Over 6,400 farmers, or approximately 38% of participants in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP), have undertaken mandatory scheme training. Department of Agriculture figures show that 4,000 participants have fully completed their training online, with upwards of 2,400 actively completing training.

Under the terms and conditions of the scheme, all farmers must complete training by the deadline of 15 November 2024. The rate of participation has increased significantly over the last fortnight. It is expected that the majority of participants will complete their training online, with a small percentage attending in-person training events, which will be announced in due course.

Accessing training

To recap, the training can be accessed by entering www.sceptraining.ie into your web browser and can be completed on a desktop computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet. You will need an active email address for gaining access to the training. Upon logging in for the first time, participants will be asked to activate their account using their herd number and a pin supplied in the SCEP training letter received by post earlier this year. This information can also be accessed via your agfood.ie account.

You must create a password which should be recorded and retained in a safe place. This password and herd number will be used to login to the portal from then on. The pin is only used at the outset to activate your account. A guidance document is available on the Department’s website, with screenshots, step-by-step advice, etc, on activating and accessing your account.

The optimal web browsers to use, according to the Department, are Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge – where farmers are having issues on one browser, they’re advised to try another. Issues may be most prevalent where using Safari on an iPhone, iPad or other Apple device and, in such cases, it may be necessary to deactivate a setting on Safari to access full functionality of the training.

If you are having any technical difficulties with logging in to the training, please contact support@sceptraining.ie or 074-970-7756; or for general queries on the SCEP training or the SCEP programme, contact the Department’s helpdesk by phone at 057-867-4422, or by email at scep@agriculture.gov.ie.

SCEP weighing

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 weights to ICBF. Cows and calves must be weighed on the same day.

  • The weights must be recorded with ICBF no later than 5.30pm on 1 November 2024.
  • Calves must be aged over 50 days of age and not yet weaned from their dam.
  • The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation advise that the optimum timeframe to weigh is when the majority of calves are aged between five and eight months (150-250 days of age).
  • All calves being submitted for weighing must be in the ownership and possession of the applicant since birth and maintained on the holding.
  • They must be alive at the time of weighing.

    • Weighing options

    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 your herd (see https://www.icbf.com/the-weighing-scheme/).

    Owned or borrowed scales need to be registered on ICBF, if not already done so. The ICBF advises that if borrowing a scales, the ICBF scales reference number is required before any SCEP weighing forms can be posted to farmers.

    The borrowed scales reference number can also be logged online for farmers who wish to record their weight data online.

    If you have any queries on the SCEP programme or need to book a scales, please call 023-8832883 or email dafmschemes@icbf.com.