In-spec bonus payment
I have had queries from farmers in the last few weeks around factory payment of the in-spec bonus on cattle.
The questions are around where an animal has been brought to a mart and returns back to its original holding that day unsold, does this count as a movement in terms of qualifying for the in-spec bonus.
The criteria to obtain the 20 cent/kg in-spec bonus payment are listed below:
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 12 cent/kg bonus is payable on O- or 4+ grading cattle provided below conditions are met. Steers and heifers are under 30 months.Steers and heifers must have been on an SBLAS approved farm 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. Since an animal returned unsold from a mart is not deemed a residency 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.
Water
With temperatures set to soar next weekend and into the following week make sure that your water supply is up to scratch and that all drinking troughs are able to cope with increased demand.
A spring calving suckler cow and calf can drink between 50-60 litres of water daily, and as temperatures rise water intakes will increase more.
During very hot periods of weather try and check on cattle twice daily, as if cattle are out of water for some time they will get very agitated.
Troughs should be cleaned out in advance as any debris will reduce the water capacity available. Dirty water will also be less palatable to cattle.
Try and have animals, especially young calves, in fields where there is some shelter from the sun. Young calves can sometimes find it more difficult to regulate their temperatures in very hot or very cold weather.
BEEP Dates
I’ve had some enquiries around meal feeding in the BEEP scheme. 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 of Agriculture will have the date of sale and will be able to work back 6 weeks from this date to look for meal dockets. Meal must be purchased from a Department of Agriculture approved meal stockist, which can be found at www.agriculture.gov.ie.
Table 1 above provides important dates for meal feeding, weaning and selling.
In-spec bonus payment
I have had queries from farmers in the last few weeks around factory payment of the in-spec bonus on cattle.
The questions are around where an animal has been brought to a mart and returns back to its original holding that day unsold, does this count as a movement in terms of qualifying for the in-spec bonus.
The criteria to obtain the 20 cent/kg in-spec bonus payment are listed below:
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 12 cent/kg bonus is payable on O- or 4+ grading cattle provided below conditions are met. Steers and heifers are under 30 months.Steers and heifers must have been on an SBLAS approved farm 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. Since an animal returned unsold from a mart is not deemed a residency 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.
Water
With temperatures set to soar next weekend and into the following week make sure that your water supply is up to scratch and that all drinking troughs are able to cope with increased demand.
A spring calving suckler cow and calf can drink between 50-60 litres of water daily, and as temperatures rise water intakes will increase more.
During very hot periods of weather try and check on cattle twice daily, as if cattle are out of water for some time they will get very agitated.
Troughs should be cleaned out in advance as any debris will reduce the water capacity available. Dirty water will also be less palatable to cattle.
Try and have animals, especially young calves, in fields where there is some shelter from the sun. Young calves can sometimes find it more difficult to regulate their temperatures in very hot or very cold weather.
BEEP Dates
I’ve had some enquiries around meal feeding in the BEEP scheme. 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 of Agriculture will have the date of sale and will be able to work back 6 weeks from this date to look for meal dockets. Meal must be purchased from a Department of Agriculture approved meal stockist, which can be found at www.agriculture.gov.ie.
Table 1 above provides important dates for meal feeding, weaning and selling.
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