Over 9,000 farmers to share €5.98m in Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme payments

Payments of €20 per eligible calf (up to a maximum of 50 calves per applicant herd) will be made to eligible participants

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026 - 16:14

Zoe Geary

In total, over €5.98m in payments for the CAP Strategic Plan Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme have commenced for year two of the scheme.

The scheme payments will be issued to some 9,175 participating farmers, supporting 299,839 dairy beef calves. This payment represents a 17.4% increase in the number of calves supported in scheme year one.

The scheme provides support to dairy farmers to improve the animal health and welfare of the national dairy herd by using better genetic merit beef sires.

This is the second year of the scheme as part of the CAP Strategic Plan, with payments issued in respect of eligible calves born on applicants’ holdings between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025.

Minister Heydon commented: “The issuing of payments under the Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme supports both dairy and beef farmers who recognise the benefits from the greater integration of the beef and dairy herds that this scheme supports.

“The Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme will reopen for applications in April 2026 for new applicants, but farmers who applied in 2024 or 2025 do not need to reapply as their participation in the scheme will automatically continue,” he concluded.

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Payments of €20 per eligible calf (up to a maximum of 50 calves per applicant herd) will be made to eligible participants. These payments will be visible in farmers' bank accounts in the coming days.

County Cork has the largest number of total participants at 2,365, being part of the scheme set to receive a net amount of just over €1.5m.

County Tipperary has the second most participants set at 985, who will get over €717,000, and third most participants at 603 are in Co Limerick, who will have over €400,000 split between them.