The main message for livestock farmers in relation to liver fluke this year is to “test, don’t guess’.

Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control of Cattle Parasites Sustainable (COWS) have labelled 2023 as a “very strange year” in terms of weather patterns and parasites.

On behalf of COWS, Prof Diana Williams of the University of Liverpool said:

“2023 has been a funny old year. A very dry cold spring was followed by a hot early summer and then July and August were extremely wet.

“Top that off with the mini heatwave in early September accompanied by heavy rain, and it is fair to say there will be an impact on levels and timing of the risks faced by grazing livestock this season.”

Fluke forecast

The National Animal Disease Information Service’s (NADIS) fluke forecast, which is based on local weather patterns, is generally predicting a low-to-medium risk, with the exception of high-risk hotspots in Scotland.

SCOPS and COWS said this is almost certainly due to how dry it was at the start of the year and, while recent months may have been ideal for the fluke and snail lifecycles, the total window for their development has been relatively short.

“Liver fluke and its intermediate host, the mud snail galba truncatula, require temperatures of more than 10^o to remain active and continue development, so if we have a warm autumn and early winter the risk may still increase later in the year, particularly if the conditions also tempt farmers to keep their livestock out later,” Williams said,

“The serum antibody ELISA test, which is done on blood samples taken from 10 individuals is an extremely valuable tool in these circumstances.

“Using this test, we can monitor lambs or calves born in 2023 to look for evidence of exposure to liver fluke.

“Repeated at regular intervals, this not only means we can check for exposure but also when that exposure occurs, which reduces the risk of unnecessary or mistimed treatments.”

SCOPS

SCOPS independent sheep consultant, Lesley Stubbings, said: “Anecdotally, we’ve not seen much liver fluke across the country this year so far.”

In contrast, Stubbings highlighted the increase in cases of haemonchosis in sheep, which is caused by the highly pathogenic roundworm haemonchus contortus  (also known as the barber’s pole worm).

“The conditions in the UK this summer and last summer have seemingly suited this worm, which is common in many tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world,” Stubbings said.

“Because clinical signs of anaemia, bottle jaw and weight loss can result from the blood-feeding behaviour of either liver fluke or haemonchus, this can be confusing.

“Differential diagnosis is all the more important and underlines the need to ‘Test, don’t guess’.”

Testing

Experts from both SCOPS and COWS have urged caution to any producers looking to use the ELISA test but thinking of trying to cut the cost by pooling blood samples rather than testing individuals.

“The sensitivity of a pooled test is much lower and may give a negative result even though one or more animals are positive,” Stubbings said.

“This means that tests need to be done more regularly (every 10-14 days) to try to ensure the exposure is not missed, which will probably cancel out any cost saving compared to individual blood testing every three to four weeks.”

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As part of the farm-tours section of the Sommet de l’Élevage livestock show which took place in France earlier this month, Agriland travelled to a dairy farm that is milking 250 Alpine goats, located to the north of Clermont Ferrand.

The farm is owned by Carole Neyrial who is the sole employee of the 40ha enterprise. The goat’s milk is sold for cheese processing.

The current milk price is 90c/L (78p/L) but milk prices generally vary from €0.80-1.00/L (70p/L-87p/L).

The price paid depends on both markets and milk constituents. Milk is stored in a cooler tank and is collected by the processor every second day.

Carole explained that prices tend to be higher during the winter months which is why she has selected this system.

Goats are milk recorded and the average production is 860L/goat milking from September to June. Some of the top-performing goats are producing in excess of 1,000L/year.

The average fat content of the milk produced on the farm is 4.17% and the average protein content is 3.54%.

Goats are fed grass and clover silage as well as lucerne hay and meadow hay. The concentrate ration includes ingredients such as maize, bran, soya pulp, sainfoin and extruded linseed.

Goats kid from September onwards and milking continues until June with goats dried-off for July and August.

Breeding generally commences in April and every year, 50 of the top-performing goats are selected for breeding with artificial insemination (AI) and the remainder are served naturally with the use of 10 Alpine bucks.

Goats kid at 12 months-of-age and enter the milking herd then. When giving birth, goats can produce anywhere from 2-5 kids generally.

The AI-bred female kids are used as replacements. The AI-bred male kids are used for breeding also and the remainder of the kids are sold for either meat production or to other dairy herds for replacements.

Goats are seasonal breeders and naturally come into season when the daylight hours become shorter. Because of this, the breeding herd is kept in a shed where the lighting is controlled.

The shed used is a converted pig shed with open plan pens and a straw-bedded floor. The milking parlour is located to the rear of the shed.

Goats are milked twice-a-day and the milking parlour is a 24-24 rapid exit BouMatic goat-milking parlour with automatic cluster removers (ACRs).

Goats enter the parlour from the side and receive concentrate feed which is delivered through an auger system.

Once milking is complete, the front of the parlour lifts up and the goats can then exit.

There is no shortage of machinery on the farm (see images below).

The farm is located 250m above sea level and has a sandy-loam soil type. The farm generally receives an annual rainfall of 650mm.

Land in the region trades at €4,000/ha (£3,5000/ha) approximately.

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Five dairy and five pork UK exporters are set to join the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) at the Food and Hospitality China (FHC) event next month.

The event, which is Asia’s leading food and beverage show, will run from November 8-10, 2023, at the New International Expo Centre in Shanghai.

AHDB’s dairy export team will be in the British pavilion on a collaborative stand with the five UK dairy exporters.

The pork exporters will join the AHDB export team in the meat hall on the AHDB-hosted British meat pavilion.

The board said the event will provide a platform for pork exporters to meet existing customers and potential new ones from the key Chinese market.

AHDB senior exports manager, Lucy Randolph, said: “FHC will be the first time the AHDB dairy export team has been back to China in person post-pandemic and we are excited to be taking part with our exporters.

“China and other markets in the wider Asia region present significant opportunities for dairy exports. Consumers in China have a high regard for food safety and quality and the UK is well-placed to satisfy that demand.

“Our strong presence at the show will help play an important role in developing further export opportunities for the companies joining us.”

AHDB’s head of international trade development, Jonathan Eckley, said: “We are delighted to be back at FHC China.

“Despite current challenges on the global pig meat market, China remains a key market for the UK pig meat sector with carcase balance playing an ever more significant role.

“This was reflected in a 16% increase in volume of fifth quarter exports in the first half of 2023.”

Eckley said Food and Hospitality China will provide AHDB and its exporters with the platform to build on existing commercial relationships and develop new ones in the “important market” for the pig meat sector.

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Suffolk County Council has agreed to pass a Conservative Party motion to support local farmers by ensuring all catering at council-organised events is sourced from them.

At Full Council yesterday (Thursday, October 19), the council committed to including meat and dairy options alongside plant-based produce.

53 councillors backed the motion, with three Green Party councillors abstaining from the vote.

This motion to back produce from farmers was proposed by deputy leader of Suffolk County Council, Cllr. Richard Rout, and seconded by cabinet member for public health and public protection, Cllr. Andrew Reid.

The motion aims to raise awareness of the importance of “hardworking farming communities” within Suffolk.

Cllr. Richard Rout said: “I’m delighted that this motion passed but it is disappointing that three Green councillors felt unable to support it.

“Coming from a farming family, I know first-hand just how hard our farmers and growers work to feed and sustain our nation. Agriculture and agribusiness are an integral part of our local economy.

“This motion not only commits us to doubling down on our support for local farmers but also ensures dietary choice at all our events, keeping meat and dairy firmly on the table alongside plant-based options.”

Plant-Based Treaty

Suffolk County Council said many Green, Labour and Liberate Democrat councillors who are members of authorities such as Edinburgh City Council, Norwich City Council, and Oxfordshire County Council have angered their farming communities by signing the Plant-Based Treaty or banning meat and dairy from their buildings and events.

The council said the Plant-Based Treaty “shuns” the construction of any future livestock farm and promotes plant-based foods in schools and hospitals as well as pledging to prioritise vegan food over animal products.

Cllr. Andrew Reid said: “We in Suffolk are rightly proud of our fantastic farming community.

“Through our county farm estate, which spans over 12,000 acres and contributes over £7 million to the local economy, we have 90 agricultural tenants who do so much for our county.

“I was delighted to second this motion and reaffirm our commitment to this vital sector.”

Councils ‘turning their backs on farmers’

Director of external affairs for the Countryside Alliance, Mo Metcalf-Fisher, said: “We have seen a number of local councils turn their backs on farmers in recent years with puerile motions that ban meat and dairy consumption and effectively warn the public off eating it.

“Rural communities have had enough and are fighting back. If we were to lose livestock farming – as is undoubtedly the aim of those wanting to impose plant-based eating – our countryside would turn into a barren wasteland.

“Red meat produced in the UK is among the most sustainable in the world, and it makes every bit of sense for local authorities to encourage the public to play their part in fighting climate change by sourcing seasonal and sustainable produce from local farmers and growers – irrespective of whether its meat or vegetables.

“We hope all political parties support this motion. The countryside is watching.”

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Completing a milk recording of your herd in the coming weeks is vital to ensure that you have up-to-date records on your cows ahead of drying-off.

These records are vital for tracking cell counts in cows, and for determining which cows will require antibiotics during drying-off.

Challenging weather conditions will have forced many farmers to house cows, while some have gotten back out to grass – some have not.

There is always going to be a certain amount of milk produced from the cubicle shed; however, it can put pressure on cell counts.

Milk recording

You should arrange a milk recording for your herd to help identify cows that may have somatic cell count (SCC) issues 45 days out from drying-off, at the latest.

During the year, at least four milking recordings should be completed, which means you will have a good amount of data on all your cows.

Not only does this allow you to select cows with SCC issues, it also helps to identify which cows are suitable for sealer only.

The cows that are deemed suitable will vary from farm to farm, with a number of factors having an impact on the cows that are selected.

These factors include: low SCC during lactation; having not had mastitis during lactation; and have no warts or other defects on their teat/udders.

You also need to consider your drying-off routine and the environment that the cows will be spending the dry period in.

If records show poor drying-off success such as a spike in mastitis cases shortly after calving, improvements likely need to be made.

They could be simple management practices such as ensuring that the cubicle shed is disinfected when not being used.

Drying-off

When it comes to drying-off, having high hygiene standards is vital, as well as selecting the right cows. If the process is not completed correctly, the results are unlikely going to be good.

During drying-off and during the dry period, any errors will be exposed when infection pressure is high.

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Scour is the biggest killer of young calves on farms, so preventative measures and treatment protocols are important to have in place.

This should firstly reduce the number of cases that occur and secondly reduce the recovery time of calves.

Scour

Scour can occur in a number of forms, with nutritional scour occurring due to stress caused by a breakdown in management practices or routine, such as sudden changes to the diet or environment.

But nutritional scour can often progress to infections, which is caused by high population of pathogens in the calves’ environment.

Common types of scour includes rotavirus and coronavirus, which destroy the cells lining the small intestine, resulting in diarrhoea and dehydration.

Any calf that develops scour should be isolated from the other calves immediately.

Infected calves should be isolated in a warm environment and treated for the pathogen causing the scour.

Consult with your vet regarding the pathogen causing the scour in your calves and develop a treatment plan for affected animals.

If calf scour is, or has been, an issue previously, a vaccination programme should be developed, and a future prevention plan created.

Prevention

Calves are born with no immunity, and colostrum is the only way that they can get these maternal antibodies.

When calves are born on farms this autumn, it is important to remember the 1,2,3 rule regarding colostrum:

1. Use the first milk (colostrum) from the cow;
2. Feed the calf colostrum within the first two hours of birth;
3. Calves must be offered at least 3L of good-quality colostrum.

The feeding of high-quality colostrum is particularly important on farms were scour vaccinations are being used.

The calf shed should be treated almost like a clean room, with access to the calf shed being controlled.

Nobody other than people working with the calves should enter the shed.

At the entrance there should a footbath and people working with the calves should be wearing relatively clean clothing.

The feeding equipment in the shed should be cleaned daily and the teats inspected regularly.

Bacteria can build up in the teat and then easily be digested by the calf, resulting in an upset stomach, also known as scour.

Young calves also find it difficult to regulate body temperature. If calves are cold, they will put more energy into staying warm rather than using it to promote growth.

So, to prevent that from happening, sheds need to be bedded well. Calf jackets can also be used if available.

Stocking rates in pens should also be closely monitored as overstocking can lead to an increased level of sickness.

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As a result of today’s auction, the index increased by 4.3% when compared to the previous event on October 3 to 994.

The GDT Price Index has been on an upward trajectory since the beginning of September, however it still remains at levels last seen in late 2020.

The index dropped to its lowest level in 2023 on August 15 when it slumped to 850.

35,974MT of dairy products were sold during today’s auction, with 117 winning bidders out of 167 participants.

There were 18 rounds of bidding which took almost 2hr and 40 minutes to complete.

The average price today stood at $3,202/MT.

GDT

All of the products offered for sale during the auction saw an increase in average price, butter milk powder (BMP) was not offered at this event.

The average price of anhydrous milk fat jumped by 7.1% to $5,310/MT, this follows a 3.7% increase at the previous auction.

Skim milk powder (SMP) average price rose by 4.3% to $2,659/MT, while there was a similar increase for whole milk powder (WMP) to $3,059/MT.

There was an rise of 2.9% for butter to $4,940/MT, there were marginal gains for cheddar (+0.2%) to $3,858/MT and lactose (+0.2%) to €599/MT.

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Vet Sustain and VetSalus have announced a new veterinary resource for farm vets, which is to be launched at this year’s British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) Congress.

The BVCA Congress is set to take place this week from Thursday (October 19) until Saturday (October 21) at the Telford International Centre.

