Sheep Scan and Welfare Scheme

Runswithfeet

Am in the Sheep Welfare Scheme and cannot recall from last year.Getting ewes scanned tomorrow.Do you just get a receipt from the Scanner man with number of ewes scanned on it?

Or do you need the lamb result from the scan on the receipt as well?
Don't think you do.
Many thanks for any replies.

thelegend1979

My scanner just wrote a receipt with the number of ewes scanned. He said i didnt need the results on receipt.

Siamsa Sessions

Same here - receipt has just the no. of ewes scanned. But I have the details written down of the results.

You’re supposed to feed the ewes based on results too as far as I know, or have a feed plan to show for inspection anyway

Sheep breeder

Just need scanning cert and write the numbers in the book and how they are to be managed,

Runswithfeet

Thanks for the replies,I will take note of how each ewe scans,

one other small question,seem to remember that it says somewhere that scanning couldn't begin till into February 2017? ....surely that did not make sense as plenty of people would have their scanning done well before February.
Or am I picking up wrong on that date thing?

Again thanks for any replies.

wrangler

Runswithfeet wrote: »

Thanks for the replies,I will take note of how each ewe scans,

one other small question,seem to remember that it says somewhere that scanning couldn't begin till into February 2017? ....surely that did not make sense as plenty of people would have their scanning done well before February.
Or am I picking up wrong on that date thing?

Again thanks for any replies.

If you're scanning this month, it's for your 2017 sheep welfare records

Runswithfeet

So when you say if your scanning this month it’s for 2017 records,I got paid (as I’m sure lots of others did ) for 2017 without having the scanning done for 2017 at the time...in others words last years scan counted for nothing as a measure?....still a bit confused.

Don’t have a very big flock,about 40 ewes but got them scanned today and happy with results,averaging about 1.7 including 3 dry on count.

Ard_MC

Runswithfeet wrote: »

So when you say if your scanning this month it’s for 2017 records,I got paid (as I’m sure lots of others did ) for 2017 without having the scanning done for 2017 at the time...in others words last years scan counted for nothing as a measure?....still a bit confused.

Don’t have a very big flock,about 40 ewes but got them scanned today and happy with results,averaging about 1.7 including 3 dry on count.

I think the scheme official start date is feb 17. So if u scanned jan 17 its counted for 17. Ur first scannin results is jan 18 for scheme.

wrangler

This is from the departments own website...Frequently asked questions.

Q. When does the scheme commence or what is the year of operation? If I scanned in January 2017, will that satisfy the requirement for scanning for year 1?
A. The scheme year runs from 1 Feb to 31 January. Scanning before this in 2017 will not count in Year 1. In your instance, scanning in January 2018 will satisfy your requirement for year 1.

wrangler

Runswithfeet wrote: »

So when you say if your scanning this month it’s for 2017 records,I got paid (as I’m sure lots of others did ) for 2017 without having the scanning done for 2017 at the time...in others words last years scan counted for nothing as a measure?....still a bit confused.

Don’t have a very big flock,about 40 ewes but got them scanned today and happy with results,averaging about 1.7 including 3 dry on count.

Yea. confusing alright, they pay out because they know that they can deduct any over payment next year

Sheep breeder

Runswithfeet wrote: »

So when you say if your scanning this month it’s for 2017 records,I got paid (as I’m sure lots of others did ) for 2017 without having the scanning done for 2017 at the time...in others words last years scan counted for nothing as a measure?....still a bit confused.

Don’t have a very big flock,about 40 ewes but got them scanned today and happy with results,averaging about 1.7 including 3 dry on count.

You have being paid 85% of the money so far and the scheme only started from the first feb 2017 and this is the scanning for 2017 scheme and next spring will be the scanning for 2018 scheme. You could get an inspection or request to send in the book to complete to get the rest of the payment.

Cran

Anyone hear when the online option will be up and running in agfood?

White Clover

Hi lads, just got back into sheep last year. Can I apply for this or am I excluded. TIA

thelegend1979

Link online now

Lambman

Got a text today about it for opting in or out for next year... the ewes I got paid for last year I only got paid for half a them as I had no ewes in my name the first reference year so they must off halfed it till give them an average over the 2 years... anyways I'm running 8x the amount as I got paid for last year. Is there anyway I can increase my payment?

thelegend1979

Afraid not. im getting paid for 36 ewes even tho ive increased flock to 90 and up to 125 next year. Im sure if the scheme continues after 5 years they will use a more recent reference year.

Lambman

Even tho I do wat I'm down in the scheme for scanning and minerals pre mating it's hardly worth my wile for the extra paperwork and giving them another reason for an inspection... i know it's hard till make money and some might think it's easy money but it's not worth the heartache.

thelegend1979

I know what your saying. With my increase in numbers the scheme is costing me money with boluses etc . My flock would be well looked after anyway. Scanned better last year.

Lambman

Yea and if ur only getting paid for say 10 but have 100 now are u expected till show receipts for the 100 or just the 10? Scanned better last year myself a lot better got same treatment this year same rams aswell... I'm blaming the bad weather at tupping time.

thelegend1979

Scan dropped from 2 to 1.85 this year. 0 empty last year and 4 empty this year. All good young sheep. They were all raddled just the once so it looked like they reabsorbed embryos. As far as im aware you just have to follow the rules for the number of sheep thats your reference for the scheme.

wrangler

thelegend1979 wrote: »

Afraid not. im getting paid for 36 ewes even tho ive increased flock to 90 and up to 125 next year. Im sure if the scheme continues after 5 years they will use a more recent reference year.

