A significant percentage of mid-season lamb producers partaking in the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) and purchasing in replacements have developed a system of selling cull ewes at the same time as replacement ewe hoggets are purchased.

With grass supplies depleted or at a very low level, there is more pressure on this year to move cull ewes earlier. This is leading to farmers who previously did not encounter any issues now questioning the consequences of selling ewes before replacements are in place, while others worst affected are slowly weighing up temporarily reducing numbers.

There are a number of elements worth considering.

The 2018 payment is based on the lesser of a farmer’s SWS reference number or the number of ewes entered on the 2017 sheep census. This is also the retention number that farmers must abide by for 2018.

Reference number

The Department advises that there is no issue with farmers deciding to reduce their reference number at any stage of the scheme. For example, a farmer with a reference number of 250 ewes can decide to reduce numbers to 200 ewes with this becoming the rate on which payment will be based on for 2018.

There is an option of increasing at a later date for subsequent scheme years.

The Department must be notified of the change and this can be done by sending a letter outlining the change in numbers to the Sheep Welfare Scheme section, DAFM, Government Offices, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, or by sending an email to sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie.

The number of ewes upon which payment is based for 2019 is the lesser of a farmer’s reference number or the number of ewes (over 12 months of age) entered in the 2018 sheep census. This is also the minimum retention number farmers must possess for 2019 to receive full payment.

Queries

There have also been queries on what the potential risk of failing to notify the Department of a reduction in numbers may be. The Department advises that if an inspection occurs and a shortfall is identified, then a penalty will be applied. The penalty is twice the shortfall number. For example, in the case above, the penalty would be payment for 100 ewes.

Special dispensation may apply where numbers have been reduced due to certified animal welfare reasons.