National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme Benefits Over 200 Mayo Farmers

Over 200 farmers in Mayo are receiving funds through the National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme 2025, with a total of €89,480 allocated to the region. This scheme is part of a larger nationwide initiative dispersing over €4.09 million to 8,153 farmers, which supports the weighing of 204,739 calves. Minister of State Alan Dillon TD confirmed these figures, highlighting the scheme's role in bolstering the relationship between Ireland's dairy and beef sectors.

The scheme's main requirement involved the weighing of eligible calves by November 1, 2025, offering a payment of €20 per calf. The initiative, similar to the National Beef Welfare Scheme and the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, was oversubscribed, leading to a reduction in the maximum number of calves payable per herd to 31. More than 305,000 calves were weighed by the deadline across 8,381 herds, with 26% of these herds weighing more than 50 calves. This strong participation rate underscores the value farmers place on the data obtained through this process.

Minister Dillon also emphasized the importance of timely payments and mentioned that an additional €4 million has been earmarked for the scheme in 2026. He noted that processing supports promptly is a priority to benefit farm incomes and herd management efficiently.

The program aims to enhance decision-making on farms by providing reliable data on herd performance and improving the economic and environmental efficiency of beef production from the dairy herd.