A total of €5.98m in Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme payments are on their way out to 9,175 farmers participating in the scheme, Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has announced.
The payment run is paying out on 299,839 calves born in 2025, a 17.4% jump in the number of calves that had qualified for payment last year.
The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme is included in the CAP strategic plan to provide support to dairy farmers to use better beef genetics on dairy cows not earmarked for producing replacement heifers.
“The issuing of payments under the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme supports both dairy and beef farmers who recognise the benefits from the greater integration of the beef and dairy herds that this scheme supports,” the Minister said.
Applications
“The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme will reopen for applications in April 2026 for new applicants, but farmers who applied in 2024 or 2025 do not need to reapply as their participation in the scheme will automatically continue.”
The scheme pays out €20/calf up to a maximum of 50 head per applicant.
The Department of Agriculture has said that payments will be visible in farmers' bank accounts in the coming days.
Those wishing to contact the Department with enquiries relating to their Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme payments can ring the direct payments helpline at 057-867 4422 or email dairybeef@agriculture.gov.ie.