Watch and listen: green light for new €10/ewe sheep scheme

The Animal Welfare Sheep Scheme was launched by Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Michael Creed in Kenmare mart, Co Kerry, on Monday. The scheme has been in the pipeline for a few months and following agreement with the European Commission will be introduced in January under Ireland’s Rural Development Programme.

The payment mechanism remains the same as previously outlined by the Department, with funding of up to €25m available annually over the four-year duration. This will allow payment of €10 per breeding ewe in a flock. There is no maximum number of breeding ewes for a flock as was the case under the Grassland Sheep Scheme.

However, the number of ewes receiving payment will be set on a historic figure of the average of breeding ewes entered into the sheep census return in 2014 and 2015. This mechanism is designed to ensure that sufficient funding is available over the lifetime of the scheme.

This average of 2014 and 2015 will set a reference number for each applicant on which payment will be based for the duration of the scheme. The yearly sheep census will be taken as the point in determining the number of ewes on a farm and payment for the following year (2016 sheep census used as the benchmark for 2017 payment).

If farmers increase flock numbers above the reference figure, they will still be paid the reference figure. However, if flock numbers fall below the reference figure in any sheep census year, payment will be based on the lower number.

Listen to interviews at the launch of the Sheep Welfare Scheme in our podcast below:

Listen to "New sheep scheme launched in Kenmare" on Spreaker.

For example, take a farmer with a reference figure of 120 ewes. They have 130 ewes entered into the sheep census in 2016, thereby securing the maximum payment for that farmer in 2018 of €1,200 (120 ewes x €10/ewe). Flock numbers reduce to 80 in the 2018 sheep census, meaning that payment for the 2019 scheme year reduces to €800 (80 x €10 per breeding ewe).

As such, the sheep census will be a vital component of the scheme and Minister Creed urges farmers to treat the census application seriously. This year’s census is now being circulated to flock owners registered on the Department’s database. The date for the census is Saturday 31 December, with the deadline for returning (by post or online through agfood.ie) set as 31 January 2017.

Young farmers/new entrants

The exception to the payment scenario outlined above is for new entrants. Minister Creed commented in his launch speech that he is particularly keen to provide young people or new entrants to the sector with help in getting established through measures such as TAMS grant aid and also access to the Animal Welfare Sheep Scheme. The Department has therefore made provision for new entrants to join where they do not have 2014/2015 ewe numbers on which to base a reference number.

Their definition of a new entrant is as follows: “A new entrant to this scheme is defined as an applicant who has applied for a new herd number from 1 January 2016 and before the closing date of the scheme in 2017 or an applicant with an existing herd number who has not held or traded in sheep for a two-year period up to 31 October preceding the scheme year.”

It is also thought there will be another exception to the above payment mechanism. This would allow payment rates to be increased for farmers participating in GLAS who are required as a condition of their commonage management plan or farm plan to increase the number of ewes to reach their individual minimum stocking level.

Application process

It is important to note that entry into the scheme is not automatic and interested farmers will have to complete an application form to join the scheme. The Department is getting ready to circulate application forms and terms and conditions of the scheme to those registered as keepers of sheep on their database. These are likely to arrive to farmers at the end of this week/start of next week. The deadline for receipt of applications is 31 January 2017, the same deadline as the sheep census. The department has also organised a series of information meetings which will take place during January. These are outlined in Table 1.

Scheme measures

The Animal Welfare Sheep Scheme is targeted in particular at reducing lamb mortality through a suite of measures. An outline of these has previously been viewed, with the only changes being the removal of the proposed measures of using a three-, four- or five-star rated ram and parentage recording. The inclusion of these measures was supported by the Department but unfortunately not approved at EU Commission level.

Under the scheme, farmers will have to choose two measures to improve the overall welfare of their flock. These differ, as detailed in Table 2, depending on whether a farmer is classified as a lowland or hill sheep producer. This is determined by the dominant breed of ewe in the flock – applicants with more than 50% lowland ewes must choose from the lowland options, while applicants with greater than 50% hill ewes must choose from the options laid out for hill flocks.

Farmers must select one category A measure and one category B measure and as outlined below left complete the measures at the appropriate timeframe for their flock to be eligible for payment. Some measures cross over both lowland and hill enterprises.

Lameness (lowland measure)

Participants must carry out a minimum of five lameness examinations per year at prescribed times and record the incidence of lameness in a workbook. The degree of lameness will also need to be scored, meaning sheep will need to be flocked to carry out this measure.

Control: It will be monitored by retaining documentation including records of examination (recording the incidence and scoring how bad it is) treatments administered and receipts of purchased treatments. DAFM inspectors may also visually assess the flock during an inspection.

Mineral supplementation of ewes (hill and lowland measure)

This is a measure for lowland and hill flocks. Participants selecting this measure will be required to supplement ewes post-mating with minerals. This is targeted at combating deficiencies in ewes which are linked to increased stillbirths and mortalities.

Control: It will be monitored by having records of mineral purchases and administration.

Meal feeding post-weaning (hill measure)

This option requires supplementation of lambs for four weeks post-weaning with a suitable ration. It is targeted at ensuring mineral deficiencies resulting from standard husbandry practices prior to weaning are corrected.

Control: Proof of purchase of feed is the main policing mechanism but inspectors can also inspect supplementary feeding points for evidence of feeding.

Parasite control (hill and lowland measure)

The parasite control measure covers both hill and lowland flocks but differs slightly across each. Lowland flocks must carry out a minimum of two faecal egg counts annually to establish the worm burden. For hill flocks, the measure requires carrying out one faecal egg count on lambs for the presence of worms between three and four weeks post-weaning or one faecal egg count on ewes for the presence of liver fluke.

Control: Policed by FEC lab results and records of any anthelmintics administered.

Flystrike (lowland measure)

Participants must incorporate a flystrike programme into management practices during high-risk months. Its focus is on mechanical control (dagging/crutching), which can occur in tandem with chemical (pour-on/dipping) control. These practices must be recorded along with recording the number of sheep with dags removed.

Control: Information on mechanical control must be recorded and retained along with dagging scores for the flock.

Scanning (hill & lowland measure)

This requires scanning ewes 80 days post ram turnout followed by marking, dividing and targeted feeding based on litter size. It may increase the number of management groups but will improve the welfare of ewes and lambs.

Control: Policed by retention of receipt from scanning operator.

Mineral supplementation of lambs (hill measure)

Hill farmers selecting this option must supplement lambs with minerals pre-weaning which will address mineral deficiencies.

Control: Controlled by proof of purchase of mineral supplements.

Patrick Doyle, Blackwater, Kenmare, Co Kerry & mart treasurer

It’s a very mountainous area here. It’s those mountainy sheep that you see here today. These light lambs don’t make huge money, only you need them to keep the hills right. We do the best we can, but we are limited in what we can produce. If you don’t have sheep on hills they are going to go totally wild and I think farmers need something to incentivise them to keep them up there.

John Harrington, Bawrs, Eyeries, Beara, Co Cork

It’s a good start and it’s like building bricks. We have something to work off now. €10 is nothing to be laughed at, especially in a difficult year like this. The type of sheep we have, Scotch bred, limit our returns. Crossbreds make more money but we have to have a certain amount of Scotch too and we are just not getting the money for them. Obviously you would like more but anything we get (in support), is all a help.