The €20/calf payment for farmers rearing calves from the dairy herd for beef production is expected to return this year.

Farmers who were rearing calves in 2023 were eligible for a €20/calf payment for a maximum of 50 calves for meeting the criteria of the National Dairy Beef Welfare Scheme (NDBWS).

Last year (2024), that payment was not available to farmers who reared calves and was instead paid to the dairy farmers producing calves.

An increase in funding secured in Budget 2025 will see the payment return to farmers rearing calves, according to the Irish Farmers' Association's (IFA's) Livestock Committee Chairman Declan Hanrahan.

Agriland understands that dairy farmers producing calves sired from a genotyped 3/4/5 star sire on the Dairy Beef Index (DBI) and on the Beef Sub-Index of the DBI, will also remain eligible for payments they received last year under the scheme.

It is understood farmers rearing calves this year will be eligible for a payment of €20/eligible calf for a maximum of 50 calves.

A total of €4 million was allocated to the initiative in Budget 2025, meaning 200,000 dairy-beef calves will be eligible for the payment.

It is understood that dairy farmers who opt to rear their own dairy-beef calves will also be eligible for the payment and where availing of the breeding and the rearing incentive, could claim up to €40/calf payment up to a maximum of 50 calves.

In order to receive payment, it is expected that farmers will be required to keep the calf for a set minimum period of time and also record the weight of the calf within an agreed age range.

Speaking to Agriland, the IFA livestock chair said that he expects the scheme to open to farmers in the coming weeks.

Hanrahan said: "The IFA has been seeking a €100/calf payment for the farmer who is rearing the calf with no upper limit on the number of calves each farmer is eligible for payment on."

He acknowledged that an additional €4 million had been secured in Budget 2025 and that this is expected to be made available to farmers rearing calves with a weight recording measure expected to be included in order for calves to be eligible for payment.