Performance Grants Update – October 2010

Thursday 28 October 2010

A TOTAL of 111 Livestock Programme Performance Grant applications came in to the NWDA at the end of September for Round 6, 92 were from Animal Health Plans, 10 Nutrient Management Plans and nine Resource Audits.

Out of these only two were rejected (for ineligible items, such as straw choppers) and a third was deferred for resubmission having had one of the three items applied for rejected due to having a very quick pay back on the item.

Grants continue to come in for such items as cow cubicles and mattresses (from animal health plans), roofing over manure stores and dirty yards (from nutrient management plans), and heat recovery and energy efficient bulk tanks (resource effieincy audits).

But this month successful grant applications were also seen for a large rainwater recycling system (resource efficiency) and a milk pasteuriser - as a disease prevention measure for calves - (animal health).

Approximately £613k of grant was offered this time (Round 6).

For further information on Performance Grants and contact details CLICK HERE

Closing Date for Round 7

The closing date for the next round of grant applications (Round 7) is 31st December 2010 (the final round closes on 31st December 2012).

Programme to date (Up to 11/10/10 - before Round 6)

One to one work

Around 1100 NW farmers have registered for animal health & welfare planning, working with their own vet and a farm adviser. 59% are dairy plans, 18% sheep, 22% beef, 1% pigs and poultry.

Around 550 farms are registered for nutrient management planning, and 320 for resource efficiency auditing. 50% of these are dairy farms.

Performance Grants

Over 1000 packs have been sent out.

Over 360 applications have been considered by the panel, a small number of which have been turned down or invited to resubmit due to ineligibility or lack of evidence. 312 have been from Dairy farms.

Grants offered after 5 rounds Claimed to date

AHW 263 £1,611,965

RE 42 £253,481

NM 51 £344,077

Total 356 £2,209,523 £598,382

These comprise: - 74 Cheshire, 194 Cumbria, 84 Lancashire, 1 Greater Manchester, 3 Merseyside.

Types of project

AHW projects have included: back-flush systems, heat detection, comfort mattresses and cubicles, specialist handling systems, specialist calf feeders.

NM projects include covering middens and silage pits, slurry aerators, and separators.

RE projects have included heat recovery systems, solar panels, plate coolers, and a wind turbine.

Knowledge Transfer and Networking

The dedicated Northwest livestock website www.livestocknw.co.uk has had circa 9000 returning visits, half of which are returning visitors. Around 720 NW farmers have formally registered with the site for technical updates through the e-newsletter..

The 6 monitor farms comprise 3 beef / sheep and 3 dairy. They are all up and running. They are now working through their Business Improvement Plans with their farmer groups, their vets and advisers, and EFFP, Eblex or DairyCo.

Demonstration events have covered a range of topics e.g. mastitis control, EID, slurry handling. So far, at these events, there have been around 2220 attendees.