Farmers have applied for €140m worth of milking equipment since the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS) was introduced in 2015.

There has been a massive jump in the number of rotary parlours being applied for through the scheme, with a total of 74 applications in the past five years. Last year, farmers applied for 27 rotary parlours, more than five times the 2015 number.

With an average of a 44-unit rotary parlour, this would put the reference cost of each rotary at approximately €209,000 excluding VAT. This is worth approximately €15.5m in rotaries if all projects are completed.

360 robotic milking machines have been applied for through the scheme worth approximately €39.3m based on a reference cost of €109,250 excluding VAT, per robot

There has also been a large increase in the number of robotic milking machines being applied for.

Approximately 90 robots have been applied for in each of the last three years, with 45 applications in 2015.

In total, 360 robotic milking machines have been applied for through the scheme worth approximately €39.3m based on a reference cost of €109,250 excluding VAT, per robot.

Conventional parlour

Applications for conventional parlours are still surging ahead of both robots and rotaries, with 2,289 applications for conventional parlours through TAMS. Nearly 22% of the applications (500) for conventional parlours came from Co Cork alone.

With a standard 12-unit parlour having a reference cost of €35,834 excluding VAT, it would mean total applications are worth at least €82m.