Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1189. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of suckler cows here on 31 December 2017 by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1128/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Figures taken from my Department's Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system on 31/12/17 give the following breakdown of the national suckler herd:

A suckler cow is defined as beef/beef cross female that was over 18 months on 31 December 2017 and is registered as the Dam of a calf.

My Department provides a number of supports to the suckler herd. A range of direct payments and grant schemes provide vital income and investment support to the suckler sector, including BPS, ANC, GLAS and TAMS. The Beef Data and Genomics Programme (BDGP) is the main support specifically targeted for the suckler sector, which will provide Irish beef farmers with some €300 million in funding over the current Rural Development Programme period. Last year I reopened the BDGP programme for new entrants, reflecting the success of this programme, which targets both the environmental footprint and the profitability of suckler farming through improving the genetic merit in participating herds.