Year four of the five-year Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) started on July 1, and weighing cow-calf pars is a core action of this scheme, making up 20% of the yearly farmer payment.

The deadline to submit SCEP weights in the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) database is 5:30pm on November 1, annually. Weights must be submitted within seven days of recording.

The requirement is to weigh the cow and calf on the same day, for which the calf must be over 50 days-of-age and not yet weaned from its dam.

The ideal time to weigh is when the majority of calves are in the 5 to 8-month stage. Calves should be weighed before they are weaned.

SCEP participants must weigh at least 80% of eligible animals born on the holding of the yearly reference number in each scheme year and their dams and submit these weights to the ICBF.

The table below details the optimum time to weigh weanlings, according to the ICBF:

According to the rules and regulations of the scheme, each live calf must be un-weaned and weighed with its dam on the applicants' holding on the same day.

Where a calf dies before 5 months-of-age or its dam, this must be recorded on the Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) and the 80% does not include such a pair.

All calves being submitted for weighing must be in the ownership and possession of the applicant since birth and maintained on the holding.

Only registered scales used in accordance with the requirements of the scheme may be used for the purpose of this programme.

Scales can be rented through 100 depots spread across the country in co-ops, marts, and FRS offices. Scales rented through the Cattle Weighing Scales Rental Service are automatically linked to a farmers' herd.