The Climate Change Advisory Council (CCAC) has called on beef factories to review and change its beef grid system of cattle payments to incentivise farmers to slaughter cattle at a younger age.

The council has urged meat processors to “reconfigure the carcase specification bonus payment scheme” in order to favour animals finished at an earlier age.

It said that the current payment system is not fully aligned with the targets set out in the Climate Action Plan.

Meat Industry Ireland (MII) told the Irish Farmers Journal it believes “one of the best ways to achieve earlier finishing is for the Government to work with farmers to achieve targeted improvements in the rearing of calves, through resourcing schemes”.

MII said it “stands ready to work with the Government in a meaningful way to deliver on their climate targets, but this can only be achieved with Exchequer support”.