Defra calf housing grants open for applications
© Tim Scrivener Cattle keepers in England can now apply for their share of £10m to upgrade or build new calf house buildings to improve health and welfare for calves.
Defra grants of between £15,000 and £500,000 are now available for cattle keepers to co-fund calf housing infrastructure improvements.
The grants cover up to a maximum of 40% of the cost of the eligible costs of project, but farmers must fund the remainder.
See also: Defra unveils £10m funding pot for cattle shed upgrades
The Calf Housing for Health and Welfare grant aims to improves social contact (rearing calves in small groups) and the ambient environment.
This includes adequate ventilation, protection from draughts, and suitable temperature and humidity.
Beef farmers and calf rearers who buy and rear many calves from the dairy herd can also benefit from the co-funding on offer to either improve or replace existing calf rearing facilities.
Gwyn Jones, AHDB Dairy sector chairman and Animal Health and Welfare Board for England member, helped develop the grant with farmers, vets and other experts through co-design.
In a post on the Defra blog, he said: “Ensuring that calves grow and are fit and healthy is paramount for future prosperity of their farms.
“Dairy farmers also need to give their beef cross-calves the best start in life so that they are sold at maximum value and provide purchasing beef farmers with a healthy and thriving calf.”
The grants are being delivered by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of Defra as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to help deliver health and welfare priorities for the cattle sector.
Farmers can check whether they are eligible to apply for the grant on Gov.uk.
The RPA will assess all the applications and those who are successful will be invited to submit an ambient environment assessment.
The deadline for applications closes on 30 November 2023.