The TAMS Dairy Equipment Scheme (DES) has opened for applications as part of the phased opening of TAMS III.

The DES received a cut-back on eligible items in the transition from TAMS II to TAMS III, with investments such as dairy structures and a limit of 10 units for new milking parlour investments part of the slimmed-down TAMS III DES.

The DES will cover investments in milk cooling and storage, with internal and external bulk tanks/milk silos eligible, as are ice banks and plate coolers.

Investments in water heater equipment, as well as back up PTO generators, are also eligible, as well as ICAR certified milk meters.

Investment

As previously mentioned, no building work such as stall work, mangers or feeders are grant eligible under DES.

The investment in cluster units (for herringbone-style parlours only) will include the wash line, milk line, vacuum line, vacuum pump, milk pump, pulsators, clusters, swing-over arms, milk indicator, automatic cluster removers, milk filter and vacuum regulator.

Investments in rotary parlours will not be eligible for any grant aid.

Robotic milking machine units are also grant aid-able, with their investment also covering the buffer tank, milk cooler and feeder associated with them. The installation of auto wash units for conventional parlours is also listed under DES.