Over 27,000 farmers had signed up for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP-S) by the closing date of 15 May this year. The scheme offers a maximum payment of up to €90/cow for the first 10 cows in the herd, with a payment of €80/cow available for subsequent cows up to a maximum of 100 cows/herd.
The payment is made up of three components:
Weight recording of both cow and calf and submitting weights to ICBF. This is a compulsory measure. Payment rate is €50 per cow/calf unit for the first 10 cows and €40 per cow/calf unit for every cow/calf pair after this, up to a maximum of 100 cow/calf units. There were two options for the second action. Farmers either selected meal feeding pre- and post-weaning or vaccination of calves for respiratory diseases (pneumonia). This action carries a payment of €30/calf.The third action was optional and qualifies for an additional payment of €10/cow for faecal egg testing or dung sampling cows to control liver fluke.Over the next three weeks, we will go through – step by step – what farmers need to do to make sure they meet the requirements set out in the scheme’s terms and conditions.
Action 1 – Weighing
This is compulsory. All cow/calf units must be weighed on the applicant’s holding, on the same day. Cattle cannot be weighed on someone else’s farm or in a mart.
This weighing must be carried out prior to the calves being weaned. This means any autumn-born calves that are close to being weaned need to be weighed in the coming weeks.
The ideal time for weighing is when calves are between 150 and 250 days old. However, ICBF will notify herds suggesting a four week window for weighing to best suit your herd, depending on the birthdates of calves.
To be eligible for payment, calves must be:
Born in the herd of application between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020.Of a beef-bred bull, however the sire does not have to be purebred. In the ownership and possession of the applicant since birth and maintained on the holding.Alive at the time of weighing.Tagged and registered with the department within 27 days of birth.Once weighed, it is important to submit the data to ICBF. Weights can be automatically submitted at the time of weighing using the ICBF weight recording mobile app, or submitted online by logging on to your ICBF account at ICBF.com. If you do not know your login details, you can email query@icbf.com, call 023-882 0452, or text PASS to 089-457 7663.
A paper copy of the weight recording sheet is also available from your ICBF account, should you want it. Alternatively, a paper copy can be ordered directly from ICBF in advance of weight recording. Once completed, this sheet must be posted to ICBF.
It is important to note that whether filling out a paper copy or submitting weights online, all data must be submitted to ICBF within seven days of the weighing.
There is no point going to the trouble of weighing cattle and then leaving the data sitting on a piece of paper in the jeep for a few weeks. Make the effort to sit down and submit the weights once back in the house to avoid any issues.
Weigh scales
Weights must be recorded using a registered weighing scales. You have two options here – use your own scales, or to rent or borrow a third party scales.
If you were in the BEEP scheme in 2019 and registered your own scales, then this should be listed when you log in to submit weights – however, there will now be an S in front of the reference number to denote this year’s scheme.
A list of providers of scales for rent can be found by going to the ICBF website and clicking on the BEEP-S button. A rental cost of €50/day will apply.
You can also use a neighbour’s or friend’s scales, but they must be used on your holding and will still need to be registered prior to submitting any weight records.
Where this option is used, the owner of the scales will be contacted to confirm that the scales were given for weight recording.
All weights must be submitted by 1 November 2020. Note that this means that calves born this June will need to be weighed and weights submitted prior to this date.
Over 27,000 farmers had signed up for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Suckler (BEEP-S) by the closing date of 15 May this year. The scheme offers a maximum payment of up to €90/cow for the first 10 cows in the herd, with a payment of €80/cow available for subsequent cows up to a maximum of 100 cows/herd.
The payment is made up of three components:
Weight recording of both cow and calf and submitting weights to ICBF. This is a compulsory measure. Payment rate is €50 per cow/calf unit for the first 10 cows and €40 per cow/calf unit for every cow/calf pair after this, up to a maximum of 100 cow/calf units. There were two options for the second action. Farmers either selected meal feeding pre- and post-weaning or vaccination of calves for respiratory diseases (pneumonia). This action carries a payment of €30/calf.The third action was optional and qualifies for an additional payment of €10/cow for faecal egg testing or dung sampling cows to control liver fluke.Over the next three weeks, we will go through – step by step – what farmers need to do to make sure they meet the requirements set out in the scheme’s terms and conditions.
Action 1 – Weighing
This is compulsory. All cow/calf units must be weighed on the applicant’s holding, on the same day. Cattle cannot be weighed on someone else’s farm or in a mart.
This weighing must be carried out prior to the calves being weaned. This means any autumn-born calves that are close to being weaned need to be weighed in the coming weeks.
The ideal time for weighing is when calves are between 150 and 250 days old. However, ICBF will notify herds suggesting a four week window for weighing to best suit your herd, depending on the birthdates of calves.
To be eligible for payment, calves must be:
Born in the herd of application between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020.Of a beef-bred bull, however the sire does not have to be purebred. In the ownership and possession of the applicant since birth and maintained on the holding.Alive at the time of weighing.Tagged and registered with the department within 27 days of birth.Once weighed, it is important to submit the data to ICBF. Weights can be automatically submitted at the time of weighing using the ICBF weight recording mobile app, or submitted online by logging on to your ICBF account at ICBF.com. If you do not know your login details, you can email query@icbf.com, call 023-882 0452, or text PASS to 089-457 7663.
A paper copy of the weight recording sheet is also available from your ICBF account, should you want it. Alternatively, a paper copy can be ordered directly from ICBF in advance of weight recording. Once completed, this sheet must be posted to ICBF.
It is important to note that whether filling out a paper copy or submitting weights online, all data must be submitted to ICBF within seven days of the weighing.
There is no point going to the trouble of weighing cattle and then leaving the data sitting on a piece of paper in the jeep for a few weeks. Make the effort to sit down and submit the weights once back in the house to avoid any issues.
Weigh scales
Weights must be recorded using a registered weighing scales. You have two options here – use your own scales, or to rent or borrow a third party scales.
If you were in the BEEP scheme in 2019 and registered your own scales, then this should be listed when you log in to submit weights – however, there will now be an S in front of the reference number to denote this year’s scheme.
A list of providers of scales for rent can be found by going to the ICBF website and clicking on the BEEP-S button. A rental cost of €50/day will apply.
You can also use a neighbour’s or friend’s scales, but they must be used on your holding and will still need to be registered prior to submitting any weight records.
Where this option is used, the owner of the scales will be contacted to confirm that the scales were given for weight recording.
All weights must be submitted by 1 November 2020. Note that this means that calves born this June will need to be weighed and weights submitted prior to this date.
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