BEEP-S: Farmers who have not already applied to the new BEEP scheme need to apply before 15 May 2020. Applications must be completed through the Department’s agfood online facility by the farmer themselves or an agent acting on their behalf.

Just because you joined BEEP last year doesn’t mean you have applied this year and you need to make another new application in 2020.

The payment rate is €90/cow for the first 10 cows and €80/cow for the next 90, pending the completion of a number of simple actions. Calves born between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020 are eligible for payment. The weight recording element of the scheme is mandatory and a cow-calf pair will not receive payment on other actions if weighing is not completed.

For farmers thinking of selling July-August-born calves, it’s important to weigh both the cow and calf on the same day. It’s very important that scales are registered beforehand on the ICBF website. Check online via your HerdPlus account before you weigh any animals. If scales are not registered, the weighing will not count for payment.

Farmers will need to keep the records of meal purchases to prove meal was purchased for four weeks pre-weaning and two weeks post-weaning. Records also need to be kept of the pneumonia vaccination purchase for payment under this measure.

Finishing cattle: I have heard of a number of farmers who have been penalised very heavily for out-of-spec stock in the last two weeks. Factories seem to have been going extremely hard on anything overweight or over 30 months.

Take a look at your system and see can you tweak it in any way over the next few weeks. Are there cattle that you can delay finishing?

The likelihood is that when the current crisis is over, demand will be high again for all types of stock. At the moment, demand for beef, especially steaks and hindquarter cuts, is at an all-time low and this is being reflected in the weekly beef quotes. At current beef prices, beef finishers are losing over €200/head, so delaying the kill date could be looked at. Feed costs at grass are a lot lower compared to feeding indoor finishing on meal so it could be an option on some farms.

For cows it’s a definite option. With prices heading for €2.30/kg, cows should be let out to grass until the manufacturing trade returns to normal business.

If you are killing cattle, make sure you know where you stand with regard to weights and prices. Ask for a full breakdown of prices for different classes of stock including heavy animals.

A few farmers contacted me in the last few days very unhappy with the kill out and grading of cattle. You need to get the kill sheet as soon as possible after slaughter and go back to the factory straight away to get this sorted. Going back a week later will mean that the carcases have moved out of the chill and won’t be able to be checked.