/kg that is currently paid will remain the same, with the new restructure offering farmers an additional 5c/kg to 10c/kg bonus. The current requirements are farmer’s must be approved under the Sustainable Beef and lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS), it is payable on Hereford Steers and heifers with a carcass weight of between 240kg up to 380kg grading O= or better and a fat score of between 2+ to 4+.

Cattle must not have more the four farm moves and spent a minimum of 70 days on a Board Bia Quality Assured farms and over 60 days on the presenting farm prior to slaughter.