Farm health and safety reminder for Kilkeny from Teagasc

Spreading and spraying hazards

Spraying and fertiliser and slurry spreading are high-risk jobs. With fertiliser, always operate the machine controls from the tractor seat or another safely designed position. Watch out for trap zones, possible collapse of heavy loads and prevent musculoskeletal injury.

Use and store pesticides safely. For slurry handling, always pick a windy day, open all doors and outlets, and keep all persons away when agitating and handling slurry. Take care when working around slurry tank openings and cover when not in use. Make sure that the power drives of all machines are fully covered. Always stay clear of moving parts.

Pay particular attention to the safety of persons in farmyards and roadways, to prevent knockdowns.

April is also the month to get ready for silage pit filling. Overfilling and excessive pit heights have become an increasing safety issue.

BEEF Schemes

BEEP-S

Earn €80-€90 per cow/calf pair. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) announced a new Beef Environmental Efficiency Programme (BEEP) scheme for suckler farmers (BEEP-S) last month.

Applications

Applications are open until 23:59 on April 26, 2021 and can be submitted online through your DAFM Agfood account or by your advisor. Calves born in the herd of the applicant between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 will be eligible for payment in the programme if various actions are completed by you.

Weighing of the cow and unweaned calf on the same day is mandatory.

Consult with your local advisor for further details and optional measures.

Dairy beef calf

The DAFM has announced the opening of a new and pioneering dairy beef calf measure for 2021.

The core action is the weighing of eligible calves, for which there is a payment of €20 per calf up to a maximum of 20 calves. You must weigh a minimum of five eligible calves and submit the weights to the ICBF.

All weights should be submitted within seven days of weighing and before November 1, 2021. Only ICBF registered scales can be used and they can be rented, owned or borrowed from a third party.

Eligible calves: a male calf of a dairy breed; and, a male or female calf of a beef breed sire born to a dairy breed dam in your herd.

These eligible calves must have been in your herd for at least 10 days before weighing and born on or after January 1, 2021. Calves must be at least 12 weeks old at the time of weighing.

Applications are open until 23:59 on April 26, 2021 and can be submitted online through your DAFM Agfood account.