Vet Sustain and VetSalus will launch their new farm vet resource at the event – a factsheet outlining key considerations for vets when approaching conversations around sustainable and regenerative farming practices with their farmers.

The organisations said farm vets, as trusted advisors an advocates, are integral to supporting sustainable and regenerative farming practices and that, through their influence, they can offer solutions for farmers.

Veterinary resource

The factsheet will help vets prepare for these conversations with farmers and act as a starting point towards encouraging a more regenerative mindset, the veterinary organisations said.

Managing director of VetSalus, David Black, said: “After receiving feedback from veterinary colleagues, we set out to develop a user-friendly resource for vet professionals to inspire and enable them to have discussions around sustainability in agriculture; we have provided concepts and evidence to help initiate and maintain meaningful dialogue, thus avoiding polarising debate.”

Chair of Vet Sustain, Ed Bailey, said: “Sustainable food and farming is a complex and nuanced subject in which there are many different competing views.

“This can feel overwhelming as a practising vet trying to navigate conversations with farmers, colleagues or friends who look to us for knowledge and advice.

“This resource is a starting point to help engage and understand more about the challenges and solutions.”

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is set to launch a new strategic dairy farm at the end of the month.

Dillington Farms near Ilminster, Somerset, will become one of the board’s strategic dairy farms on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

The event will take place from 10:45a.m until 2:15p.m at the mixed farming business’s 870ha site.

The launch event will include:

• A tour of the farm with an opportunity to find out more about operations, performance figures and goals for the farm over the next three years;
• Insight on how the estate has incorporated mid-tier crops, grown on arable headlands, into the dairy and dry stock ration to achieve 3,700L of milk from forage;
• A discussion on how the team use growth and performance data to select replacements, with an age of first calving of 23 months;
• An exploration of how a three-way cross has led to high fertility and health cows while producing yields in excess of 10,800L/cow per year.

Dillington Farms

The in-hand farming enterprises of the Dillington estate are run by Ollie Blackburn with the help of Lou Thorner, the herd manager.

The herd based at Knott Oak Dairy currently comprises a dairy herd of around 350 cross-bred cows yielding approximately 10,800L/cow/year.

Around 130 replacement heifers are reared each year, with the remaining progeny being reared for beef in a separate enterprise.

The herd calves all year round and is fully housed – except for dry cows and second season heifers, which graze for five to six months of the year.

A purpose-built portal frame building accommodates all milking with its six robotic milkers and space for calving cows. Dry cows are housed in a separate cubicle shed when not grazing.

Calves are reared in group pens on automatic feeders before being moved to weaned pens and eventually into cubicles.

Grazing is provided from permanent pasture and parkland with a range of forages, including herbal leys and maize, being ensiled.

This farm focuses on home-grown feeds and is involved in an extensive mid-tier scheme, as well as renewable energy.

Strategic farms

AHDB’s strategic farms follow either an all-year-round or block calving system so participant farms can have real-world demonstrations and get ideas to make improvements on their farms.

“The farms are solid performers who openly and honestly share their experiences and performance figures at on-farm and virtual meetings,” AHDB said.

“You’ll hear about a range of topics from mastitis and managing calves to breeding and buildings.”

The Strategic Dairy Farm programme is funded by AHDB and the Betty Lawes Foundation.

AHDB is currently seeking more strategic farms. More information on becoming one can be found on the AHDB website.

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As a direct consequence, the commitment made by the country to agricultural education is significant.

Educational achievement has many ramifications throughout the agri economy of Denmark.

One of these is the requirement of Danish banks to only lend money to young farmers with a recognised agricultural qualification.

This entails the completion of an accredited college course, one that delivers at both an academic and skills level.

Education and training in Denmark

Agricultural students are also expected to spend time on a selection of Denmark’s top  commercial farms.

If they do not achieve this level of experience, they will not secure the final qualifications and accreditation that they need.

Grasten Agricultural College, located in eastern Denmark, provides a range of courses to students from 16 to 20 years-of-age. The campus boasts both excellent facilities and 100 years’ of delivering agricultural courses to the highest standards.

The college will celebrate its centenary in 2024. It is home to 240 students and Agriland got to pay a visit to the operation along with the Irish Farm Buildings Association.

Agricultural education is free in Denmark. However, students boarding at Grasten make a contribution to the costs incurred in this regard.

Key to the evolution of Grasten has been the commitment of its staff to deliver courses that reflect the needs of Danish agriculture in an evolving manner.

Today the principle of delivering future sustainability on individual farms is the overarching principle being addressed.

This subject is approached both in terms of food security and the carbon footprint of agriculture.

So e.g., these issues are clearly reflected in the commitment to make the Grasten campus totally energy self-sufficient by 2025.

And major steps along this road have already been taken. The placement of solar panels on many of the college roofs and, the recent installation of a biogas plant means that the college can produce all of the electricity required from its own resources.

The feed stock for the biogas plant is the slurry generated by the college’s pig and dairy units.

Grasten

Grasten is home to a herd of 250 dairy cows and 350 breeding sows. Apart from the slurry, no other feed stock is required for the AD operation.

A combined heat and power plant is included within the specification of the plant.

This represents a valuable source of electricity. Waste heat is pumped back into the college buildings.

The digestate is stored in a nearby above-ground store, from where it will be spread on adjacent arable land.

Plans are in place to have the college secure a net ‘carbon zero’ position, where energy is concerned, with the next 24 months.

The big imponderable here is the fuel that will be required to drive the college’s tractor fleet. One option will be to use the biogas generated by the AD plant. Another alternative will be to invest in new, electrically driven tractors.

The dairy unit at Grasten features a Lely A5 robotic milking system with an accompanying Vector Feeding System.

Almost half the dairy cows in Denmark are now milked robotically. The system at the college comes with a number of tweaks that have been specified to help the learning and dairy management processes at the college.

One is the inclusion of bespoke somatic cell count (SCC) software; the other is the availability of an automated feet washing system, to help reduce lameness levels within the Grasten herd.

The students are also taught to use traditional milking systems, which necessitates the manual placement of clusters on cows’ udders.

Feeding systems

The decision to opt for the Vector Feeding System was taken for two reasons – one relates to the teaching of new technologies, the other relates to the savings it generates, relating to the overall management of the college herd.

Prior to the installation on the system, it took one man three hours each day to feed all the cattle within the dairy unit.

Feeding in this way also required 40L of diesel plus the wear and tear on machinery on a daily basis.

Now the ‘Lely kitchen’, an integral part of the feeding system, is stocked up with the required maize and grass silages on alternate days.

According to Lely, there are 15 Vector systems operating in Ireland at the present time.

They comprise a mixing and feeding robot that is both 100% electric and self-contained.

The system uses technology to create a highly mixed ration, which it then transports independently to the identified feed passages.

The Vector also senses when it is time for a new feeding round. The mixing and feeding robot measures the feed height of a specific section to determine when the ration needs to be supplemented, so there is never too much or too little feed available to the cows.

The cows at Grasten are producing 11,000L of milk per lactation. They receive a ration that delivers 23kg of dry matter (DM)/cow/day. Approximately 40% of the feed is made up of concentrates.

Students are expected to have a firm grasp of the information coming from the dairy robots and the other modern technologies operating at Grasten.

Automation

The use of automation is seen as a key means by which improved sustainability can be delivered across Danish agriculture as a whole.

Learning to use and manage farm machinery well is a key driver for many of the courses offered at the college. Students are taught the basic operating principles of each machine.

They also get ample opportunity to use the machines in the field on the college’s 240ha farm.

Agriculture and food combined, account for 24% of all Danish exports. Germany, Sweden, the UK and China are the main markets with pork, fish and dairy the main product categories leaving the country.

Approximately 60% of the available land area in Denmark is cultivated (2.8 million ha). The average farm size is 77ha. This figure is projected to increase significantly as older farmers continue to retire.

Most Danish farmers grow cereal crops – barley and wheat – 75% of which is destined for animal diets.

Land prices in Denmark are currently in the range €12,500-50,000/ha.

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Ceva Animal Health has released a step-by-step guide and mobility improvement training videos on best practice in dairy cattle lameness management.

The guide and videos are designed for the ‘Fab Five’ foot treatment team – farmers, vets, foot trimmers, mobility scorers and nutritional consultants – to emphasis the importance of working together to improve herd mobility.

Ceva said the step-by-step guide highlights the importance of implementing a robust and ongoing treatment plan to improve cow comfort and reduce lameness in the short-term, with the aim of increased production and herd welfare in the longer-term.

The steps feature:

• Advice on reviewing whole herd mobility by an independent RoMS (Register of Mobility Scorers) accredited mobility scorer;
• Seeking veterinary advice or contacting a mobility mentor (someone who has been trained to deliver the ADHB Healthy Feet Programme) if lesions are identified;
• Treating affected cows within 48 hours of identification using a combination of trim, block, topical antimicrobial spray and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID), as appropriate;
• The importance of ongoing treatment, prevention and monitoring every fortnight.

The guide also includes tips for the successful use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), which include the importance of using a NSAID with a zero milk withhold.

The lameness management videos are produced in collaboration with James Wilson, a foot health consultant from Herd Health Consultancy.

The videos feature contributions from professional foot trimmer and chair of the National Association of Cattle Foot Trimmers (NACFT), Alex Burrows; dairy farmer from Gleadthorpe Farm in Nottinghamshire, Dave Bacon; assistant herdsperson at Gleadthorpe Farm, Shannon Trinder; and veterinary surgeon and ruminant technical advisor at Ceva Animal Health, Harry Walby.

They cover the benefits of regular mobility scoring, prioritising lameness prevention in heifers and maintaining successes with practical and effective lameness treatment and prevention programmes across the whole herd.

Cattle mobility

Wilson, of Herd Health Consultancy, said he was delighted to be involved in the new dairy cattle mobility videos and guide as they provide “extesive advice” of lameness treatment.

As well as this, Wilson said the videos provide advice on prevention programmes and the importance of “rigorous mobility scoring”.

“Using this guide to help you prioritise mobility in heifers, particularly in regard to NSAID usage, will help to deliver measurable positive change to herd mobility,” he said.

Walby, of Ceva Animal Health, said: “Our new cattle lameness step-by-step guide and lameness management training videos provide invaluable advice to promote best practice and the planning and implementation of an effective and easy to follow herd mobility improvement programme which will help increase production and herd welfare.”

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The co-op, which has 3,200 farm families supplying two billion litres of milk annually, said the initiative is being introduced to support milk suppliers in light of continued high inputs.

It is designed to support suppliers who produce milk through the winter months. It is also to help spring-calving herds manage the winter dry period.

Winter feed support

The initiative will see a €20/t or £20/t rebate applied to all Lakeland Dairies dairy feed purchased by milk suppliers during the four months of November 2023 through to February 2024.

Commenting on the support initiative, Lakeland Dairies chairperson Niall Matthews said: “As a board and a business, we are always looking at innovative ways to support our farm family suppliers.

“This has been a challenging year for all milk producers and we are moving to support our suppliers over the 2023/2024 winter period with this strong dairy feed initiative.

“Whether farmers are spring-calving or those who produce milk through the winter months, this initiative will financially support them over what is traditionally an expensive time in the farming calendar.”

Lakeland Dairies general manager of Lakeland Agri, Mark Delahunty added: “We are looking forward to rolling out this support to our farm family suppliers.

“It’s a very simple support in that whether you buy 1t or 20t, all tonnes will be discounted by €20/£20 per tonne.

“The loyalty and support of our farm families over the generations is what has allowed us to have a strong business today.

“We are acutely aware of the challenges that 2023 has brought and are glad that we can help in some way to manage costs across the winter period.”

The co-op said that terms and conditions apply and farmers can contact their local Lakeland Agri representative for further information on the initiative.

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A base price of 34c/L at constituents of 3.6% butterfat and 3.3% protein, will be paid for September milk in the Republic of Ireland.

The base price is unchanged from the price paid in August.

In Northern Ireland, a base price of 27.25p/L will be paid for milk supplied in September. Again, the base price has been held for September supplies.

In a statement, the co-op said: “While sentiment in the global dairy market has shown some tentative signs of improvement in recent weeks, there has been little in the way of increased activity with buyers continuing to take a reserved position.

“We are entering a crucial demand period for dairy, against a backdrop of New Zealand approaching its peak milk supply months.

“Lakeland Dairies will continue to monitor the markets closely in the time ahead.”

It is the first processor to announce its price for milk supplied in September

Lakeland Dairies

Last month, Aldi Ireland agreed four major new deals with Irish-based suppliers, including Lakeland Dairies, worth more than €26 million.

Lakeland signed a deal worth €15.3 million per year with Aldi which will see the processor’s footprint grow as it continues to supply milk and dairy products, including Clonbawn fresh and light milk.

Meanwhile, last week, Lakeland Dairies set a target of a 30% reduction in factory emissions by 2030 in its new sustainability strategy.

The strategy, titled ‘Pathway to a Better Future’, sets several targets the processor aims to meet by 2030.

Among these targets are 30% reductions in emissions in both factory processes (including the processor’s own emissions production and emissions from its energy consumption), and emissions at farm level.

According to Lakeland, its strategy is based on six ‘pillars’, namely: Climate action; sustainable farms; supply chains; people and communities; sustainable operations; and responsible business.

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The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) is seeking the next winners of its Farm Health Management Awards.

The awards, which are sponsored by Volac, are now open to applications from vet and agriculture university students.

The RABDF awards aim to demonstrate an understanding of, and test student’s knowledge of, proactive farm health management.

The prize is £500, which three winners will receive under three different categories, and the deadline for entries is December 8, 2024.

RABDF Farm Health Management Awards

The competition is split into three categories: students at agricultural colleges, agricultural universities and vet schools, and is open to students in all year groups.

