€4m dairy beef weighing measure to pay €20 per eligible calf

"This scheme will target farmers rearing dairy beef progeny from the dairy herd, whether they are dairy farmers rearing their own calves or non-dairy farmers rearing dairy beef calves. A successful dairy beef strategy will improve the resilience of the sector to future shocks, with additional benefits for calf health and welfare," he said.

Both dairy and beef farmers recognise advantages for both buyers and sellers in a scheme that provides a market outlet for dairy beef calves, as well as an alternative business option for beef farmers. 

"Both the national and CSP schemes are aligned with the 10-point plan to develop and support our growing dairy-beef sector, which was published by my department in March 2024. The primary objective of both schemes is to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of beef from the dairy herd. 

"While beef from the dairy herd contributes a growing proportion of national production, I will also continue to support suckler farming as a foundation block of Irish beef output.”

The 2025 National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme is a successor to similar schemes which operated in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and were aimed at providing a diversification option for beef farmers.

The scheme will complement the EU co-funded Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme funded under Ireland’s Cap Strategic Plan until 2027 with a budget of €25m. 

This scheme is a breeding measure which supports dairy farmers using genotyped and genetically superior beef sires for breeding dairy beef calves. Farmers who satisfy the scheme requirements receive a payment of €20 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 50 calves per holding.

In addition to the National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme announced on Wednesday, a sum of €28m was allocated in Budget 2025 for the operation of an exchequer-funded suckler beef scheme this year. Details of this scheme will be made available once the ongoing approval process has been finalised.

Participants in scheme, which will be implemented this year, will be required to weigh eligible calves and submit weight data to the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation. 

To qualify for payment, liveweight data must be submitted for a minimum of five calves in a herd and for a maximum of 50. All calves must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of weighing. 

Weight data should be submitted within seven days of weighing, with the final cut-off before November 1, 2025. Farmers will only be paid on the number of calves in respect of which they submit liveweight data.

Applications must be lodged online through agfood.ie before midnight on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Late applications will be accepted, subject to payment deductions, until midnight on Monday, June 9, 2025.

IFA livestock chair Declan Hanrahan said the scheme was a "step in the right direction".

“The challenges in retaining farmers in this production system are well-documented. If we are to have a long-term sustainable approach to rearing dairy beef calves, the level of direct support available to farmers must be built on to bring the payment to €100/calf reared,” he said.