The Beef Welfare Scheme pays per calf for things a good suckler farmer is largely doing anyway. One action is compulsory; the other two are optional and simply add to the rate.
Quick facts
- Closing date
- 17.00 on 23 September 2026
- Action 1 — meal feeding
- Mandatory · up to €35 per calf
- Action 2 — vaccination
- Optional · up to €15 per calf
- Action 3 — faecal or forage testing
- Optional · up to €25 per calf
- Maximum
- 45 eligible calves
- Paid from
- December 2026
Who can apply
Five conditions, and the second one catches people out.
"are aged eighteen years or over on the date of submission of the application for participation ."
"are the holder of an active herd number with Herd Owner Status. Herd Keeper is not acceptable." — Herd Keeper status is not enough, and that is a distinction plenty of farms have never had to think about.
"are farming a holding in respect of which a Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) Application is submitted in 2026 to the Department."
"are a suckler beef farmer i.e. have eligible calves born to eligible suckler cows in the period 1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026."
And you must be an Active Farmer as defined in the Terms and Conditions.
The three actions
Action 1 — meal feeding. Mandatory. "Participants must introduce meal feeding for a period of 4 weeks pre-weaning and 2 weeks post-weaning to reduce the stress on calves at weaning time." "Action 1 – Meal Feeding (Mandatory): The rate of payment is up to €35 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves."
Action 2 — vaccination. Optional. "If action 2, vaccination, is selected at application stage, participants must implement a vaccination programme against clostridial diseases and / or calf pneumonia and / or Bluetongue in suckler animals and record details of the vaccination." "Action 2 – Vaccination (Optional): The rate of payment is up to €15 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves."
Action 3 — faecal or forage testing. Optional. You must "carry out two (2) faecal tests (with a minimum of four (4) weeks between each test) for specified parasites and submit for testing" and "take three (3) forage samples and submit for testing." "Action 3 – Faecal Testing / Forage Testing (Optional): The rate of payment is up to €25 per eligible calf up to a maximum of 45 eligible calves."
The optional actions are selected at application stage, not later — if you leave them out of the form you cannot add them by doing the work.
Applying, and when you are paid
"Applications must be made on www.myagfood.ie" and "The closing date for applications is 17.00:00hrs on 23 September 2026."
"Payments will commence to cleared cases in December 2026." So the work happens over the season and the money arrives at the end of the year.
This page is an outline. The Terms and Conditions carry the full rules, including the definition of an Active Farmer and of an eligible suckler cow, and you should read them before relying on any of it.
Common questions
How much is the Beef Welfare Scheme 2026 worth?
Up to €35 per eligible calf for the mandatory meal feeding action, plus up to €15 per calf if you select vaccination and up to €25 per calf if you select faecal or forage testing. Each action is capped at 45 eligible calves.
When does the Beef Welfare Scheme 2026 close?
The closing date for applications is 17.00 on 23 September 2026, and applications are made on myagfood.ie.
Is Herd Keeper status enough?
No. You must be the holder of an active herd number with Herd Owner Status — gov.ie states that Herd Keeper is not acceptable.
Which calves count?
Eligible calves born to eligible suckler cows in the period 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026, on a holding for which a 2026 BISS application has been submitted.
Do I have to do all three actions?
No. Meal feeding is mandatory. Vaccination and faecal or forage testing are optional, but they must be selected at application stage — you cannot add them later by doing the work.
When will I be paid?
Payments commence to cleared cases in December 2026.