Genetics and sustainability lift beef bonuses to 20c/kg
Getting the full bonuses will depend on meeting breed, genetics and sustainability requirements.
Farmers have been urged to carry out the groundwork now which will earn them bonuses of up to 20c/kg on qualifying beef cattle in the Certified Irish Angus and Irish Hereford Prime bonus schemes.
The schemes were amended in September. The existing 10c/kg breed bonus remains, but farmers can earn a further 5c/kg for genetics and 5c/kg for farm sustainability.
Teagasc DairyBeef 500 adviser Gordon Peppard said some of the requirements to earn the bonuses will become more demanding from 2028, with further verification requirements from 2029. “Therefore, breeding, purchasing and farm management decisions made today can influence eligibility for the bonus in the years ahead.”
Getting the full bonuses will depend on meeting breed, genetics and sustainability requirements.
The existing 10c/kg breed bonus remains the foundation of the schemes. Cattle must continue to meet the relevant programme requirements relating to quality assurance, farm residency and carcase specification.
A further 5c/kg genetics bonus is being made available on qualifying cattle where the sire is recorded, or the animal has been genotyped. Farmers can check individual animal eligibility through their ICBF profile.
From 2028, commercial beef value (CBV) requirements will apply, with genotype verification required from 2029.
Farmers should check the specific CBV requirements applying to the breed programme they are supplying, as there may be slight differences between schemes.
Mr Peppard outlined the decisions for farmers breeding or purchasing Angus and Hereford cattle, and aiming to earn the genetics bonus.
They should select bulls with suitable genetic merit to meet the requirements, and ensure sire information is accurately recorded.
They should establish the sire and genetic background when purchasing calves, where possible, and consider genotyping, where it provides greater certainty around parentage and genetic information.
Also on offer in the schemes is a sustainability bonus of 5c/kg, but this applies to the farm, rather than individual animals.
Farmers can earn it by registering on AgNav, completing a farm sustainability plan, and selecting three sustainability actions.
Potential actions include low-emission slurry spreading, incorporating clover, reducing chemical nitrogen use, and reducing age at slaughter.
The selected actions must be achievable on the farm, and capable of being implemented and demonstrated under the scheme requirements.
The full requirements for a 20c bonus apply from 2029, and farmers should start planning now, said Mr Peppard.
The certified Irish Angus scheme operates in partnership with ABP Ireland and Kepak.
The Irish Hereford Prime operates in partnership with ABP Ireland.
Other key requirements include no more than four farm residencies at the time of slaughter, at least 70 days’ residency on a quality assured farm, and at least 60 days on the farm presenting the animal for slaughter.
The target carcase weights in the schemes are 240–380kg, with conformation from O= to U+, and fat score from 2+ to 4+.
Farmers should monitor these criteria as cattle approach slaughter, to ensure they meet the requirements to gain the standard 10c/kg bonus.
On a 300kg carcase, a 20c/kg bonus is worth €60/head. If you slaughter 50 animals per year, the full bonus is worth an additional €3,000.
