Defra have published guidance on new calf housing grants, which will be open for applications later this summer.
Cattle keepers will be able to access grants of between £15,000 and £500,000 to co-fund new and upgraded calf housing. In time, Defra will extend the offer to include grants for adult cattle, pig and poultry housing.
Initially the grant will be available for cattle keepers to co-fund calf housing that improves social contact and the ambient environment. This grant offers great welfare outcomes for the animals, but also means farmers will see a benefit to their bottom line through increased productivity.
This is also a timely opportunity to adapt calf housing and ensure it’s ready to meet the demands of extreme weather conditions and a changing climate. Through this grant, farmers will be able to access funding for roof-top solar panels, a great source of thermal insulation and low-cost energy for calf housing.
This expands the range of grants already on offer through the Farming Transformation Fund, which currently includes support for improvements to slurry, water management and productivity.
In March this year, Defra launched the first round of the Animal Health and Welfare Equipment and Technology Grant, which will help farmers to purchase items that are proven to improve the health and welfare of their livestock. Defra will be awarding almost £20 million through this grant, which will benefit over 3000 farms.
Read their new Farming blog post to find out more about the new infrastructure grant and who can apply.