A 1,500-word essay on the subject of proactive farm health management must be submitted by students, with a winner for each category taking home the £500 prize.

Essays are judged by a panel of industry experts, including a representative of RABDF and award sponsor Volac.

A shortlist of entries will be invited to attend Dairy-Tech at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on February 7, 2024, where the winners will be announced.

Managing director at RABDF, Matthew Knight, said: “Farm Health Management is an integral part of running a productive and profitable farm as well as being an integral in delivering health and welfare improvements as part of Defra’s (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Animal Health and Welfare Pathway.

“We can’t wait to see what this year’s entrants decide to focus on in their essays and how it links with Defra’s recommendations for higher welfare throughout the industry.”

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Farmers have been urged to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue virus as reports of a new strain (BTV-3) in the Netherlands emerge.

According to Ruminant Health and Welfare (RH&W) the existing BTV-8 vaccine will not offer cross-protection against this new strain, making “any likely outbreak difficult to control”.

RH&W has facilitated emergency meetings this week, bringing together over 40 key stakeholders and representatives from across the industry, to ensure the four nations are prepared for this emerging disease threat.

“What we are advising is threefold,” Dr. Joseph Henry, president of the Sheep Veterinary Society and member of RH&W’s steering group said.

“Farmers need to beware when buying animals in, especially from Europe, take action to report any signs of the disease, and at all times, remain vigilant.”

BTV-3 is a viral disease transmitted by biting midges, which affects all ruminants (e.g. sheep, cattle, goats and deer) and camelids (e.g. alpaca).

Symptoms of BTV-3 can vary across ruminants, with sheep generally exhibiting more overt symptoms than cattle, but both can showcase clinical signs.

In sheep these include: Drooling, mouth lesions, high fever, lameness and oedema (swollen heads) and sudden death. Cattle are not usually as severely affected but may show similar clinical signs as well as teat, eye, coronary band and nose lesions.

Bluetongue virus in Europe

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the presence of BT-3 at four sheep farms in the Netherlands last month – the country’s first outbreak since 2009. The route of BTV-3 incursion into the Netherlands is currently unknown.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has since confirmed that as of September 29, 416 outbreaks of BTV-3 have been reported by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.

Bluetongue has also been confirmed in neighbouring Belgium this month, however the strain has yet to be named. BTV-8 has also been confirmed in France.

A Defra spokesperson said: “The UK remains officially bluetongue-free but we are not complacent against the risk it poses to our farmers.

“The detections in Europe are an important reminder to all farmers to be vigilant in sourcing their stock and germinal products, ensuring imported animals are properly vaccinated and that they have strong biosecurity practices in place to prevent the spread of disease.

“If farmers have any suspicions of disease, they should report them to APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) immediately.”

According to Cat Mclaughlin, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chief animal health and welfare advisor, and member of RH&W steering group, BTV-3 appears to “mimic BTV-8 in its behaviour, leading us to be extremely cautious to the risk it poses”.

She added that while there are no reported cases in the UK currently, the risk of it reaching the UK is increasing, “so we must adhere to advice and do all we can to keep it out”.

Remain vigilant

Phil Stocker, National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive and member of RH&W steering group, adds that bluetongue does not pose a threat to human health, but it remains a notifiable disease.

“We’d strongly advise farmers to beware when buying livestock from Europe, and to request pre-movement testing of animals prior to departure,” he said.

“All imports of live animals are subject to post-import testing with restricted movements until a negative post-import test result has been confirmed, so caution is key.”

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Sugden cited recent statistics from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) which revealed that, in 2022, farmers made 7p for every two litres of milk they produced, whereas this year it is costing them 13p to produce the same amount.

“These figures simply do not add up and mean that many farmers are not even making enough to cover production costs, let alone make any profit,” Sugden said.

“No business can survive those kind of economics.

“With retail prices continuing to increase and production costs decreasing since 2022 you would expect farmers to be making more, not less.”

Sugden added that “something in the milk supply chain has gone very wrong” and needs to be remedied as soon as possible.

“Dairy farmers need to make profit, like any business,” she said.

“Given the majority of farms in Northern Ireland are smaller family-run farms, this means paying bills and the everyday costs of living.

“They are already being hit hard by high interest rates. If these financial pressures aren’t resolved soon then it simply won’t pay to be in dairy farming – one of Northern Ireland’s biggest industries.”

UFU

The UFU has said returns for dairy farmers for milk in Northern Ireland are inadequate and that they are “getting shafted” on prices.

According to the union, returns for milk are down 40% compared to this time last year and the majority of dairy farmers are not earning enough to cover production costs.

As well as this, UFU dairy chair Kenny Hawkes said he believes profits are being made further up the supply chain.

“Our food producers are getting shafted while others in the dairy chain are clearly making money,” he said.

“For more than six months now, nearly 20p/L has been taken from milk prices in Northern Ireland and things are not getting any better.”

Hawkes said the largest proportion of Northern Ireland’s dairy farmers are not receiving enough to cover the cost of production “let alone have any profit left over to support a home and family.”

He said it is not sustainable for farmers, especially when input prices remain higher than average.

“It’s utterly disheartening to once again, have to call out the failing dynamics within our food supply system.

“If this continues, dairy farmers will be put out of business which will have serious implications for the agri-food industry and our consumers.”

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New Zealand’s largest dairy company raised the 2023/24 season forecast farmgate milk price range to NZ$6.50 – $8.00 (€3.68-€4.53) per kilogram of milk solids (MS).

The co-op announced a new midpoint of NZ$7.25/kgMS, which is up 50 cents from the previous forecast.

Fonterra

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell said that the improved outlook reflects both supply and demand dynamics.

“Here in New Zealand we’re forecasting collections to be slightly below last season, while aggregate milk growth in key export countries is expected to be below average for FY24 [full year 2024].

“The El Nino weather pattern may have further impacts on supply, and this could be driving recent buyer sentiment,” he said.

“On the demand side, we have seen increases in recent Global Dairy Trade (GDT) events. While this has been encouraging, it is not yet clear whether the stronger demand from China will be sustained.

“For other key regions, customers remain relatively cautious in terms of their forward purchases,” Hurrell added.

The Fonterra chief executive warned that it is still “early days” when it comes to the amount of its 2024 sales book that the co-op has contracted.

“We still face significant exposure to volatility in commodity prices.

“Exchange rate volatility is another factor to keep in mind. Our foreign exchange hedging strategy is designed to help lessen the impact of this, and also supports a higher advance rate level than would be possible without hedging.

“We’ll continue to let our farmers and the market know as soon as we can when we think things have materially shifted,” Hurrell said.

Last month, Fonterra Co-operative Group reported a profit of NZ$1.6 billion – up 170% – for the financial year to July 31, 2023.

The co-op, owned by 9,000 farmers, also reported a final 2022/23 season farmgate milk price of NZ$8.22/kgMS.

It also reported full-year milk collections of 1,480 million kgMS . 

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has released details of the first three of ten new strategic dairy farms.

The three farms are Lydney Park Farms, Dillington Farms, and Moorhouse Hall Farm, which will be platforms for farmer-to-farmer learning via on-farm and virtual events as part of the AHDB strategic dairy farm network.

There will be a launch event for each farm which will include a farm tour, and an opportunity to find out more about operations, performance figures, and goals for the farm.

The meeting dates for the three new strategic dairy farm launches are:

• October 12 – Lydney Park, Gloucestershire;
• October 25 – Dillington Farms, Somerset;
• November 7 – Moorhouse Hall Farm, Cumbria.

AHDB senior knowledge exchange manager for dairy, Doreen Anderson, is “strongly” encouraging dairy farmers to consider attending the launch events.

“Listening to farmers challenge and support each other while discussing ideas for improving their businesses is amazing,” she said.

“Ideas are constantly being shared both between the farmers individually and between AHDB and the farmers, driving positive change for everyone involved.”

Three new strategic dairy farms

Lydney Park Farms

Lydney Park Farms is part of the Lydney Park Estate in Gloucestershire. A team managed by Gavin Green milks 850 Jersey-cross cows twice a day, producing around 4,750L of milk and calving in a 10-week block that starts in the spring.

The farm grows around 12.5–15t dry matter (DM)/ha most years, and as part of the strategic dairy farm programme, plans to implement changes to its system to adapt to the principles of their consumer-conscious milk buyer.

Dillington Farms

Dillington Farms is a mixed farming business in Somerset with dairying at its heart. With tourism and an array of enterprises running on the estate, farming that both enhances the environment and drives profit is a priority.

This 870ha farm focuses on renewable energy and homegrown feeds and is involved in an extensive mid-tier scheme.

The herd comprises a dairy herd of around 350 cross-bred cows, yielding approximately 10,800L/cow/year and calving all year round.

“The programme is a great opportunity to work with different people from around the industry,” Ollie Blackburn, farm manager at Dillington Farms.

“The estate and our farming policies have changed massively over the last few years, and we are now very environmentally focused and trying to do things in a more sustainable way.

“While we feel that we may be doing things slightly differently to others, it is always good to be challenged in a positive way, and we can’t wait to share our experiences and learn from others.”

Moorhouse Hall

Moorhouse Hall in Wigton is a family run farm with 100 Holstein cows following an autumn calving cycle. The herd is genomically tested for superior genetics, and the farm champions multi-cut silage practices.

The farm produces an impressive 3,500−4,500 L of milk from forage and is partnered with First Milk.

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Accountancy and financial planner Old Mill has predicted dairy farm profits to drop rapidly in the coming year, and has urged businesses to adapt to manage cashflow over the winter.

According to the ‘Milk Cost of Production‘ report by Old Mill and the Farm Consultancy Group (FCG), the reverse of higher yielding, year-round calving herds making the most of last year’s high milk prices is set to happen.

Profits are forecast to drop back to £415/cow in 2023/24, due to high costs and reduced income, down from a high of £914/cow between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Rural administrator at FCG, Annabel Hole, warned that volatility is set to continue – and there will be some losses made in the short term.

However, efficient dairy producers will continue to make profits in the longer term – although they should beware large tax bills in January 2024 when some of the lowest milk prices of the past 18 months will be paid, she said.

“With interest rates 5%+ higher, basic payments declining, and extra investment required to comply with water and environmental regulations, there is a cash squeeze looming,” she said.

“Mistakes in the next 12 months will be punished severely, financially.”

Input costs

Rural accountant at Old Mill, Dan Heal, said the year to March 31, 2023, is the only year in the last five where milk income alone has comfortably covered the cost of production for dairy businesses.

However, this summer has deviated from this drastically, he said.

“Looking back over a five-year period, the year to March 31, 2023, is the only year where milk income alone has comfortably covered the cost of production,” he said.

“This is a clear signal of supply and demand being out of balance.

“But summer 2023 has taken a very different path, with milk prices falling quickly, and some costs remaining stubbornly high.”

Although costs are falling, Heal said the cost base for inputs is still 30% higher than two years ago due to electricity costs doubling, feed still being 40% higher and most fertiliser having been bought forward at double current market prices.

2021 – 2023 dairy profits

The Milk Cost of Production report showed that average profits increased by 146% between 2021/22 and 2022/23, to £914/cow.

This was due to a 56% increase in milk income/cow (given both higher yields and milk prices) and increased non-milk income (like calf and heifer sales), Old Mill said.

Combined, that more than offset the higher input costs, which rose from £2,300/cow to £3,182/cow.

The figures don’t include rent, interest, drawings, tax, capital expenditure or basic payments, and include a labour charge of £30,000 per full-time partner or director.

The gap between the top and bottom 10% of herds continues to widen, with the former making £1,668/cow profit versus the latter at £187/cow, Old Mill said.

“Larger, higher yielding herds were more suited to the market conditions of 2022/23,” Heal said.

“These systems typically perform well in times of high prices, although have high cost bases for when prices fall.”

Heal said there are some common themes among the best performing herds: They benchmark their costs of production, are involved in discussion groups, are willing to change, and plan and budget ahead.

The type of system is irrelevant, he said, as there is a mix of both in top and bottom 10% of herds.

“Farming efficiently relies on the farmer and is not based on the system which is run,” he said.

“We’re confident that producers who manage their businesses effectively will be able to weather the more difficult periods as well as take advantage in the good times.”

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The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) has appointed Robert Craig, First Milk non-executive farmer director, as its new chair.

The Cumbrian dairy farmer and previous RABDF vice-chair starts his three-year tenure today (Tuesday, October 3), taking over from Devon dairy farmer Di Wastenage.

Succeeding Craig as vice-chair is Shropshire dairy farmer Tim Downes.  

Craig is also currently the First Milk’s vice chairman. All three of his businesses supply First Milk, and he also represents First Milk at Dairy UK, where he chairs the Dairy UK farmer forum.   

Commenting on his plans during the tenure, Craig said: “As well as building on the foundations laid out by Di, there are some exciting projects that we hope to develop as an association to help overcome labour shortages in the dairy sector and also to do more to promote the industry, particularly to the next generation.  

“Undoubtedly, there will also be a focus on the here and now and the impact milk price cuts are having on farmers and ways in which we, as an association, can help support our members as the pinch is felt,” he added.

He also thanked outgoing chair Di Wastenage, the association’s first female chair, for her work, saying: “I am delighted to be the RABDF chairman and am thankful to Di for the work she has done during her term and for leaving the RABDF in such a strong position.  

“Di has contributed to a wide range of topics, including the environment, animal health and welfare, and through her role as Patron of Women in Dairy, showcasing the importance of female roles and the exciting opportunities for women in the sector.”

Craig is a third-generation dairy farmer and operates three dairy farming businesses across Cumbria and Northumberland, milking 1,500 spring and autumn-calving cows. A past chair of Cumbria National Farmers’ Union (NFU), he still maintains an interest in local and national politics both on and off the farm.  

