Farmers participating in the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme (SCEP) have been reminded to review their annual reference number before the deadline this week (Thursday, February 12).

The powerful weanling trade evident in 2025 has helped boost confidence amongst suckler farmers and is helping to steady the suckler cow decline.

Despite this, there are some herds participating in SCEP that are now calving significantly fewer cows than they were at the start of SCEP.

A SCEP herds' annual reference number will dictate the scheme requirements for that herd.

All SCEP herds must return genomic samples for 70% and calve at least 50% of their reference number each year. For herds that have reduced cow numbers, this could be an issue.

For example, a herd with a reference number of 30 but has reduced the number of cows calving to 18:

70% genotyping requirement = 21 animals.
Number of new calves born = 18 (assuming all calves are born alive and there are no twins.
If all other animals in the herd are already genotyped, this herd will be short three genotype samples.

Herds reducing cow numbers have the option of reducing their annual reference number by up to 20%/year.

Alternatively, farmers can purchase in ungenotyped beef-sired animals if they have a deficit for SCEP to make up their genotyping requirement.

The herd in the example above with a reference number of 30, could reduce their reference number down to 24 this year.

This would reduce the herd’s genotyping requirement to 16 animals (70% of 24 and rounded down = 16).

Where herds have other ungenotyped beef animals in the herd, these can be used to meet the genotyping requirement.

However, most SCEP herds now have all their adult animals genotyped and are depending on new-born calves each year to meet their SCEP genotyping requirement.

Financial impact

While reducing a herd’s annual reference number will also reduce the SCEP payment, the herd will end up with an even lower payment if it receives a penalty for not meeting the genotyping requirement.

Again using the example of a herd with a reference number of 30 but now calving 18 cows so only has 18/21 genotype samples to return:

Gross annual SCEP payment at 30 animals = €4,275
Payment reduction/penalty for not meeting genotyping requirement:
Herd loses 20% of gross payment for genotyping
Plus, another 40% penalty on that element of the payment
This equates to a 28% loss of the gross SCEP payment
28% of €4275 = €1,197
Herd will also have to pay back the cost of genotyping the 18 samples to DAFM (18 x €18 = €324)
Herd will end up with a net payment of €2754 (€4,275 - €1,197 - €324 = €2754)

Compare this with the payment if the same herd reduced its annual reference number to 24, therefore reducing its genotyping requirement to 16 samples:

Gross annual SCEP payment at 24 animals = €3,555;
Genotyping requirement = 16 animals;
Net payment (after cost of 16 genotypes deducted) = €3,267.

This herd will be €513 better off by reducing its annual reference number than it would be by maintaining its maximum reference number, not having enough animals to genotype and incurring penalties/deductions.

A herd’s annual reference number can be amended on agfood.ie.

Agents can also do this where their clients cannot access their Agfood account.

The deadline to make amendments is 23:59 on Thursday (February 12).