Additional calving detail must be added to database by this date

Farmers who are applying to the Beef Efficiency Scheme (BES) are being reminded of the upcoming deadline of 7 February for recording calving information.

The scheme, which is aimed at making the Scottish beef herd more efficient, requires farmers and crofters applying to upload information to the ScotEID database at certain intervals.

The deadline requires participating farmers to complete calving information for calves born between 2 June 2016 and 31 December 2016. The data required ranges from calving ease to the vigour of the calf in the first 24 hours.

Farmers are also being reminded that a calf must be weighed at least once before it reaches 400 days old, and this weight must be entered in to scotEID before the calf is 415 days old, otherwise farmers may find be in breach of scheme requirements. Weights from a mart can be used provided a calf is under 400 days at the time of sale.

Commenting on the upcoming deadline NFU Scotland Livestock Committee Chairman Charlie Adam said: “Calving data must be entered onto the ScotEID system by farmers participating in the BES before the 7 February deadline.

“It is also important that farmers upload their weight data to the ScotEID system in a timely manner, before calves reach 400 days old, to avoid being in breach of the scheme requirements.”

Notes to Editors

• The deadline for entering calving data for calves born between 2 June 2016 and 31 December 2016 is 7 February 2017.     Full guidance for the BES is available here: https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/beef-efficiency-scheme/beef-efficiency-scheme-full-guidance/
• Participating farmers and crofters must weigh their calves within their first 400 days, and have 15 working days thereafter to enter weight data on to the system.

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Contact Ruth McClean on 0131 472 4108