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There have been 112 new entrants to the Sheep Welfare Scheme (SWS) ahead of its third year.
The scheme offers a payment of €10/ewe for the completion of two actions, such as scanning or mineral supplementation.
New entrants are farmers who applied for a flock number in 2018 or those with existing flock numbers who have not held sheep for two years prior to November 2018.
Applications for year three of the scheme closed on 1 February 2019.
A total of 18,622 farmer have enrolled, accounting for 1.63m breeding ewes. Despite the new entrants, this is a drop on the 18,785 farmers who participated in 2018.
Since 2017, 1,239 farmers have withdrawn from the scheme.
Last year's participants have so far received 85% of their payments worth €15.3m. Balancing payments of €2.7m are due to issue shortly.
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