The new RABDF chair is also a 2012 Nuffield Scholar and has worked closely with The Sustainable Food Trust since his travels, particularly on the Global Farm Metric project. 

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Killyfaddy Farms Ltd., was convicted and fined £300 plus £15 offender levy for one charge of transporting an animal which was not fit for the journey.

This is contrary to Regulation 5(1)(a) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006 and Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

Court case

The case arose when a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) official veterinarian at an abattoir examined an animal presented for slaughter.

The cow had a large swollen left fetlock joint with swelling extending down the hoof. The cow was hesitant to move and when she did was unsteady on her feet.

The vet stated that, in her opinion, the animal was suffering from a longstanding condition which, given the inability to balance properly or place her foot directly on the ground, meant that this animal was caused unnecessary suffering by transporting her.

DAERA said it gives high priority to the welfare of animals and operates a vigorous enforcement policy to ensure full compliance of regulatory requirements.

Any breaches are investigated thoroughly and offenders prosecuted as necessary, it said.

Northern Ireland animal welfare legislation also requires that animals must be fit to travel and must be cared for if they fall ill or are injured during transport.

The animals must be accompanied by competent persons and must be transported to their destinations without undue delay.

All those who have animals in their care either on farm, in transit or at slaughter have a duty of care to look after the animals’ welfare.

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The new entrant into milk imported 80 ProCROSS in-calf heifers from Denmark in three batches. 

The first animals were milked by a Lely A5 robot at the beginning of 2023. There are 67 calved heifers in the milking group at the present time.

A number of the heifers brought in from Denmark will be calving down for the second time over the coming weeks.

ProCROSS breeding

The ProCROSS has its origins in the US 25 years ago. The cow type represents the result of a protracted breeding programme undertaken in that country under the aegis of Viking Genetics.

It brings together three breeds: Holstein, Montbéliarde and Viking Red.

This specific breed mix delivers for milk producers from a number of perspectives: Sustainable milk yields, milk quality, longevity and fertility.

But by far the most significant benefit of ProCROSS cows is that of enhanced feed efficiency across a wide number of dietary options.

Viking Genetics’ Sven Johnsson spoke at the event and confirmed that ProCROSS cows can deliver up to a 33% improvement in lifetime profitability, relative to all other cow types.

“These results were confirmed courtesy of a 3,500-cow trial, carried out in Minnesota 10 years ago,” he said.

“Dairy farmers want to make money from their cows. Maximising feed efficiency is the way to achieve this. The US trial work has confirmed that ProCROSS stock can achieve this objective across a wide range of diets.

“ProCROSS cow numbers have increased significantly in a number of countries across Europe over the past number of years.”

Significantly, Johnsson indicated that the cows are able to make maximum use of forages.

“This makes them very suited to the grazed grass and grass silage – based systems that predominate in Ireland,” he said.

The Kelly farm

Des Kelly explained that two fundamentally important decisions were made when the initial decision to get into milk production was made.

The first was to commit to an established cross-breeding programme, where the cows are concerned: the other was to invest in a robotic milking system.

“I am happy to confirm that both decisions were the correct ones to take,” he said.

At the heart of the ProCROSS breeding programme is the sequential use of Holstein, Montbéliarde and Danish Red genetics.

“All the animals were imported from Denmark as in-calf heifers in three batches,” Kelly said.

“The breeding history of each animal was confirmed, going back over a number of generations.

“As a result, the position of each in the ProCROSS breeding cycle can be clearly identified.

“This allows me to select the specific breed of sire to be used on each animal in order to maintain the full impact of ProCROSS programme across the next and future generations of cows on the farm.”

The animals currently on the robot are averaging 32.3L/day at 4.27% butterfat and 3.35% protein.

The open day was jointly hosted by Ai Services (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

“There is a growing demand for medium-sized cross bred cows that will deliver significant volumes of high quality milk over a long number of lactations,” company breeding manager, Ivan Minford, said.

“The ProCROSS option meets this requirement in a more than meaningful way.”

Lely’s Tommy Johnston, who was also present at the event, highlighted the exceptional milk speed being recorded by ProCROSS animals within the herd, recording an average milking speed of 3kg/min.

“The average figure for Northern Ireland is 2.5kg. This faster milking speed is the reason why a single robot can cope with 65 plus cows within the same group,” Johnston said.

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Glastry Farm is a specialised dairy farm which extends to 247ac owned, as well as a further 190ac leased at Kircubbin, on the Ards Peninsula of Co. Down.   

The farming enterprise is run by Gareth and Liz Taylor, the sixth generation of Taylors on this farm, dates back to 1856 and was originally 58ac.

The seventh generation, Amy, Isla and Tom take an interest in the farming activities but are at this point, of school age.

Will Taylor is the fifth generation. He takes care of the Glastry Farm ice cream side of the business, having diversified in 2004. He says things are going well, but that a lot of effort goes into that.

“We have a rainfall of 28-30in (850mm) year-on-year with all grass/clover leys, 45ac of forage maize and 15-20ac of winter wheat,” he said.

“This is the base ration for our pedigree dairy herd and ensures that there is a reseeding policy built into the system.

“The 300-cow pedigree dairy herd is the engine that drives the farm, it has been self-contained for a generation.

“The only outside purchase is an Aberdeen Angus bull every third/fourth year as a heifer ‘sweeper bull’ with an exemplary health background,” he added.

“This is mostly because the region has 18% of herds under TB restrictions with all the associated cashflow implications plus the possible loss of a lifetime of breeding endeavour.”

Genetics and yield at Glastry Farm

The current herd genetic gain in the black and white breed is rapid over the past decade and more so at Glastry, where the milk recording, according to the National Milk Records (NMR) report for August 12, 2023, showed the rolling average milk yield was 10,632kg.

Perhaps more significantly, the rolling average for fat is quite spectacular in that it is 4.72% fat and 3.41% protein.

“That would be very much ahead of the pack in terms of the Northern Ireland or Irish average in terms of both volume and in terms of components,” he added.

So, how does that come about?

“We have almost 80% of the herd in excellent (EX) or very good (VG) status and genomic data on the females, as well as sires that are being used, to improve rapidly our genetic gain and herd performance,” Will continued.

“There is a very clear relationship between the genetic potential of the herd and the efficient use of inputs, particularly, feed.

“We need to bring super management allied with superb nutrition to these high-performance animals to benefit from their genetic potential 365 days a year. Would the Red Bull team fill an F1 racing car with paraffin to cheapen the running costs in a Grand Prix race?

“Yet, we continually do that in times of drought, poor grass availability, wet or monsoon periods and adverse conditions, yet we don’t react quickly and lose productivity as a result.”

The Taylors feel they have addressed the ‘ethical timebomb’ of dairy farming in Ireland by using sexed semen on the quartile of the herd with most genetic potential, so only pure black and white heifer calves are born on farm.

The rest of the herd are inseminated with Aberdeen Angus semen. The resulting calves are moved directly at six weeks to the ABP Angus rearing scheme on an approved farm.

Environment

Will Taylor said that the environment is also an important concern in how they farm.

“We take our environmental obligations seriously, as dairy farming is in the spotlight in terms of pollution of our lakes and waterways, with increasing legislation heading our way and derogations of what we do and how we conform becoming more stringent,” he said.

“We are part of the first tranche of farms that have been part of the Soil Nutrient Management Scheme in Co. Down.

“All our fields have been sampled and readings for lime requirements, phosphorous, potassium and sulphur for the expected crops for the next three years tabulated.”

“This exercise has saved us several thousand euro already in year one, and in a period of high fertiliser prices, science has overcome the blanket excess of nutrients being applied,” he added.

Will explained that they have completed a carbon audit of the farm.

“Our bottom line result for 2023 is 1.23kg/L of milk produced, which is a barometer of input efficiency on this dairy farm,” he said.

Brexit

Will said there has not been much impact on their farm from Brexit.

“In terms of the farm, the impact has been minimal. Inputs have obviously increased dramatically in particular because of the Ukraine war; the price of fertiliser and feed have risen dramatically,” he said.

“Brexit, farm-wise, has had a minimal effect but I think the farming community as a group who voted very resoundingly, as I understand it, to come out of the European Union, I think they are now finding that they have been very much misled.

“The great yonder of much less bureaucracy and being in charge of their own well-being really hasn’t happened and in actual fact, farms, including our own here at Glastry, have a much heavier burden or bureaucracy and statutory farm visits than they have had previously.”

Will says the key to their success lies in running the farm and the ice cream/sorbet businesses alongside each other.

“That is the secret of what is a very integrated business to keep both sides of it continuing being profitable which is obviously the ultimate sustainability benchmark and without that input from my son and daughter-in-law, this business would not continue in the way it is at the moment,” he said.

“We believe that our 150 years of farming this land is a testament to our sustainability in all its forms and we will continue to use science to underpin all that we do in the future,” he added.

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First Milk has today (Friday, September 29) announced that its member milk price will reduce by 0.85ppl from November 1, 2023.

The farmer-owned dairy cooperative said this will take its manufacturing standard litre to 36.00ppl, including the member premium.

Vice chair and farmer director of First Milk, Robert Craig, said: “We understand that this will be unwelcome news for our members, especially heading into the winter, as costs on farm remain stubbornly high.

“Dairy demand has been reduced for several months, putting downward pressure on pricing, which has impacted our returns.

“As always, we will continue to work hard to maximise our members’ milk price in the months ahead.”

At the start of the month (Friday, September 1), First Milk announced that its member milk price would be held from October 1, 2023.

At the time, the cooperative said its milk price will remain at 36.85ppl for a manufacturing standard litre, including the member premium.

Dairy farmers getting ‘shafted’ on milk price

Earlier this week, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) in Northern Ireland said returns for dairy farmers for milk are inadequate and that they are “getting shafted” on prices.

According to the union, returns for milk are down 40% compared to this time last year and the majority of dairy farmers are not earning enough to cover production costs.

As well as this, UFU dairy chair Kenny Hawkes believes profits are being made further up the supply chain.

“Our food producers are getting shafted while others in the dairy chain are clearly making money,” he said.

“For more than six months now, nearly 20p/L has been taken from milk prices in Northern Ireland and things are not getting any better.

“This decline is only an issue in Northern Ireland as other regions have started to show recovery.

“Meanwhile, the largest proportion of our dairy farmers are not receiving enough to cover the cost of production let alone have any profit left over to support a home and family.”

Hawkes said it is not sustainable for farmers, especially when input prices remain higher than average.

“It’s utterly disheartening to once again, have to call out the failing dynamics within our food supply system.

“If this continues, dairy farmers will be put out of business which will have serious implications for the agri-food industry and our consumers.”

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According to the union, returns for milk are down 40% compared to this time last year and the majority of dairy farmers are not earning enough to cover production costs.

As well as this, UFU dairy chair Kenny Hawkes believes profits are being made further up the supply chain.

“Our food producers are getting shafted while others in the dairy chain are clearly making money,” he said.

“For more than six months now, nearly 20p/L has been taken from milk prices in Northern Ireland and things are not getting any better.

“This decline is only an issue in Northern Ireland as other regions have started to show recovery.

“Meanwhile, the largest proportion of our dairy farmers are not receiving enough to cover the cost of production let alone have any profit left over to support a home and family.”

Hawkes said it is not sustainable for farmers, especially when input prices remain higher than average.

“It’s utterly disheartening to once again, have to call out the failing dynamics within our food supply system.

“If this continues, dairy farmers will be put out of business which will have serious implications for the agri-food industry and our consumers.”

NI farmgate price

In August 2023, the milk base price average was 28.47p/L. To breakeven, farmers needed to be receiving at least 35p/L – 36p/L, the UFU said.

“Comparing local prices to what’s been happening in Europe, the Northern Ireland farmgate milk price is the third lowest with only Latvia and Lithuania paying a lower price,” Hawkes said.

“On average, the EU farmgate price was 7.62p/L higher. Meanwhile, there is a difference of 4p/L between Northern Ireland and Britain’s farmgate milk prices.”

Hawkes said he has met with the dairy policy officer and and Northern Ireland’s dairy stakeholders in major banks to discuss this situation.

“A major concern right now is rising interest rates and the impact it is having on farm overdrafts,” he said.

“Managing cashflow is key for any farm business and as we sit on the mouth of winter coupled with longer term pressures, fears are excelling.

“To keep their head above water, some local dairy farmers are cutting back from milking three times a day, to twice a day to try to reduce costs, but this is only a short-term solution.”

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The aim of the MSC is to improve the efficiency and sustainability of dairy farm operations.

The ecosystem will be open for partners to join, with the objective of providing farmers with data needed for an holistic view of the dairy operations.

Milk Sustainability Center

Dairy farmers will be able to use the MSC to monitor nutrient use efficiency (NUE) for nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium (K), and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), for their entire farm, specific fields, or their herd.

The MSC will also provide data to allow dairy farmers to compare their performance to other dairy operations and identify key areas for improvement.

The MSC aims to serve dairy farmers independent of farm machinery brands and herd management software.

Dave Chipak, director, dairy and livestock production systems at John Deere said: “Dairy farming is perhaps the most complex agriculture business today with no system integration between crop and animal performance​.

“Dairy farmers often use five to seven different, non-connected software solutions to run their business.

“The MSC will enable dairy farmers to calculate, benchmark, simulate, and optimise NUE and CO2e for sustainable and profitable decision-making.”

After farmer authorisation, data from DeLaval Plus and John Deere Operations Center will be automatically pulled into the MSC.

Manual data input will be reduced, ensuring high data quality, and ultimately helping an entire farm system – fields, cows, employees, advisors, machines, and other assets – work efficiently together, according to the companies.

