Under Ireland's CAP schemes, stocking requirements can be used by applicants to fulfil eligibility criteria in the following areas.
- Active Farmer Check
- Eco-Scheme
- Organic Farming Scheme
- Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC)
The equine eligibility criteria set out below followed extensive consultation with the farm organisations.
Donkeys are eligible for inclusion in stocking requirement calculations for the above Schemes and are valued at 0.80 of a livestock unit. In addition, they must be owned by the applicant and hold a valid passport with the donkey registered in the name of the applicant. Donkeys must also be maintained on the applicant's holding. It is important to note that no more than 50% of the stocking density requirement can be fulfilled using donkeys. Applicants are therefore required to use other livestock to fulfil the other 50% requirement.
Eligible breeding enterprises are eligible for inclusion in stocking requirement calculations for the above Schemes for horses and are valued at 0.80 livestock unit.
For 2023 an applicant must, in the first instance, be an equine breeder and have bred a foal, in either 2021 or 2022, from a mare registered as on the applicant’s holding in 2022, which was registered in a Stud Book approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, with pedigree recorded (sire and dam). Furthermore, the premises of all who meet these criteria must be registered with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in accordance with S.I. No. 113 of 2014 Control on Places where Horses are Kept Regulations 2014. It is important to note that 100% of the stocking density requirement can be fulfilled using eligible horses.
Both donkeys and eligible breeding mares are valued at 0.80 livestock unit.
An updated review of the eligibility criteria for horses and donkeys is currently ongoing. Consultation with relevant stakeholders will occur in 2024 with any agreed changes to equine eligibility in place from 2025 onwards.
