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16 March 2022

BEEP S – Time to Apply

BEEP S - Time to Apply


This week sees the launch of the 2022 BEEP S. With calving and lambing it is a busy time on farms and the admin side of the house can often get neglected. So make a note to log on to your agfood.ie account and consider applying for this years BEEP S. Aidan Murray, Teagasc Beef Specialist has more

You can apply for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme – Sucklers (Beep S) if you:

  • Are the owner of an active herd number with Herd Owner status
  • Submit a Basic Payment Scheme application in 2022
  • had suckler calves born in your herd between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022
  • agree to complete what is known as the “mandatory action” Weighing action of the suckler cow and her calf

If you were in BEEP-S in 2020 and or 2021, you must apply again this year to be in the scheme for 2022.

Application Period

Application period is open to midnight on 25th April. Late applications that are submitted after this date will be subjected to a reduced payment and the late application facility will finally close on May 20th, 2022.

Application method: Online using Agfood.ie 

What animals are eligible?

All suckler calves (beef sire x beef dam) born from 1st Jul 2021 – 30th June 2022 and their dams. Calves must be weighed before they are weaned. Cows and calves must be weighed on the same day. Qualifying cow & calf units whose weights are recorded on the ICBF Database will be eligible for payment.

Basic Requirements

  • All beef calves weighed must be born between 1st July 2021 and 30th June 2022
  • Unweaned live calf and their dam must be weighed on the same day.
  • Only registered scales can be used
  • Weights must be taken between 1st January and 1st November 2022.

What Scales can I use?

You have two options available for weighing. 

  1. You can rent a set of scales from an approved field service agent ie participating mart/co-op. Scales can be rented out for a daily charge and a facility will be available to book scales centrally. More details will be available on www.icbf.com
  2. Use owned/borrowed scales. All owned/borrowed scales must be pre-registered before weighing. ICBF will make a Tab available on their website to allow participants register their scales. Manufacturing details, indicator model and serial number will be required. Once registered each scales will be issued with a unique BEEP scales registration number. 

Please note that animals (cows and calves) must be weighed individually. Group weighing is not permitted.

Weighing of the cow and unweaned calf is the Mandatory action of the Scheme. The number of eligible cow/calf units weighed will determine the overall rate of payment and qualifies you for payment of the optional measures listed below.

Optional Actions

You can get an extra payment if you carry out optional welfare actions.

Optional action 1 – Vaccination or Meal Feeding

Meal Feeding

Introduce meal feeding for a period of 4 weeks pre-weaning and 2 weeks postweaning, to reduce the stress on calves at weaning time and record the action. Calves must be supplemented with compound feeding stuffs containing appropriate minerals and vitamins.

Or

Vaccination

Implement a Vaccination programme for respiratory diseases in suckler calves for respiratory diseases and record details of vaccination. Participants should carefully read Annex 3 of the terms and conditions for further details on this action.

Optional action 2 – Faecal Egg Testing  (sample go to Approved DAFM Lab)

Faecal Egg Testing is targeted at the control of Liver and Rumen Fluke in adult suckler cows. Samples must be taken and submitted to DAFM approved laboratories before 03 October 2022.

Rates of Payment

  • Mandatory action (for first 10 weighings)         €50
  • Mandatory action (for weighings 11-100)         €40
  • Optional action 1                                                  €30
  • Optional action 2                                                  €10

Have a listen to The Beef Edge podcast below where Aidan Murray discusses BEEP-S 

 

For more episodes from the Beef Edge podcast, visit the show page at: www.teagasc.ie/thebeefedge

Further information

All details of this Programme can be accessed on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine website here 

The Teagasc Beef Specialists issue an article on a topic of interest to Suckler and Beef farmers every Wednesday here on Teagasc Daily.  Find more on Teagasc Beef here  Teagasc provides a Local Advisory and Education service to farmers. Find your local Teagasc office here