MSC is cloud-based for desktop or mobile devices, built and powered by Dairy Data Warehouse BV (DDW), a Dutch company in operation for the last 10 years offering data solutions for sustainable dairy.

Dairy farmers, consultants, dealers, and other partners can also be invited to view their data in MSC.

Also commenting on the partnership Lars Bergmann, executive vice-president of digital services at DeLaval said: “Dairy farmers are seeking ways to decrease their environmental footprint and improve sustainability.

“The MSC will help dairy farmers achieve their goals and address the growing needs of dairy processors, retailers, government, and ultimately, consumers​.”

The launch of the John Deere / DeLaval partnership will be a key focus in the John Deere booth at the AGRITECHNICA 2023 trade show, from November 12-18, in Hanover, Germany.

The initial version of MSC will be released in summer 2024 in North America and selected European Union countries and will be free of charge.

A premium version with extended capabilities will be released at a later date.

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Four out of five UK adults (79%) think children should have access to free or subsidised milk at schools and nurseries, according to recent polling.

The School and Nursery Milk Alliance (SNMA) commissioned a poll of 2,156 adults across the UK to understand opinion on the importance of school milk provision to coincide with World School Milk Day today (Wednesday, September 27).

While support for milk in school spread nationwide, it is particularly strong in Wales, with 89% believing the government should continue to provide free or subsidised milk for kids at school and nurseries.

Pupils in key stage one (ages 5-7) in Wales already have access to free milk in education through the school milk subsidy scheme, whereas milk is just subsidised in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. Plant-based milks are not covered by this scheme.

According to the SNMA, uptake of school milk schemes post-Covid-19 is low.

Jon Thornes, chair of SNMA, is encouraging “all UK nations” to follow Wales and do more to ensure that as many children as possible are able to drink healthy milk at schools or nursery.

“We urge the government to do all it can to ensure that as many education settings are signed up to the available milk schemes so that as many children as possible are able to drink healthy milk at school or nursery,” he added.

Supporting this drive and World School Milk Day, TV doctor and author Hilary Jones added:

“World School Milk Day 2023 is the perfect opportunity for the government to ensure that schools and nurseries across the UK are aware of the different schemes that exist.

“The government must encourage them to sign up to ensure that millions of children across the country can drink free healthy milk when at school. “

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The participating farms, which included CAFRE’s own dairy unit at Greenmount College, account for 15,800 milking animals.

The work has confirmed that the decision to cull a cow is driven by a number of factors.

The main results of the survey were discussed by CAFRE’s Dr. David Mackey at the recent ProCROSS open day. The event was hosted by Co. Tyrone dairy farmer, Des Kelly.

CAFRE dairy survey

The results of the survey confirm that the average age of cows was 6.1 years and the average calving age was 27.7 months. They had a productive lifespan of 3.8 years, after producing some 30,200L of milk.

The CAFRE work also confirmed that infertility is still the main reason for culling, followed by mastitis and lameness.

Across all the herds surveyed, 12% of cows are culled in their first lactation.

Mackey highlighted the concept of determining dairy cow efficiency in terms of her estimated lifetime yield of butterfat and protein per day of life.

For the current Greenmount herd, this figure comes in at 1.14kg. The average figure across the survey as a whole was 1.04kg.

As cows get older, a proportionately higher number of cows are culled for mastitis and lameness-related issues.

Mackey commented: “Achieving a good lifetime yield is about: Securing good yields per lactation; calving heifers earlier; effectively managing infertility in young cows; managing mastitis and lameness-related issues.

“Securing a reduced culling rate is also important.

“Herds with the highest lifetime yields culled fewer younger cows, especially in their first and second lactations," he added.

“In contrast, herds with the lowest lifetime yield culled as many cows in their first lactation as the top 25% of herds achieved up to the end of cows’ third lactation.”

Future sustainability

According to CAFRE, lifetime yield is key to the future sustainability of dairying. Around 27% of cows are either culled or die in Northern Ireland, achieving lifetime yields of 30,200L.

“Lifetime yield is not about keeping more older cows, it’s about having fewer losses of younger cows," Mackey continued.

According to Mackey, crossbreeding can be expected to increase the productive life by between 0.5 and 1.0 lactations.

This is a direct result of lower culling rates for infertility, mastitis and lameness.

David Mackey pointed out that dairy farmers in Northern Ireland should aim for a minimum lifetime yield from their cows of 40,000L.

This works out at 1kg of milk solids per kg of cow bodyweight per year. This assumes an average liveweight figure for mature cows of 700kg.

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Farmers are being urged to secure winter bedding supplies as the sawdust shortage hits its peak.

Managing director of EnviroSystems, Liz Russell, said the company had received increased calls and enquiries on the back of the sawdust shortage.

“We’ve had years like this in the past, and we invented EnviroBed in 2001 because of a shortage of bedding. Over the past two years, the bedding shortage has been building and has now come to a head,” she said.

“Every so often, bedding shortages happen, and we’re happy to be able to fill that gap for farmers when this happens.

“We encourage farmers to start thinking about their winter bedding supplies and, if they are struggling to secure supplies, to think of suitable alternative options.”

When looking at alternatives, Russell said farmers should make sure they know exactly what they are buying and check aspects such as the dry matters and what is actually contained within the product.

Tight supply

James Weaver, a dairy farmer from Rooms Farm, Market Drayton, said he enquired about receiving his supply of fine sawdust after placing an order earlier in the summer.

However, he said he was told that the supply was tight and that delivery could not be guaranteed.

EnviroSystems said the shortage is thought to be on the back of an increased volume supplying biomass plants in Europe, with supplies dwindling over the last couple of years. 

Weaver, who milks 300 Holsteins and usually stocks up with two artic loads of bedding before the winter, said he rang various other suppliers and was told a similar message.

“Each of the companies said they were struggling to supply sawdust, and on top of that, the price had also increased significantly,” he said.

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A Lancashire-based animal nutritional products manufacturer has won the 2023 Innovation Award from the dairy industry CREAM awards.

G Shepherd Animal Health took home the innovation award for its system of reusing packaging for dairy hygiene materials and ensuring streamlined and timely delivery of supplies.

The total plastic use for dairy chemicals on UK dairy farms is estimated to be 2,277t/year, the company said, and its study shows just one re-use cycle saves more than 99% of the C02.

“We have estimated that by using more concentrated chemicals and reusing containers the plastic use for a 200-cow herd can be reduced by 395kg a year,” Shepherd said.

“On a national scale for 1.1million cows this equates to a reduction of 2,173t of plastic a year.

“This would be a significant and important contribution to reducing the carbon footprint in the UK dairy industry.”

Vet Graham Shepherd, who founded the company in 2008, has been described as being instrumental in developing the system for reusing barrel-type containers, for producing more concentrated dairy chemical and hygiene products and for more streamlined delivery on to dairy farms.

Named Plasti-Save, Shepherd said the system can “achieve significant savings” and that the company is aiming for 20 reuses from each plastic barrel – delivering more concentrated products and reducing the transport of these materials.

Plasti-Save

The re-use of containers for the company’s teat disinfectants, that promote cow udder hygiene, started in August 2021, followed by its concentrated BactoBAN dairy cleaning chemicals in September 2022.

Shepherd has piloted the scheme and carried out a study with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) to ensure its effectiveness in the re-use of packaging materials, and has shown a reduction in carbon use of 99% from reusing the packaging.

“And at the end of its lifespan, the packaging material can be recycled,” he said.

“We’ve also estimated that our concentrated plant cleaning chemicals can save 33% on package requirements and delivery mileage, which both contribute to a reduced carbon footprint inhte supply chain.”

The company will add a remote level sensing technique for monitoring its chemical and hygiene product use on farm, it said.

This combines a sensor fitted to the rim of each container linked to a SIM card and app. which allows the company to monitor levels from its offices and arrange the delivery of supplies more effectively.

“We can manage supplies and streamline our transport, and also ensure farmers have materials as required, helping to safeguard animal health and milk hygiene,” Shepherd said.

G Shepherd Animal Health quoted the benefits of the Plasti-Save system as:

• Improved animal health and food quality (udder health, milk hygiene);
• Nearly two tonnes less plastic per 1,000cows a year (equivalent to 8t of CO2;
• Approximately 33% less product volume required which reduces transport miles by 33%;
• More transport efficiency with improved delivery routes;
• Improved farm cleanliness from less waste plastic.

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Robert Patterson said successful autumn grazing management will increase the number of days at grass and ensure there is grass available for grazing the following spring.

The recent settled weather conditions have been a welcome change in the latter half of a very unsettled and variable grazing season, he said.

Grass growth on farms in Northern Ireland throughout August was higher than the long-term average and this should have made it possible on many farms to increase the grazing rotation length and average farm cover approaching September.

“A surplus of grass will have been built up in August on some farms and hopefully these will have been removed in late August,” Patterson said.

“Taking out surplus grass after the first week of September should be avoided if possible, as grass growth rates can fall quickly and paddocks removed will not have enough time to regrow and provide grass for the final grazing rotation.”

Autumn grazing

Patterson said creating an autumn rotation plan is a valuable tool to manage autumn grazing and ensure there will be grass available for grazing in the following spring.

The rotation plan will determine the area to be grazed each day, based on the initial average farm cover, the desired housing date and the target closing farm cover.

It is important, he said, to continue to measure and budget grass weekly, to allow progress to be tracked and manage supplementation if required.

“Successfully managing autumn grazing will increase the number of days at grass, reduce the cost of feeding the animals, conserve valuable winter forage supplies, and prepare the grazing platform for turnout in the following spring,” Patterson said.

“Careful management will be required to minimise sward damage and achieve good levels of grass utilisation.

“The full range of grazing tools and techniques should be used where applicable, including the use of multiple entry and exit points, using spur roads to access the back of paddocks, using 24- and 12-hour allocations, back fencing animals from grazed areas and on-off grazing if required.”

While weather and ground conditions are favourable, farmers should aim to graze paddocks with heavier soils and heavier grass covers to reduce sward damage and increase the utilisation of these swards.

“Aim to increase the grazing rotation length from 30 days at the start of September to 35 days by mid-September and 40 days by the start of October,” Patterson said.

“The average farm cover should reach its peak in mid-late September (2,600–2,750kg DM/ha), before reducing to a target closing farm cover of 2,050–2,100kg DM/ha.

“Prioritise fresh calved cows for housing first, with late lactation and lower yielding cows being the last to be housed. Grass will currently provide energy for maintenance plus 11L.”

As grass supply reduces and supplementation is required, Patterson has advised to introduce silage gradually with on-off grazing and transition the diet slowly.

He advised that paddocks most suitable for spring turnout be identified now and these should be grazed in the middle of the final grazing rotation.

“This should mean that these paddocks will have grass covers suitable for turnout (2,400–2,600kg DM/ha) and make good levels of grass utilisation more achievable,” he said.

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Silage analysis will be important coming into the winter as farmers will be soon begin to close paddocks and house stock.

The challenging weather conditions made the harvesting of silage tough for farmers in many areas, and therefore, ensuring that the fodder is high quality is essential.

Bruce Forshaw, product manager at ForFarmers in the UK said that insight into silage quality can help reduce expenses while maintaining productivity.

Forshaw said: “Our analysis of customers’ silage [stocks] has shown that overall there is more energy and protein compared to 2022.

“This may mean you can reduce the amount of protein you buy in, therefore lowering bills while also helping towards sustainability targets.”

Silage analysis

The benefits of getting silage analysed can not only identify the ways costs can be lowered, but can also be helpful in preventing sickness in cows.

In their silage analysis, Forshaw said that ForFarmers has discovered some results that “give cause for concern”.

“We have noticed some high DCAB (dietary cation-anion balance) silages which was caused by higher than normal potassium levels and lower chloride levels.

“This may not make a huge difference to cows in the milking herd, but can pose a problem for dry cows and can result in milk fever.

“It’s unclear why this year’s silage is showing raised levels.”

Second and later cuts this year, according to Forshaw, indicated an increased risk of aerobic spoilage and heating once silage pits are opened.

Analysis from ForFarmers indicated that this is, in part, due to lower lactic and acetic acids and higher butyric acid.

“The best advice is to get full nutritional and mineral analysis of your silage and ration exactly what your cows need to help them perform at their best while minimising waste,” he said.

“Mineral content of silage can catch you out if there is a change, so we recommend that all farms take at least one sample at the beginning of the season, especially when rationing dry cows.”

Forshaw stated that a full nutritional and mineral analysis of silage will help cows to perform to their best.

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British red meat and dairy products will take “pride of place” in front of an international audience at Anuga, a global trade fair for the food industry, this year.

This is according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which be joined by 13 British red meat exporters at the Meat Hall at Anuga in Cologne from October 7-11, 2023.

14 dairy exporters will also be on the British dairy pavilion in a collaboration between AHDB and the UK government.

The trade fair follows the introduction of the new UK Subsidy Control Act which enables AHDB to feature the term “British” and the union flag more prominently in its promotional work.

AHDB head of international trade development, Jonathan Eckley, said AHDB is excited to showcase the union flag at Anuga 2023 and highlight the “exceptional quality” of British red meat and dairy products.

“Our participation reflects the commitment to deliver on the objectives to develop international markets for our producers, provide valuable market analysis and insights, and promote the reputation of our products to foreign buyers,” he said.

“We aim to lay the groundwork for every British producer to see how important exporting is in underpinning the future of their farmgate returns.

“Anuga presents a unique opportunity to further strengthen existing partnerships, establish new connections, and bolster the reputation of British red meat and dairy in the global marketplace.”

Anuga 2023

At the event, visitors will have the opportunity to taste quality red meat and dairy products that are naturally and sustainably produced by British farmers, AHDB said.

