Grant or payment · Northern Ireland
Suckler Cow Scheme
Payment for suckler calvings that meet targets for age at first calving and calving interval. Part of the Beef Sustainability Package.
- From
- DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)
- How much
- £100 per eligible calving event (live, aborted or stillborn). Scheme year 2 (1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027): first calving between 21 and 32 months, or calving interval 271 to 405 days. Limit of 222,000 calving events a year across Northern Ireland, with a pro rata cut if exceeded.
- Who can apply
- Farm businesses with eligible beef breed heifers and cows that claim and are eligible for the Farm Sustainability Payment. Calves must be tagged, BVD tested and registered on NIFAIS.
- Opens
- 1 April 2026
- Closes
- 31 March 2027
What you’ll need
- DAERA Category 1 Farm Business ID
- Government Gateway or NI Direct (NIDA) login for DAERA Online Services
- Eligible for FSP
- Calvings recorded on NIFAIS
- Bank details held by DAERA
How to apply
- Opt in once online (opt in for the 2026 scheme year runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027)
- Use the DAERA Suckler Cow calculator to check target dates
- One payment for each scheme year issues after the year ends
Year 1 payments started on 25 June 2026. Targets tighten to 30 months and 395 days in 2027-28, and 29 months and 385 days in 2028-29. Farm Sustainability Standards penalties are deducted from this payment.
Similar schemes
- Farming with Nature Higher Scheme 2027 OpenDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 30 October 2026Interim invite-only scheme to keep favourable management of high-value farmland in designated sites and priority habitats between agri-environment schemes.
- Beef Carbon Reduction (BCR) Scheme Open all yearDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)Annual payment for clean beef cattle, born and bred in Northern Ireland and registered on NIFAIS, slaughtered at or below a falling maximum age. Part of the Beef Sustainability Package.
- CAFRE Themed Groups (B.E.E.F. finishing and suckler cow fertility) Open all yearCAFRE (College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise), part of DAERAShort-term CAFRE groups with mentoring, peer learning and KPIs, linked to the Beef Carbon Reduction and Suckler Cow schemes.
- Farm Sustainability Payment (FSP) 2027 Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 15 May 2027The second year of the Farm Sustainability Payment, claimed on the 2027 Single Application.
- Farming with Nature Landscape Projects Scheme Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) · Closes 4 December 2026Funding for groups of farmers and partners to deliver landscape-scale habitat and biodiversity projects that cannot be done on a single farm.
- Farming with Nature Protected Habitats and Species Scheme Coming soonDAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)Planned targeted agri-environment scheme for farmers managing designated sites and other priority habitats and species.
Checked against the official pages on 29 October 2026. Sources: 1, 2, 3. Always read the official page before you apply.