Farmers in Mayo to get payments through national dairy scheme

More than 200 farmers in Mayo have begun receiving payments under the National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme 2025, with funding totalling €89,480 now issued, Minister of State Alan Dillon TD has confirmed.

The scheme, designed to strengthen links between Ireland’s dairy and beef sectors, has begun distributing over €4.09 million nationwide to 8,153 participating farmers, supporting 204,739 calves.

 “This funding announcement underlines our commitment to backing beef and dairy farmers in Mayo with practical schemes delivering real value for families. Minister Dillon said. “Farmers are responding positively because these measures make a tangible difference to herd management and farm incomes.”

Dillon welcomed confirmation from Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon that payments are now flowing under the scheme, which forms part of a broader package of supports for beef producers.

“The National Dairy Beef Weighing Scheme helps to support decision making on farms through better quality data on herd performance and to increase the economic and environmental efficiency of the beef from the dairy herd, and to facilitate further the integration of the dairy and beef sectors by providing support for farmers who are rearing progeny from the dairy herd.”

The core requirement for participation was the weighing of eligible calves by 1 November 2025, with a payment rate of €20 per calf. Similar to the National Beef Welfare Scheme and the National Sheep Welfare Scheme, the programme was oversubscribed.

More than 305,000 calves were weighed by the deadline across 8,381 herds, with 26% of those herds weighing more than 50 calves. Dillon said the strong uptake reflects the “real value farmers see in having this weighing data for calves.”

As a result of the oversubscription of the scheme in the order of €1.4 million, the maximum number payable under the scheme has been reduced to 31 calves.

Dillon outlined the importance of timely payments to the sector, adding that processing supports “at the earliest possible opportunity remains a key priority.” He also confirmed that a further €4 million has been allocated for the scheme in 2026.