The budget can't be exceeded and they based it on 2.5m sheep so that's the only way it'll change .ie if there's enough getting out of sheep.
I think the budget was all used this year.....

Lambman

Mines dropped much the same only not as high as your scanning % I'd be calling 1.85 good... I've a few emptys I'll scan them again tho with the ewe lambs as there mostly hoggets.

Lambman

Mines dropped much the same only not as high as your scanning % I'd be calling 1.85 good... I've a few emptys I'll scan them again tho with the ewe lambs as there mostly hoggets.

Lambman

Mines dropped much the same only not as high as your scanning % I'd be calling 1.85 good... I've a few emptys I'll scan them again tho with the ewe lambs as there mostly hoggets.

thelegend1979

Strange how i had 33 hoggets that scanned 62 lambs which i was delighted with. It was 2 year old ewes that reared couples last year that seemed to slip this year. As you said prob weather related as rams didnt go out til late october.

wrangler

thelegend1979 wrote: »

Strange how i had 33 hoggets that scanned 62 lambs which i was delighted with. It was 2 year old ewes that reared couples last year that seemed to slip this year. As you said prob weather related as rams didnt go out til late october.

Do you mean the two year olds lambed when they were a year old.
We find if you put them in lamb as lambs, any that have doubles have to be fed well after weaning to have doubles again.

thelegend1979

Sorry they lambed as 2 year olds and are 3 year olds now. Werent bred as yearlings.

wrangler

thelegend1979 wrote: »

Sorry they lambed as 2 year olds and are 3 year olds now. Werent bred as yearlings.

You'd expect them to be at their peak alright so,

thelegend1979

For sure. All homebred ewes with very prolific genes. Weaned nice and early. They might have had it too good grass wise during the autumn.

thelegend1979

As lambman said still a very good scan so im not gonna dwell too much on it.

Lambman

Reason I said I think it was weather related is because I was looking through the doubles and trebles the other day and noticed most were the mules and hilltex ewes (hardy ewes) compared till the suffolk crosses which scanned mostly singles. Might just be a notion till me. Still a good scanning you had I scanned 1.83 last year no emptys and I was over the moon had a lot of trebles last year more doubles this year so hopefully even I scanned lower I'll still have the same % lambs weaned per ewe.

thelegend1979

Now that you mention it it was suffolk cross ewes that scanned with singles for me too. The rest were more crossbred type sheep.

J.O. Farmer

Cran wrote: »

Anyone hear when the online option will be up and running in agfood?

Got a text today which said

Year
2 of Sheep Welfare Scheme is now open for renewal/withdrawal. Please
return your form, or apply online at agfood.ie.To optout freetext STOP to 50777

So going by that it should be up but I haven't logged in yet.

wrangler

thelegend1979 wrote: »

Now that you mention it it was suffolk cross ewes that scanned with singles for me too. The rest were more crossbred type sheep.

Suffolk wouldn't be good for prolificacy

Lambman

Yea I know wrangler but I bought 12 last year as hoggets tipped them and scanned with 30 lambs belive it or not and the same 6 scanned with 10 this year same ram aswell. What would you put it down till? Grass quality was probably behind this year aswell with the bad year.

thelegend1979

Il keep that in mind Wrangler. A good bit of border leicester genetics in flock so i thought they would be ok. Any opinion on milford ewes??

Ard_MC

Anyone having trouble with the welfare link on the website? Its not working for me. Think post might be safest option?!

Lambman

Ard_MC wrote: »

Anyone having trouble with the welfare link on the website? Its not working for me. Think post might be safest option?!

Yep filled out the forms there.

Siamsa Sessions

I got an error message when I tried the link today.

Tis poor management from Dept telling everyone you can do something online but it’s still not possible weeks later.

Why not just be honest with the people and advise them to post in the forms? There’d be much less frustration all round.

early_riser

Done mine online this evening no problem, straight forward enough just thick boxes

Siamsa Sessions

Tried again just now and getting the same error:

"Null Pointer Exception occurred in the application"

adam14

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Tried again just now and getting the same error:

"Null Pointer Exception occurred in the application"

Same error here.

wrangler

Applied online with no problem here

Aravo

Can you change your options each year or do you have to stick with the original ones.

thelegend1979

You have to stick with original

tom_k

Logged in and confirmed continuance in scheme without any hassle there.

The fact that the system immediately generates a downloadable confirmation letter is a step in the right direction, in my opinion.

Green farmer

Siamsa Sessions wrote: »

Tried again just now and getting the same error:

"Null Pointer Exception occurred in the application"

Tried doing mine and same message coming up. Waiting on call back from dept

Green farmer

Green farmer wrote: »

Tried doing mine and same message coming up. Waiting on call back from dept

Rang the dept in Portlaois today. They told me it can’t be done online. They are sending me out a paper form to send back bu registered post. I told her several people I know to have done it online. She said maybe they were new into the scheme and I was just continuing to year 2 in the scheme and this might be the reason. I was left confused.

early_riser

Green farmer wrote: »

Rang the dept in Portlaois today. They told me it can’t be done online. They are sending me out a paper form to send back bu registered post. I told her several people I know to have done it online. She said maybe they were new into the scheme and I was just continuing to year 2 in the scheme and this might be the reason. I was left confused.

Strange alright. Two to be done in this house, my own and fathers, and i done both online no problem atall both continuing into year 2

jd06

early_riser wrote:

Strange alright. Two to be done in this house, my own and fathers, and i done both online no problem atall both continuing into year 2

Same here

Green farmer

Found out it’s a IT glitch effecting people who are joint applicants. Will have to submit by paper.