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BEEP-S: What happens if you don’t register a calf in time?

The BEAM scheme together with the BEEP scheme introduced in 2019 provided €120 million financial assistance to farmers, writes Edward Webb, Soils & Environment Adviser, Teagasc Galway/Clare.

The BEEP-S Programme, with a funding provision of €35m in 2020, will target the weaning efficiency of suckler cows and calves, by measuring the live weight of the calf at weaning as a percentage of the cow’s live weight.

It also contains elements to improve the welfare of the cow at weaning and control liver fluke in the adult cow.  The BEEP-S is open to all suckler farmers and there is no obligation to be participating in either BDGP or BEEP 2019.

An eligible suckler cow shall mean a suckler cow which:

  • Belongs to a beef breed or is sired by a beef breed bull;
  • Is not a cow used to supply milk commercially;
  • Is part of a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production;
  • Rears a calf by suckling;
  • Is in the ownership and possession of the applicant and maintained on the holding;
  • Is properly tagged, registered and recorded in accordance with AIM rules;
  • Is inseminated either through natural service or AI, by a bull of a beef breed;
  • Gives birth to an eligible live calf, in the applicant’s herd, which is tagged and registered to that cow in accordance with EU Regulation 1760/2000.

An eligible calf shall mean a calf which:

  • Was born in the herd of the applicant between 1st July 2019 and 30th June 2020;
  • Belongs to a beef breed, i.e. is born out of an eligible suckler cow and sired by a beef breed bull;
  • Is part of a herd intended for rearing calves for meat production;
  • Is in the ownership and possession of the applicant since birth and maintained on the holding;
  • Calf must be alive at the time of weigh-in;
  • Has been tagged and registered with the Department’s Registration Agency, Clonakilty, Co. Cork within 27 days of birth in accordance with EU Regulation 1760/2000.

Failure to register a calf within 27 days of birth will result in the animal being ineligible for payment.

In order to secure the full payment, the farmer must undertake 3 actions in the scheme. Action 1 is compulsory, followed by Action 2 and 3 which are both optional.

Action 1: Weigh both the Cow and Calf separately – Compulsory:

Participants must weigh each unweaned calf and its dam and submit weights to ICBF within 7 days. The unweaned live calf and dam must be weighed on the applicant’s holding on the same day.  

Only scales registered and used in accordance with the requirements of Annex 1 may be employed for the purposes of this Programme.  Weights must be submitted between 01st January 2020 and the 1st of November 2020.

Action 2: Meal Feeding or Vaccination for Pneumonia – Optional:

There are two options within Action 2. You can only choose one and both carry the same payment. The first action involves meal feeding pre-weaning and post-weaning. Farmers must introduce meal feeding for a period of 4 weeks pre-weaning and 2 weeks post-weaning to reduce the stress on calves at weaning time.

The second action involves implementing a vaccination programme for respiratory diseases in suckler calves. Veterinary advice should be sought from your local vet for a suitable vaccination programme. Whatever option you choose, a record of all actions, be it meal feeding or vaccinations administered, must be kept.,

Action 3: Faecal Egg Testing of the Cow – Optional:

Cows should be placed in a clean pen and collect faecal samples from at least 10 different fresh faecal deposits and place them in 10 separate containers. The fresh samples must be submitted to an approved laboratory on or before 01st November 2020.

The filled containers of faeces should be stored in a plastic zip-lock bag and posted on the day of sampling or the following day at least. The samples are checked for liver and rumen fluke and the animals should be dosed accordingly.

The payment for the BEEP-S scheme can be summarized as follows:

Action 1 (Mandatory) – Weighing €50 for first 10 cow/calf pairs weighed
– €40 thereafter to a maximum of 100 
cow/calf pairs in total
Action 2 (Optional) – Can select one of
the following:
Meal feeding @ €30 per calf weighed
to a maximum of 100 calves.

or

Vaccination @€30 per calf weighed to 
a maximum of 100 calves.

Action 3 (Optional) – Can be selected
in addition to Action 1 and/or Action 2.
Faecal Egg Testing @ €10 per cow a 
maximum of 100. 

The application for the BEEP-S is online only and the closing date is Friday, 15th May 2020. Your Teagasc Adviser or Agricultural Agent can apply for you but you must authorize him/her to do so. This will entail responding to the text message received from the Department with DAFM Y (capital letters and space between DAFM and Y).

Joint Herd Numbers and Partnerships require a paper authorisation to be completed. This will delay the authorisation process and would require such farmers to get in contact with their Agriculture Adviser earlier to meet the deadline. Alternatively, the farmer can apply through their own Agfood account.

For further information on the Terms and Conditions and how to apply, please refer to https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/beep/ or contact your Agriculture Adviser for further information. Keep safe in these difficult times.

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