Beef farming in Britain has always been a high-stakes balancing act, but the current climate of thin margins, labour shortages, and rising input costs is pushing even the most seasoned Hereford breeders to their limits. To maintain the competitive edge of our breed—famed for its feed conversion and easy-calving traits—we can transition from “eyeballing” stock to a system of data-driven decision making. The herds that will thrive are those where traditional stockmanship is backed by clear, timely data.
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2026 has arrived as a timely lifeline. With a dedicated £20 million pot for Animal Health and Welfare, this grant cycle is a strategic opportunity for Hereford Society members to modernise. Whether you are managing pedigree cattle, a commercial suckler herd, or an intensive finishing enterprise, these grants offer up to 50% funding for the technology needed to transform your productivity.
The 2026 grant list signals a major shift toward automated oversight. High-impact items like Visual or Acoustic Monitoring Systems (FETF613) and Automatic Health and Welfare Remote Monitoring (FETF315CA) act as a second set of eyes that never sleep. These systems use cameras and sensors to detect behavioural shifts, vocalisations, and early signs of respiratory disease—often identifying a problem 24 to 48 ours before a stocksperson would notice any physical symptoms.
For these to be eligible, they must be robust enough to handle the cattle shed environment. For instance, FETF613 must be internally fixed within the housing.
According to the official specifications, “The system must be able to trigger an alarm or notification system to alert the user to potential issues.”
For farmers, this means earlier intervention, lower veterinary bills, and safeguarding the welfare scores that underpin the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway priorities.
Predicting finishing dates or selecting store cattle for sale should never be based on a guess. The 2026 fund provides significant backing for the Auto Cattle Weighing Unit (FETF67) and Individual Electronic Weigh Systems (FETF78CA).
The FETF67 is a particular “win” for low labour farms; it is a standalone unit designed for 24-hour remote weight monitoring without human intervention. When integrated with EID Panel Readers (FETF68), the data flows seamlessly from the race to yourcomputer. This allows you to interrogate live weight gains in real-time, enabling you to identify “passengers” in the herd early and ensure every animal leaves the farm at its absolute peak weight for the best possible return.
Precision nutrition is the key to suckler herd profitability. Traditionally, Body Condition Scoring (BCS) has been a subjective manual task. The Automated Mobility/Body Condition Scoring System (FETF235A) utilises a camera system and specialised software to provide objective, consistent data on body condition and the change in this over time.
By automating this process, you can manage nutrition with surgical precision. If the data shows a dip in BCS across a specific group of cows, you can adjust rations immediately optimising fertility and ensuring your cows are in the ideal condition for calving and subsequent re-breeding.
Defra has set an expected average cost for each item, based on prices from a cross‑section of suppliers. RPA will then pay 40% or 50% of either the average cost (if you pay that amount or more) or of your actual cost (if you pay less than the average). For each theme – productivity, slurry, and animal health and welfare – you can receive between £1,000 and £25,000 in grant funding, and you must fund the balance of the item cost yourself.
This is a competitive fund, which means applications are scored. Items that deliver a stronger contribution to Animal Health and Welfare Pathway priorities are awarded higher scores. Where it fits your system, it makes sense to prioritise these higher‑scoring options. Automated Mobility/Body Condition Scoring System (FETF235A), for example, carries a significantly higher item score than a standard cattle crush.
Defra will use a “Spotlight” check to assess business viability as part of the process. Before you apply, it is worth taking time to ensure that your business records and SBI details are accurate and up to date on the Rural Payments service. A strong technical application can still be held up if basic information is missing or incorrect.
Defra has indicated that this will be the final standalone round of the FETF in its current form, ahead of changes expected in 2027. For Hereford breeders, this may be the last chance to access this particular £20 million Animal Health and Welfare pot.
Crucially for our members with horned cattle, the 2026 list includes the Horned Cattle Crush (FETF327CA). Specifically designed for the safe restraint of horned stock and featuring an adjustable scissor yoke for bTB testing, this is a vital piece of kit for traditional Hereford breeders who have previously struggled to find grant-eligible crushes that accommodate their cattle’s requirements.
Hereford breeders have always relied on stockmanship, stock sense and the ability to read cattle and that will remain at the heart of every successful herd. Schemes like FETF 2026 build on those skills by adding structure and clear evidence around what good stockpeople already do well. Data on health, weight and body condition simply becomes another core input, alongside grass, forage and labour, to back up day-to-day decisions.
By making use of the grant support on offer, members are not simply buying machines; they are investing in a shift from reactive problem‑solving to more proactive, planned management. For many herds, that could mean fewer health setbacks, more consistent performance and a stronger case when talking to buyers, processors and policy makers about what Herefords can deliver.
List of Items available for funding