According to the board, Anuga 2023 is the most important event in the calendar this year for the global food industry, and is expected to attract in excess of 100,000 visitors from around the world.

In addition to the exporters, four farming influencers have also been given the opportunity to attend the trade fair with the aim of gaining valuable insights into the workings of global trade and promote British pork, beef, lamb and dairy.

AHDB senior exports manager, Lucy Randolph, said: “Anuga illustrates how the collaborative approach between industry, AHDB and government can help our exporters seize the opportunities presented on the global stage.

“This collaborative approach will build on the government’s commitment earlier this year to invest £2 million to boost its programme of global trade shows and missions, £1.6 million for the GREAT food and drink campaign and a new £1 million bespoke export support fund for the dairy sector.

“We welcome the government’s commitment which will complement AHDB’s £8million annual investment in exports to facilitate trade and grow our reputation as a producer of quality, safe and wholesome food.”

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This year’s UK Dairy Day takes place at the International Centre, Telford, tomorrow (Wednesday, September 13), with over 270 exhibitors expected across the indoor and outdoor areas.

The weather for the free, one-day event is expected to be good, with no rain forecast and a general temperature of 17° .

As usual with the annual event, attendees can expect to network, share knowledge, learn and conduct business.

There will be free Wi-Fi throughout the event with the code: TICUK.

UK Dairy Day 2023 map

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Timetable

• 8:00a.m – UK Dairy Day opens;
• 8:30a.m – Trade Stand Competition judging commences;
• 9:00a.m – Cattle show judging commences. ‘Beneath the Black and White’ calf painting demonstration commences in external trade stand area;
• 9:30a.m – Foot trimming, blocking and knife sharpening demonstrations commence in the external trade stand area. New Product Competition judging commences;
• 10:00a.m – Seminar presentations and industry panels commence on the first floor in Sharing Knowledge Zone;
• 10:20a.m – Grand Championship presentations for Dairy Shorthorn, Jersey, Guernsey and Brown Swiss;
• 12:30p.m – Type classification and linear scoring demonstration in the NBDC Breed. Village in concourse by Hall 3;
• 12:40p.m – Heifer Championship presentations for Ayrshire and Holstein;
• 1:00p.m – Presentation of 2023 Holstein UK Master Breeder Awards in the cattle ring;
• 1:20p.m – Cattle show senior judging commences;
• 1:30p.m – Presentation of New Product Competition awards;
• 2:30p.m – Presentation of Trade Stand awards. Type classification and linear scoring demonstration in the NBDC Breed Village in concourse by Hall 3;
• 2:40p.m – Presentation of 2023 Holstein UK Premier Herd Competition Regional. Winners and Overall Winner in the cattle ring;
• 4:20p.m – Grand Championship presentations for Ayrshire and Holstein;
• 5:30p.m – UK Dairy Day closes;
• 6:30p.m – Event breakdown commences.

Seminars and industry panels timetable

The UK Dairy Day industry panels and seminars will be held on the first floor within the ‘Sharing Knowledge Zone’.

Industry Panels will be 60 minutes and Seminars 20 minutes, both with opportunity to ask questions at the end.

Getting there

The International Centre is located off Junction 4 or 5 of the M54. Organisers recommend following AA yellow road signs for UK Dairy Day or brown signs for International Centre

The UK Dairy Show will validate pay parking tickets on behalf of its visitors and recommends the following car parks:

• The Centre Car Park (200) 24hrs;
• P1 Long Stay 1 (969) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P2 Southwater Multi-storey (700 spaces) 24hrs;
• P3 Cinemas & Restaurants (600) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P4 Next/Zara (500 spaces) 6:00a.m – 7:00p.m;
• P5 Long Stay 2 (260 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P6 Long Stay 3 (243 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P7 Next/Primark (420 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight;
• P8 Debenhams (620 spaces) 6:00a.m to midnight.

It is important to remember to bring the car park ticket taken at the barrier gate to the event for validation at the UK Dairy Day visitor information desk in the concourse on arrival or departure.

If travelling by train the nearest station, Telford Central Railway Station, is a 10-minute walk away.

A free shuttle bus will also be running between the venue and Telford Central Railway Station throughout the day.

The venue currently has no electric car charging points, but the closest charging points are: the International Hotel Car Park, next door to venue and Asda Telford Superstore, Malinsgate, Telford TF3 4HZ which is a couple of minutes away.

UK Dairy Day 2024

Should you miss this year’s show the date has already been set for next year; September 11, 2024.

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Hugh McClymount has been presented with the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers’ (RABDF) Princess Royal award.

The recently retired research manager for Scotland’s Rural College’s (SRUC) farms was presented with the award by Anne, The Princess Royal, in a ceremony at Gatcombe Park earlier today (Monday, September 11).

The Princess Royal award aims to reward someone who has had an outstanding contribution to the dairy sector throughout their life.

The Princess Royal award is run by the RABDF and has been presented to industry influencers each year since its establishment in 1991.

Hugh McClymount

McClymount was born and grew up in southwest Scotland in a dairy farming family.

He gained a diploma in agriculture at the West of Scotland Agricultural College (now the SRUC), despite having had little interest in dairying before this.

He went on to secure the position of herdsman at SRUC Crichton Royal and, from here, he worked his way up the ladder at the SRUC to the position of research farm manager.

The RABDF said McClymount is known for his many roles and positions throughout the industry which include:

• Chair, and now incumbent secretary, of 1000 Cow Club;
• Chair of RHET Dumfries & Galloway Countryside Initiative (Royal Highland Education Trust);
• Chair (and only Scottish person to hold the position) of the Maize Growers Association;
• Chair of the South West Scotland Grassland Society.

RABDF council member, Willie Whiteford, said McClymount is always mindful of what is happening in the dairy industry and is at the forefront when it comes to educating the general public on where their food comes from through open days at Crichton.

“One of the greatest achievements regarding Hugh and his career is the fact he started off from humble beginnings – starting out as a herdsman to leading one of the largest institutions in dairy is no mean feat,” Whiteford said.

Young people in dairy

In addition to the research programmes he managed, McClymount was passionate about encouraging young people into the industry, something reflected in his board position of RHET.

Over his career he has guided countless individuals into the industry, helping them gain the relevant practical experience they needed to progress their careers, RABDF said.

“Whilst I have helped many young people over the years, I believe two of my biggest success stories come in the form of my children, with my son managing a farm estate South of Edinburgh and my daughter a dairy consultant for Kite Consulting,” he said.

McClymount worked alongside Ark Veterinary Centre on a calf club initiative where he shared knowledge to improve youngstock rearing.

As part of this he showcased the farm’s calf housing changes – where calves were initially housed in individual igloos before progressing to larger open igloos in bigger groups.

He conducted a huge amount of research into this project and its benefits to the point where it was a model for others to carbon copy.

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With heatwave conditions set in across the UK it is important that farmers keep an eye on their livestock for signs of heat stress.

Heat stress occurs when an animal’s heat load is greater than its capacity to lose heat.

This is seen prominently in heavy cattle, which cannot handle heat stress compared to lighter weight cattle.

Also at a higher risk of heat stress are pregnant animals, animals recovering from illness, pigs and high-producing dairy cows.

The most visible signs in farm animals tend to be elevated breathing rates, however, increased water intake and sweating, along with decreased feed intake, are other symptoms.

To help prevent heat stress occurring, farmers must pay particular attention to water, feed, shade and management.

Consumption of water is the quickest method for animals to reduce their core body temperature.

For detecting signs of heat stress in your dairy herd, further symptoms include decreased milk production and a change in milk composition (milk fat and protein percentages drop).

Farmers should also pay attention to their livestock crowding, breathing heavily, and standing next to a water trough.

On a hot day, cows can drink anywhere up to 110L/day and they can typically drink at a rate of 14L/minute from a trough.

With this in mind, farmers are encouraged to carefully consider trough location, as cattle don’t like to walk more than 250m to get a drink.

Offering feed with a high fibre content can increase the heat of fermentation in the rumen, thus increasing the heat load of livestock.

Cattle should be given preferential access to paddocks with shade from trees and tall hedges during periods of hot weather.

This may mean having to graze more shaded parts of the farm during the day and more open areas during the evening/night.

If moving or handling cattle, farmers should minimise the time cattle are in holding yards and to reduce handling stress.

Where cattle do become affected by heat stress, it’s advisable to isolate the most severely affected animals and provide shade and cooling.

Farmers should avoid handling sheep where possible during hot weather, and where necessary, delay handling or moving sheep until late evening when temperatures cool.

For farmers transporting sheep in trailers, they should ensure there is adequate ventilation and that they are stocked appropriately.

They should check stock regularly during longer journeys and delay movements until late evening/night time where possible.

Farmers with sheepdogs should also be aware that the dogs are susceptible to heat stress, and should delay work until late evening, where possible, provide sufficient rest periods and have access to water.

For outdoor pigs, they will require access to a wallow to cool down, especially if the temperature is above 25°, as these animals are particularly vulnerable to heat stress.

For indoor pigs and poultry the temperature in the animal accommodation must be monitored closely and ventilation adjusted accordingly. 

It is also recommended to reduce stocking densities where necessary to increase air space and flow and to reduce the heat generated by the animals themselves.  

It is also important that farmers look after themselves in the hot weather, by staying hydrated and protecting their skin from the sun with sunscreen and protective clothing.

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It is now necessary for all transporters of livestock animals to have a valid transporter authorisation in order to transport animals over any distance greater than 65km in connection with any economic activity, e.g. trade.

It is also a requirement when transporting animals between member states (including moves to and from Northern Ireland, to register the premises of departure and premises of destination on TRACES in advance of the movement.

This update is in line with the EU animal health law.

TRACES is the online platform for certification required for the importation of animals, animal products, food and feed of non-animal origin and plants into the EU, and the intra-EU trade and EU exports of animals and certain animal products.

Details of this authorisation to transport animals over 65km, in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, must be registered on TRACES in order for the health certificate to be generated.

Action required for transport

To ensure that no delays are encountered in north-south trade, or in trade between EU member states, the parties to the trade should ensure in advance that the premises of origin and destination have been registered on TRACES.

Once a premises has been correctly registered as an establishment of origin or destination, this will allow them to be selected on the certificate for each movement and they will not need to re-register.

Registration of farms in the Republic of Ireland can be completed by contacting a local regional veterinary office of DAFM.

To register a premises in Northern Ireland, a local Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) regional office should be contacted.

If this process is not completed prior to the sale of animals, it may result in export delays as it will not be possible to create a health certificate on the TRACES system.

If the journey is to be more than 65km, the parties should ensure that the authorisation of the transporter of the animals is registered on TRACES.

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Sainsbury’s has increased its annual investment in its dairy farmers by £6 million meaning its suppliers will be paid more for a litre of milk from next month.

From October 1, farmers supply milk to Sainsbury’s will receive an extra 1p/L on top of the independently calculated Cost of Production price of milk that the retailer has followed since 2012

For a farm producing roughly 2.7 million litres this would equate to an extra £27,000/year.

This price increase follows a year-long review by Sainsbury’s into how it pays farmers for milk.

Alongside the price increase, £1.7 million of the total £6 million investment is also being committed for sustainability bonuses. Farmers will be rewarded for helping Sainsbury’s to achieve its Plan for Better targets, specifically carbon reduction, through activities such as using sustainably sourced feed and using the correct amount of fertiliser, in the right way. 

The retailer hopes the increased investment will also give farmers the “confidence and desire” to invest in long-term infrastructure changes to comply with new legislation.

“The dairy farming industry is becoming increasingly challenging and we recognise the responsibility we have as a retailer to support farmers and the need for continuous investment in this sector,” Gavin Hodgson, director of agriculture, aquaculture and horticulture at Sainsbury’s, commented.

“We’re proud of our continued investment into the Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group and are confident our £6 million annual investment will help farmers to plan for a long-term and sustainable future.

“In turn, we hope this will also provide surety of supply for our customers as we continue to champion British milk now and for the future.”

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Four pregnant cows have died following a suspected dog chase in Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, Wales.

As a result of being chased the cows fell down a steep embankment and sustained “catastrophic injuries”, North Wales Police Rural Crime Team has said.

Police are appealing for any information on the incident, which took place between 3:00p.m last Wednesday (August 23) and 10:00a.m the following day (Thursday, August 24) in a field in Maenaddwyn, just outside Llannerchymedd.

“We are appealing for information after four cows have died following an incident in Anglesey,” the rural crime team said on Facebook.

“This incident will result in a significant financial loss to the farmer as well as the emotional impact of finding his stock in such terrible circumstances.

“If you have any information in relation to this incident or if you know that your dog had escaped during the time frame given and you believe they may have been responsible, please contact us on 101, or via the website, and quote reference number A135912.”

Livestock worrying

Rural insurer NFU Mutual estimates that dog attacks on farm animals across the UK cost £1.8 million last year.

In Wales, it estimates farm animals worth £438,536 were severely injured or killed by dogs in 2022, a rise of 15.5% in cost compared to 2021.

In a livestock worrying survey earlier this year, NFU Mutual also found that nearly two thirds of dog owners that responded said that their dogs chase animals.

The same amount of respondents (64%) said they also let their dog roam off-lead in the countryside, and 40% admitted that their pets do not always come back when called.

North Wales Police Rural Crime Team believes the Maenaddwyn incident is as a result of a “loose dog”.

However, almost half (46%) of respondents to the NFU Mutual survey believe their dogs are not capable of injuring or killing livestock.

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The Welsh branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU Cymru) is seeking the winner of its Dairy Stockperson of the Year award.

The union said the search is on for what will be the tenth winner of the award, which seeks to champion “dedicated, committed and enthusiastic” dairy stock managers from across Wales.

