SCEP Scheme

Isn't that terrible rubbish.

What difference does it make what weight they are 😤

can I ask when did you weight them ?

Oh I 100% agree but what's the point in doing it a second time for them

I had the same last year, they seem to be doing it a lot more now. He went and checked NGP calves that were supposed to have 3 tags at the time too when he was there.

A lot getting paid in this country to do nothing, every day, every week, every month, every year

There’s a lot of money to be made in farming as long as you’re not a farmer!!

I was just counting up the amount of times I need to handle a calf now with all these extra schemes added:

Calving if assistance needed during labour, standing and feeding.

NGP - Tagging

Dehorning

BWS - Vaccination - Two injections given 4-6 weeks apart

SCEP - Weighing Cow and Calf

Dosing for Parasites - Varies a lot depending on the year but always once housed 2 weeks

Castrating if not keeping them as bulls

Shaving at housing

SCEP - Genotype tagging calves if not in NGP

Then along with that you’ve the meal feeding before weaning(BWS), dung samples(BWS) weaning and housing while also ensuring the cow herself is put back in calf(AI or bull). There’s a lot of handling involved when rearing sucklers and I was thinking last week how some of my older neighbours are managing.

edit - I forgot about the TB test. That’s two more days of handling and stresses the herd out worse than anything. And an extra 3 tests over the next year if you go down and pass the 3. That’s not counting the cows scanning, housing, shaving, hoof pairing, dosing, bolus etc that goes with reading suckler calves. And the unfortunate vet visit for sick or lame animals.

They dont have to be in calf. What's his reference number, only need a % of 4/5 star and again only a % of them have to calf