Written answers

Tuesday, 29 March 2022

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Agriculture Industry

Photo of Matt CarthyMatt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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855. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the targets for increasing the percentage of the suckler beef herd recording cow and calf weight in each of the years 2022 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15915/22]

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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At the outset, I want to reaffirm my commitment to the suckler and beef farmers. They are the backbone of huge parts of rural Ireland and drive a multi-billion euro sector.

Ireland's Climate Action Plan in 2021 includes an action to increase beef herd weight recording from 30% to 70% by 2030.

Weight recording was a mandatory measure in the BEEP-S schemes from 2019 to 2022. Participant feedback on the BEEP-S measure to date support the assertion that it has helped farmers recognise the benefits of weighing their animals and the data generated has been shown to have improved the accuracy of genetic evaluations. The BEEP-S scheme has demonstrated that the higher replacement index cows have a lower liveweight (circa 20 kg) than lower index cows but produce a heavier calf (circa 10 kg) at weaning.

Weight recording in the context of the measurement of weaning efficiency is one of a number of measures included in the proposed Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme aimed at improving the economic and environmental sustainability of beef production in Ireland through enhancing the genetic merit of national herd.

This proposed scheme is aimed at making a positive contribution towards supporting farm incomes in the suckler sector directly through the payments under the programme but also indirectly through increasing the efficiency of the animals supported by the scheme. The proposed scheme, as with all environmental measures under the CAP, will operate on a five-year contract. Participation is voluntary.

Further details on this draft scheme can be found here: www.gov.ie/en/publication/76026-common-agricultural-policy-cap-post-2020/

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