The closing date for entries is Monday, September 25, and the winner will be announced at this year’s Welsh Dairy Show on Tuesday, October 24, at the United Counties Showground, Carmarthen.

This year’s winner will receive £500 and a Welsh slate engraved cheese board.

NFU Cymru dairy board chair, Jonathan Wilkinson, said: “As a dairy farmer, I am very passionate about the agricultural industry and championing those individuals who go the extra mile to ensure they have happy, healthy cows is important.

“The award aims to recognise the key role that a good dairy stockperson plays in a successful dairy enterprise and the Welsh dairy industry as a whole.

“Potential award winners will be judged on their care and management of the herd, the breeding programme, their handling skills, their involvement in the dairy enterprise and their knowledge of the dairy industry in Wales.”

Wilkinson urged all NFU members to nominate a dairy farmer or manager in their area who they believe deserves to be recognised for their work in the industry.

NFU Cymru and NFU Mutual group secretary for Llandeilo, Rhys Williams, will be judging on behalf of NFU Mutual this year.

“The quality of stockmanship is a major factor in determining the success of any dairy enterprise,” he said.

“We have some superb stockpeople involved in the dairy industry in Wales and I am confident that this will be a keenly contested competition and one which NFU Mutual is pleased to support as the leading farming insurer.”

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This year’s Great British Calf Week will focus on two themes – dairy beef genetics and tuberculosis (TB) calves.

The week-long campaign will take place from September 13-20, 2023, and will showcase interactive events hosted by industry stakeholders.

The week aims to celebrate the progress that industry has made since the launch of the Dairy Calf Strategy in 2020 through a series of webinars, farm walks and events.

Great British Calf Week will kick of at UK Dairy Day in Telford on Wednesday, September 13, with a breakfast launch on the National Farmers’ Union’s (NFU) stand.

NFU dairy board chair, Michael Oakes, said the event will celebrate the “significant progress” that industry has seen under the GB Calf Strategy.

“Since 2020, there have been a number of commitments made across both the beef and dairy supply chains to better integrate the two, and help ensure, as dairy farmers, we are rearing calves with an end market in mind,” he said.

“As we approach the end of the initiative’s final year, we need to continue working together to identify market opportunities and help ensure we are maximising the value of each calf to optimise returns.”

Since the launch of the strategy three years ago, the NFU said “huge strides” have been made across the supply chain to implement breeding strategies which rear all healthy calves “with care and for a purpose”, including an increase in the use of sexed dairy semen, from 31.9% in 2019 to 76.5% in 2023.

Bovine TB

At the outset of the GB Calf Strategy, a Bovine bTB subgroup was established to help increase access for TB restricted cattle into licenced TB units.

The group includes:

• The NFU;
• NFU Cymru;
• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra);
• The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA);
• The Welsh government;
• Representatives from the dairy and beef supply chains.

The group said it has worked to try to overcome some of the “red tape and barriers” impacting producers affected by TB.

The group said its next meeting will be in early September at a member’s TB isolation unit, where it will discuss extended filling periods and the potential for dual herd sourcing isolation units.

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Marren also co-founded Astatine, a company based on renewable energy, with plans for advancements in the dairy sector.

He claims that heat pumps in the dairy industry can reduce the gas consumption on milk drying factories by 50% and the cheese factories by 100%.

He added that heat pumps can typically provide four times as much efficiency gains compared to a traditional heating system.

Despite the efficiency Marren claims these pumps will bring to the industry, he said he admits that the government’s plans of expansion in the area is “not feasible whatsoever”.

In 2021, according to Eurostat, only 6.8% of Ireland’s heat was generated by renewable energy.

As part of the Climate Action Plan 2021, the Irish government made plans to replace oil and solid fuel boilers with heat pumps which will be operated by renewable electricity sources such as solar PV panels.

Industrial heat

The government’s plan is to install 400,000 heat pumps and carry out 500,000 home energy upgrades by 2030.

Marren said that at the moment, Astatine installs about 60,000 heat pumps/year. To reach the government’s goal, then the company would have to install about 8,000/month.

“The supply chain isn’t there and there’s a lot of decisions you would have to get from people to allow that to happen,” Marren said.

The company has reached out to the government for “short- and medium-term support” to help reach climate targets.

“If we can go industry by industry, it will be easier to achieve goals,” Marren said.

Astatine is currently engaging in business with major milk processors in both the north and south of Ireland.

Marren said in its third year of business, Astatine typically sees a “two to three-year pay back on the installation”, therefore government support would only be temporary.

An installation grant is available to buyers from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) for up to 30% investment in renewable heating systems using: Air source, ground source, and water source heat pumps.

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The agricultural research charity said summer 2023 has been “particularly challenging” for Northern Ireland’s dairy, beef and sheep farmers.

In partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) and the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), AgriSearch will hold its first webinar – ‘Autumn Options for Beef‘ – on Wednesday, August 30 at 8:00p.m.

The second webinar – ‘Autumn Options for Dairy‘ – will take place on Thursday, August 31 at 8:00p.m.

AgriSearch said topics to be addressed at the webinars include: forage planning and budgeting; options for dealing with poorer quality silage; proactive steps that can be taken to safeguard animal health; and what can be done to help farming businesses get through this “challenging period”.

“After a dry May and June, there has been almost incessant rain which has affected grass quality and hampered silage making,” it said.

“Ground conditions in many areas have been challenging with stock having to be housed at times.”

AgriSearch said these conditions have “not been conducive” to livestock health and performance, and said that it is likely that many of the silages being fed to livestock this winter will be “sub-optimal”.

“At the same time farmers are facing a cost/price squeeze with the cost of purchased feed remaining near historical highs and prices for milk, beef and lamb all under pressure.”

Those interested in attending the webinars can register via the AgriSearch website.

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British dairy farmers are facing “enormous financial pressures” as farmgate milk prices remain low and input costs remain high.

This is according to the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF), which warned dairy farmers to prepare for a tough winter.

RABDF chair Di Wastenage said farmers are “caught in the crossfire”, with little let up forecast in the short-medium term. 

“The difference between the farmgate milk price and retail price is currently a very live issue on farm for our members,” she said.

“Our dairy farmers are facing enormous financial pressures. They are caught in the crossfire with farm gate milk prices remaining low, while farm input costs are stubbornly high and high retail prices impact consumer demand too. 

“We recognise UK processors also continue to face high energy and labour costs, which are reflected in these results. The key difference in the current retail price of cheese is because it is manufactured using higher cost milk from earlier in the year.” 

Looking ahead to the next six months, Wastenage said global markets are offering little positivity for dairy farmers in the UK.

“The downturn in demand for whole milk powder (WMP) from China and the forward forecasting from Fonterra suggest this is going to become an uncomfortable year,” she said.

“Sadly, for many, this may be financially unsustainable.”

“The UK needs a dairy industry from the farmgate to the supermarket shelf to operate efficiently and profitably for all sectors along the supply chain. We must ensure this happens and that the value is shared with all parties.” 

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China will continue to play a “critical role” in global dairy markets as the world’s largest importer but it is also on track to substantially boost its own milk production, a new report suggests.

Latest research from Rabobank shows that China is set to become the third largest milk-producing country in the world.

Although China is the largest dairy importer because of its large population, which is continuing to increase its per capita dairy consumption, government policies are also driving the country’s own milk production growth.

Michelle Huang, dairy analyst at Rabobank, said: “China will continue to have a significant role in the global dairy industry, with a further widening of the import deficit expected.

“In 2032, imports are likely to reach 15 million metric tons liquid milk equivalent (LME).”

Milk supply

However, Rabobank also expects that milk supply could expand in China from 41.5 million tons in 2023 to 47.4 million metric tons LME in 2032.

China’s milk production has tripled in the last 20 years because of strong government support and Chinese dairy processors investing heavily in the sector.

Government incentives have also encouraged the development of large-scale dairy farms leading to a substantial increase in the number of dairy cows.

Rabobank expects the number of dairy farms with more than 1,000 head to expand and dominate the Chinese dairy landscape and account for 56% of the country’s herd by the end of 2025.

“The most significant swing factors influencing domestic supply will be production costs, the availability of land, water, heifers, and capital, and future government policy.

“On the demand side, downside risks include weaker income growth, slow economic growth, and sluggish consumer demand,” Huang said.

In general, Rabobank expects that annual demand in China for milk could grow 2.4% on average between 2023 and 2032, with dairy consumption reaching 62.2 million metric tons LME by 2032.4

According to Rabobank, the Chinese economy’s growth and “rising disposable incomes” have resulted in a corresponding increase in demand for dairy products.

The Chinese government has also encouraged consumers to increase their dairy consumption with national guidelines suggesting a daily dairy intake of between 300-500g/person.

It also established a national school milk programme designed to encourage students to consume dairy products.

Despite the increase in milk production in China, Rabobank highlights in its latest research report that the country’s “import deficit” will continue to shape global dairy markets over the coming decade.

But there are some key factors that could impact the import gap – particularly on the domestic supply side including substantial investments in productivity.

Cost-efficiency improvements could also further reduce China’s reliance on imports, particularly of milk powders that are used in the production of flavoured milk drinks and infant and adult milk powders

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According to the co-op, currently, 12% of herd owners in the country are women but this does not reflect the huge, often unseen, work carried out in farm businesses by women.

Across Europe, the cooperative movement in general has struggled to encourage women to become involved at representative and board levels.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign at the Virginia Show in Co. Cavan today (Wednesday, August 23), Lakeland Dairies chairman Niall Matthews outlined the benefits of becoming involved in co-op shareholding.

“This is one of the most transformative times in the history of the cooperative movement. We are seeing considerable change coming to farming and with change comes opportunity.

“I’m a firm believer that having as many voices as possible from diverse backgrounds within our cooperative helps continually to foster progressive ideas and strategies.

“Becoming involved in your local co-op is hugely rewarding. It is your co-op, it is your business and, in many instances, it is your livelihood.

“I believe it’s important to have a say in the running of your co-op and this is done by becoming a shareholder and getting involved in the democratic processes that decide the overall direction of the business,” he added.

Lakeland Dairies

Matthews said that Lakeland Dairies is a “progressive, modern and sustainable cooperative”, which produces food to the highest standards, while supporting the wellbeing of farm families and rural communities.

“We want to sustain that in every way possible for the future and having greater diversity throughout our shareholder base is a key part of that process,” Matthews added.

“We’re seeing strong interest in this initiative at the Virginia Show and we are now rolling out this campaign across our membership base over the coming weeks and months.

“We have information for those who want to learn more about the process including how to have shares in joint names and how to have the milk account in joint names.”

Women shareholders

Lakeland Dairies has a dedicated channel to support women who want to become shareholders in Lakeland Dairies.

The cooperative has written to all shareholders encouraging joint shareholding among family members.

It said that it welcomes more female and family participation in the life and in the governance structures of Lakeland Dairies.

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A London-based company has received government funding to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for grassland monitoring and management to support decarbonisation, with a particular focus on dairy farms.

Early stage start-up listt.io, which concentrates on technology solutions for regenerative agriculture, has developed an autonomous soil and crop health monitoring solution, based on mobile robotics for agriculture.

Its aim to deliver high-accuracy sensors to provide high-integrity soil and crop data for reporting and validation purposes.

It has received £132,147 for the project, which will use AI across the full stack of such solutions – from translating earth observation (EO) data to actionable areas, identifying sample points, to interpreting the data gathered.

AI projects

listt.io received the £132,147 funding through the government’s Artificial Intelligence for Decarbonisation programme, which has funded 12 projects via two ‘streams’.

Steam 2, under which listt.io received funding, funds projects to help drive decarbonisation in three sectors: Power, industry, and agriculture.

Other projects that received funding in this category include a solar energy project run by the University of Nottingham (£133,932), which will use AI to improve forecasting of solar energy production; and a Secqai Ltd. project to support the development of ultra-low-power AI technology, mirroring the neural structure of the human brain, cutting the carbon footprint of traditional AI hardware (£100,000).

Commenting on the announcement of successful applicants to the programme, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

“It’s projects like those announced today (Wednesday, August 15) that will take us to the next step on our ambitious journey to becoming net zero, while boosting our energy security and creating a new wave of skilled jobs for the future.”

“AI is delivering transformative change in the UK,” Minister for AI and Intellectual Property, Viscount Camrose added.

“These winning projects are yet another example of how we are tapping into our world-class research base and homegrown expertise to tackle one of the most pressing global challenges of our time.

“Whether backing projects to help us slash emissions or supporting research to revolutionise healthcare for patients, we’re harnessing the enormous potential of AI technologies to improve people’s lives.”

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Fonterra said today (Friday, August 18) that it had to revise down its farmgate milk price from earlier this month because Global Dairy Trade (GDT) prices had continued to fall.

“This is a challenging time for New Zealand’s dairy farmers and the co-op is doing all it can to support its farmers,” Fonterra’s chief executive Miles Hurrell said today.

The chief executive of the global dairy nutrition co-op, owned by 9000 farmers, pointed to the fall in whole milk powder prices in the latest GDT trading event.

Miles Hurrell added: “GDT prices have fallen sharply since we released our opening forecast for the season in May, with the overall index down 16% over that period.  

“While our wide forecast range assumed movement in GDT prices, whole milk powder prices fell 10.9% in the most recent trading event requiring us to revise our position again.” 

According to the chief executive of Fonterra reduced demand from key importing regions for whole milk powder has continued to “weigh on prices”.

“While indications are demand will start to return over the second half of FY24, we do expect the pace of demand growth to be subdued relative to initial expectations.     

“In the meantime, we will continue to respond to market signals and adjust our forecast farmgate milk price to ensure that the impact of current prices and currency movements is transparent,” Hurrell added.

