ICSA suckler chair Ger O’Brien has called on Minister McConalogue to extend the deadline for submitting dung samples under the BEEP-S Scheme. “This year the deadline for submitting dung samples to the laboratory for faecal egg count testing is 1 October – last year it was 1 November. We believe the decision to move this deadline forward was wrong, and we are now looking for additional time for farmers to meet this requirement.”

Mr O’Brien said, “Following a good grass growing season many farmers have yet to house cattle, after which is the natural time to collect dung samples. We are also receiving reports of labs being fully booked up, and farmers having difficulties finding a lab to take their samples. The logical move is to extend the deadline and allow farmers to complete all the elements required, and to benefit fully from the scheme.”

ENDS