The Irish Farmers Journal understands that grant aid for underpasses, farm roadways and automated heat detection aids is being drawn up by the Department of Agriculture in its new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS), set to be announced in the coming weeks.

It is expected that grant aid for new milking equipment will be limited to a maximum of 10 milking units.

Teagasc recommends that no more than nine rows of cows should be milked in a parlour, meaning the new grants will only be applicable for farmers with around 90 cows. Additional units may be installed but won’t be grant-aided.

The move to grant aid underpasses will be welcomed by many farmers that are currently having to cross public roads with livestock.