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The Irish Farmers Journal understands that the Department of Agriculture has received around 20,000 applications from suckler farmers for the Beef Environmental Efficiency Pilot (BEEP) programme.
A surge of last-minute applications were made on the closing date of Friday 22 February.
Average
It is understood that the average number of suckler cows per applicant is 25 cows.
Figures from the Department of Agriculture showed that farmers had applied for the scheme for 270,000 cows by last Wednesday.
It is understood that figure increased to close to 500,000 cows before the scheme closed to farmers.
If confirmed as eligible by the Department of Agriculture, the 20,000 applications would see the full €20m fund distributed to farmers who fulfil the weighing requirements of the scheme.
Extension
The IFA has called for an extension to the scheme closing date, citing a very short application period of three weeks.
IFA livestock chair Angus Woods said it was "critical that the full €20m that was allocated to the programme was spent".
He said: "The minister should leave the application process open until Friday 1 March to achieve this."
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