Free DHTML scripts provided by Dynamic Drive


Assured Markets
Valuations and Claims eg. Road Schemes, Livestock Valuations, Telephone Masts, Pipeline Work, Damages to Land etc - Agents for Summer and Winter Grazing - Quota Sale/Leasing and Advice - Farm Business Tenancy Agreement - Farm Clearout Sales - Special Entry Sales at any of our three Livestock Markets
Home Market Reports Catalogues Entry Forms Contact Us

Over Thirty Month cattle

Following the OTM Rule change, all cattle born before 1 August 1996 must be permanently excluded from the food and feed chain. Livestock Strategy Division along with RPA have devised a successor scheme to the OTMS, called the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme (OCDS), to provide a disposal route and compensation for these older animals.

OTMS slaughterings ended on 20 January 2006 (22 January for emergency on-farm slaughter) and the OCDS started on 23 January 2006.

Key features of the OCDS

  • The OCDS is an exceptional market support measure providing for disposal of and compensation for cattle born before 1 August 1996. It will start on 23 January 2006 and end on 31 December 2008.

  • The Rural Payments Agency will administer the OCDS as they have done for the OTMS and they will produce detailed scheme rules shortly.

  • Cattle born before 1 August 1996 cannot be slaughtered for human consumption and consignment of these animals to a fresh meat slaughterhouse will be an offence under new legislation.

  • The OCDS will only accept animals, including on farm casualties (see more on casualties below), that are born before 1 August 1996 and would otherwise have been eligible for the food chain. The submission of cattle born before 1 August 1996 to the OCDS will be on a voluntary basis but producers may be reminded that such animals will not be eligible for compensation after the OCDS comes to an end on 31 December 2008. Separate arrangements, such as the Fallen Stock Scheme will be made to dispose of the remaining pre-August 96 cattle beyond the OCDS as they come to the end of their productive lives.

  • Compensation rates will be paid on a flat rate per animal for each of the 3 years of operation. In 2006 the compensation rate will be 360 Euro per head, 324 Euro in 2007 and 292 Euro in 2008.

  • The initial compensation rate is comparable to the current OTMS rate for an animal of average weight even though the average age will be somewhat greater.


    • New Rules for Casualties from 1 January 2006

    New rules on the emergency slaughter of animals came into place on 1 January 2006 (before the start of OCDS). From that date, where cattle are slaughtered on farm, only those animals that have suffered an accident will be eligible for human consumption. It is also the case that only those animals that have been emergency slaughtered on farm as a result of suffering an accident will be eligible for the OTMS and OCDS.

    Therefore, from 1 January 2006, if an animal is killed on farm for welfare reasons not associated with an accident, it is ineligible for the OTMS and, from 23 January, the OCDS and needs to be disposed of as fallen stock. All fallen stock aged over 24 months must be tested for BSE. For all cattle in GB aged over 24 months, please notify the TSE surveillance helpline on free phone 0800 525 890 for BSE testing and disposal free of charge. In Northern Ireland, please telephone 028 9262 1441.