A variety of suckler schemes over the past number of years (BEEP-S, BEAM and BDGP) are all now finished as CAP 2023, with its array of newly baptised schemes, comes into force.

At a spring breeding event in Mayo-Sligo Mart last Tuesday, Teagasc adviser Alan Nolan talked through what we know about the new Suckler Cow Efficiency Programme (SCEP) scheme so far.

Much like the BDGP scheme was initially planned for, SCEP is to run over five years and is effectively the BDGP replacement.

Farmers will have to commit for this five-year programme, with Nolan urging farmers thinking of exiting suckling or handing over the farm to the next generation to err on the side of caution as clawbacks and penalties will be enforced.

A €256m pot of money will be used to fund the scheme over its lifetime, with a mid-March opening date and 15 May closing date expected.

Farmers can apply themselves online through the Ag Food website, with the scheme open to all suckler farmers, irrespective of whether they were in BDGP. The scheme is being labelled as an environmental scheme, with the financial support to be used to improve the environmental sustainability of herds.

Applicants must be over 18 years of age and have an active herd number. In a somewhat controversial move, all applicants will be required to be a member of the Suckler Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) from Bord Bia.

The data collected from this will replace the carbon navigator that was in the BDGP scheme, while Nolan also reiterated to farmers that they must remain a member of SBLAS for the duration of the scheme.

Farmers must calve down 50% of their reference number each year. Reference numbers will be calculated by a farmer choosing three years of cow numbers between 2015 and 2022, with the average of the three chosen years set as the reference number.

Alternatively, farmers can choose a number lower than this if they have reduced cow numbers.

Training

Much like BDGP, farmers must take part in a one-day training course that will cover the main criteria of the scheme, while a half-day mandatory animal handling course is a new addition.

In much the same way as BDGP, SCEP will focus heavily on genotyping, star ratings and data recording.

For years one and two, 80% of calves must be sired by a four- or five-star stock/AI bull on either the terminal or maternal index, with this figure rising to 85% for years three and four, and 90% for year five.

Stock bulls on the farm are not required to be four- or five-star like they were in BDGP.

The Department’s focus will be on the percentage of calves born to four- or five-star sires.

Nolan warned farmers to take caution when buying in in-calf animals as they may or may not be served with a qualifying bull and could cause farmers to be penalised.

Leeway is expected with this figure in year one (2023) as cows have already been served to potentially non-qualifying sires.

Star-rated animals

The rising percentage of star-rated animals feeds through into females as well.

Farmers will be required to have 50% of their reference number of cows having four or five stars on the maternal index for years one and two, with this figure rising to 65% for years three and four to finish at 75% in year five.

Females must be genotyped and over 18 months of age to qualify, with a requirement for the required percentage to remain on farm for the respective year, as opposed to the 31 October deadline that was in BDGP.