Suckler farmers can get a 50% higher payment per calf in the 2025 National Beef Welfare Scheme, which is now open.

Farmers can claim €75 per eligible calf providing they complete three actions.

The new optional action for 2025 is to choose either forage testing or faecal egg testing.

In addition, the number of eligible calves for payment has risen from 40 to 45 this year.

As a result, the maximum payment per herd is now €3,375, compared to €2,000 in 2024.

Meal feeding remains a mandatory action in the scheme, with a €35/head payment on offer. Pneumonia or clostridial vaccination remains a voluntary action, paying €15/head.

They are joined now by the new second voluntary action, silage testing or faecal egg testing, worth €25/calf.

Calves deemed eligible for payment are those born between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025.

Payments

The closing date for applications to the scheme is Wednesday 24 September, with payments expected to commence in December.

Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon said the scheme, with an increased budget of €28m this year, “reaffirms the Government’s ongoing support for the sector”.

The scheme proved popular last year, with the number of farmers applying increasing by over 7,000 to 23,720 herds.