Fonterra today confirmed that it has cut its milk price for 2023/24 from $6.25 – $7.75 per kilograms of milks solids (kgMS), with a midpoint of $7.00 per kgMS, to $6.00 – $7.50 per kgMS with a midpoint of $6.75 per kgMS. 

GDT

The Global Dairy Trade (GDT) index has seen a significant fall of 7.4% following the latest trading event (Tuesday, August 15).

The index figure now stands at 850, the lowest index figure since November of 2018.

A total of 33,580MT of product was sold at the latest event at an average price of $2,875/MT.

Out of the products that were offered at event, whole milk powder (WMP) took the biggest hit, with that sub-index plunging by 10.9%, reflecting an average price of $2,548/MT.

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First Milk has today (Thursday, August 17) published its annual report and accounts for the year ending March 31, 2023.

A key highlight is that of the company’s turnover, which is up by 38% to £456 million compared to £331 million in 2022.

Its average member milk price increased year-on-year by 14.4ppl meaning that an additional £105 million was paid out to First Milk members in the year.

The company’s operating profit remained at £5.1 million and its completed capital investment stands at £7.4 million.

Commenting on the results, First Milk chief executive Shelagh Hancock, said: “The last year has been tumultuous, with a roller coaster ride on milk prices and energy costs, creating challenges across the whole dairy supply chain, from farm to consumer.

“Yet, whilst these massively changing market dynamics have been challenging, the value we have in our secure contractual relationships meant that we were able to maximise the milk price paid to members as quickly as possible.

“Despite the volatile market conditions, our cheese business has continued to grow, we have completed a major investment at our Haverfordwest Creamery, and we have continued to progress our regenerative approach, receiving external acknowledgement of our progress through B Corp certification and the King’s Award for Sustainable Development.”

Hancock said she was confident that the company was on the right path and it is keen to secure the future.

Other highlights that First Milk noted in its annual report and accounts was its cheddar winning Supreme Champion at the 2022 Global Cheese Awards and its new partnership with Arla Foods Ingredients to produce a specialist whey powder.

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According to DairyNZ, the industry organisation that represents all New Zealand dairy farmers, the country’s national breakeven cost is $7.51 per kg/milk solids (ms) for this season.

This revised figure is above DairyNZ’s forecast revenue which is $7.34 kg/ms. It is also above Fonterra’s midpoint forecast of $7 kg/ms.

This means some farmers will make a loss this season, it said, so the focus will be on “maintaining business viability”.

DairyNZ head of economics, Mark Storey said that this will also have “significant flow-on effects” to New Zealand’s regional and national economy.

“We know dairy farmers have a difficult season ahead, in light of the reduced milk price and continuing high farm costs,” Storey said.

He added that this season’s reduced income will be causing “real concern” on many farms.

He said that farmers are looking at budgets “line-by-line” and analysing where spending can be reduced, including pausing non-essential capital expenditure and carefully evaluating feed, fertiliser and other spending.

The new forecast is expressed as a national average, which does not necessarily reflect individual farm situations. 

DairyNZ general manager of farm performance, Sarah Speight said: “Every farm is different so we encourage farmers to look at their own situation and what changes can be made.

“Given the further drop in the Global Dairy Trade this week we are looking at 12-18 months of reduced income, so it is important to consider changes carefully.”

DairyNZ have encouraged farmers to talk with their farm teams, advisors and the organisation’s regional teams for support and advice.

“DairyNZ will continue working with farmers to support them to remain viable this season.

“This includes running events where farmers can hear from others on how they are managing costs and are focusing on farming as efficiently as possible,” Speight said.

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The union said farmers across Northern Ireland are losing confidence in the future of farming as high costs of production continue.

UFU president David Brown said processors are adding to their burden as they continue to drop prices at an already difficult time for farmers.

“My phone has not cooled over the last number of weeks with dairy, beef and sheep farmers across NI in desperation after the latest drop in prices, with no justification nor reasoning,” he said.

“What we have is a case of follow-the-leader. Once one processor drops the price, the others follow suit.”

In terms of dairy, Brown said that although commodity prices have weakened, dairy companies put product into different markets which should mean differing returns.

“However, what we are seeing is a reducing differential between the highest and lowest paying processors,” he said.

“The rapid reduction in milk prices since late 2022 has outpaced any fall in input prices.”

Brown said beef prices have also “fallen significantly” by over £120/head and lamb has dropped by over £30/head.

“This means that the break even in terms of cost of production is widening and everyday our farmers are losing,” he said.

“We can’t have processors undermining farmers’ confidence. How can farmers be expected to produce high quality food to world leading standards and receive less than it costs to produce as a return? It is simply neither viable nor sustainable.”

Weather

“The wettest July on record has been headline news – but what is not being highlighted is that due to the unseasonably wet ground conditions, livestock are having to be housed much earlier than anticipated when they should be outside grazing,” Brown said.

“Livestock are having to be fed bought-in feed or in some cases, opening the first cut of silage adding additional cost and pressure for farmers, whilst feed and fertiliser prices remain at record levels.”

Brown said arable and horticulture growers have also been hit hard by the weather, as they continue to try to harvest their crops.

“These falls in prices could not have come at a worse time,” he said.

“I encourage members to contact their processors and board members and ask why the prices are falling and to pay the best price they can rather than leading any race to the bottom.

“Processors and board members must now listen to the concern of their suppliers.” 

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Welsh Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has today (Wednesday, August 16) launched a five-year bovine tuberculosis (TB) delivery plan.

The Pembrokeshire Project will explore how a partnership can tackle the disease and will aim to tackle “deep-seated levels on infection” in parts of Pembrokeshire, where TB incidence and prevalence have worsened, the Welsh government said.

The project aims to facilitate collaborative working between vets and farmers and empower local informed decision making and leadership in disease control.

The project’s contract has been awarded to agroup led by Iechyd Da (Gwledig) Ltd. Work is now underway to deliver the project with further details to follow, the government said.

“We are very aware of the challenge of TB in cattle, and the distress it causes for farmers. This is why we are determined to eradicate bovine TB in Wales as set out in our delivery plan, published earlier this year,” Griffiths said.

“We have made steady progress since 2009, with fewer affected herds and new incidents, but we know there have been challenging levels of infection in Pembrokeshire.

“I have always said we cannot do this alone, and partnership working with our farmers and vets is crucial to reach our shared goal of a TB-free Wales.”

Griffiths said she is looking forward to seeing the results of the project and is hopeful that it will have a positive impact in Pembrokeshire and “lessons can be learned for the rest of Wales“.

Disease control

Wales’ chief veterinary officer, Dr. Richard Irvine, said the project will work with a small sample of farms in Pembrokeshire.

Its main purpose, he said, will be to empower vets and farmers to make informed decisions and show leadership in disease control.

“It will develop and implement additional approaches to bovine TB control, over and above the statutory measures currently used in the area,” he said.

“The project will focus on identifying residual disease risk in clear testing cattle and develop a pathway for reducing cattle-to-cattle transmission.

“This will include identification and management of high-risk animals to slaughter and veterinary oversight of biosecurity practices.”

Irvine said he is pleased to see the project, which he labelled an “exciting example of partnership working”, get underway.

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Results of a new survey carried out by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) have revealed that over one in five dairy farmers (23%) are unsure if their business will continue producing milk beyond 2025.

The NFU Dairy Intentions Survey asked dairy farmers to detail their plans to increase, decrease, or stop milk production and the main reasons why.

Out of 590 survey respondents, 87% said they were concerned abut the impact of government regulation, with feed prices (84%), energy prices (83%) and cash flow and profitability (80%) listed as other key factors that would curtail milk supplies.

The survey, which was carried out last month, also revealed that 9% of producers believe they are “likely” to stop producing milk by 2025 – up 7% from last year.

The NFU said that Britain’s dairy farmers are being forced to seriously think about their future due to concerns over insufficient returns, volatile markets and the scale of on-farm investment.

Dairy farmers

91% of dairy farmers said the main factor to them increasing milk production would be the scale of investment needed for things such as suitable slurry storage to ensure their farms are compliant.

NFU dairy board chair Michael Oakes said the survey results show that Britain’s dairy farmers are struggling.

“It’s clear that significant inflationary pressures combined with below cost of production prices are continuing to put the resilience of British dairy farming businesses under threat,” he said.

“We are now facing a crisis of confidence among Britain’s dairy farmers.

“The results of this survey show that, now more than ever, we need resilient and collaborative dairy supply chains.”

Oakes said it is vital that the trend of “boom or bust” is reversed and that investment into supply chains is made.

“New industry-wide regulation on contracts, expected to be introduced later this year, must support fairer, more transparent and accountable supply chains. But regulation isn’t a silver bullet,” he said.

“With increasing global demand for British dairy, we know that the long-term future is bright for our sector.

“To ensure we maximise this potential, it’s imperative that government continues to work with us to ensure we have the right environmental, regulatory and trade framework in place to support the production of high quality, nutritious and sustainable food.”

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Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd. (PCL) has announced that its new liquid milk processing facility in Haverfordwest will open in the first quarter of 2024.

The company acquired the new development plot at Pembrokeshire Food Park in February of 2023 after the Welsh government and Pembrokeshire County Council completed the sale.

The announcement has been timed with the creamery’s attendance at Pembrokeshire County Show, which takes place tomorrow (Wednesday, August 16) and Thursday (August 17).

Dairy farmers have been invited to meet the company’s team at the event to find out more about the planned opening.

Managing director of Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd., Mark McQuade, said: “We’ve already had a huge amount of interest from supermarkets and wholesalers keen to sell Welsh milk that’s been bottled here in Wales.

“We’re hoping that our presence at the show will be an opportunity for dairy farmers, customers or other suppliers to make connections and for us to start building the business relationships which will translate into long term economic benefits for Welsh farming and our rural economy.

“Ultimately, our end goal is for all Welsh milk that is sold in Wales to have been processed and bottled in Wales.”

Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd. said it will have the capacity to bottle 60 million litres of milk in its initial 12-18 month phase, building to 120 million litres per year when it reaches full capacity.

Local processing is expected to create an estimated 60 new jobs at the Haverfordwest site in Phase 1 as well as securing or creating employment in ancillary industries and supply chains.

Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd. has said it hopes to give UK supermarkets the opportunity to offer their Welsh customers milk that is both sourced and bottled in Wales rather than being transported to England for processing.

“By removing the need for Welsh milk to be transported to bottling plants in England, Pembrokeshire Creamery will be able to reduce food miles and increase supply chain efficiency,” the company said.

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has highlighted red meat and dairy export opportunities in Central/South America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The board said new analysis outlined in its Prospects for UK agri-food exports series revealed potential prospects for further exports, particularly for offal, in Central Amercia.

It also highlighted the benefits of the UK expanding the amount of commodity level red meat to Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and South Africa, as well as more premium cuts to the latter.

Longer-term opportunities for dairy also exist in South Africa as a larger cheese importer than other Sub-Saharan countries, AHDB said.

AHDB’s senior economist, Dr. Amandeep Kaur Purewal, said the latest analysis offers a “comprehensive insight” into where UK exporters can can maximise opportunities for red meat and dairy products over the next decade.

“The ultimate aim of our analysis is to provide insight and analysis for our producers and exporters to understand the opportunities and challenges of trading in different parts of the world,” she said.

“Cultivating these opportunities adds value back into the supply chain on behalf of our levy payers while supporting the UK Government’s ambition to become a ‘Great Trading Nation’.”

This latest analysis concludes AHDB’s series of Prospects for UK agri-food exports analyses launched in January this year.

The report researched opportunities for red meat, dairy and cereals exports on a region-by-region basis which includes Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

AHDB’s international trade development director, Dr. Phil Hadley, said: “We know there is interest across the world for British products and we need to fully understand the market dynamics and demands to make the most of the opportunities if producers are to continue to maximise returns.”

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The project will see researchers use AI to monitor social interactions of cattle that could indicate developing mastitis or lameness and enable the diseases to be caught at an earlier stage.

UoB researchers will receive a share of £9 million in funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) as part of a joint-initiative to combat endemic livestock disease.

The UoB project is a collaboration of researchers in veterinary medicine, animal behaviour, computer vision and AI, led by Prof. Andrew Dowsey from Bristol Veterinary School.

While technologies do exist that detect disease in dairy cows, these tend to focus on observable symptoms which are associated with later stages of disease, so Dowsey and his colleagues are seeking to utilise AI to identify diseases at an earlier stage.

“A cow’s response to infection or trauma is to reduce behaviours which are not immediately essential to survival, such as social interactions,” Dowsey said.

“In a recent study we found that social exploration, the grooming of others, and receiving headbutts were all lower in cows with early stage mastitis, so we think social behaviour changes could be early predictors of disease.”

Researchers said they know detecting social behaviour changes is difficult for a busy farmer, but say that it is possible when monitoring them at key points such as queuing for milking or feeding time.

Dowsey and his team have developed an AI that can track the motion of cows, recognising each cow by its distinctive coat pattern.

“From collecting two years of video from 64 cameras covering our main barn at the John Oldacre Centre dairy farm, we will train a model that learns what types of behaviours change over time that are indicative of early-stage mastitis and lameness,” he said.

The system will be then be deployed at a network of recruited farms for testing.

AI developments

Dowsey said he was delighted that the UoB research team’s funding bid has been successful as they seek to further develop the potential uses for AI.

“We are excited to have been given the opportunity to fuse Bristol Veterinary School’s world-class expertise in animal behaviour with our recent developments in artificial intelligence for livestock monitoring,” he said.

“Detecting subtle changes in social behaviour could hold the key to the early diagnosis of disease in dairy cattle.”

The UoB project is part of a wider BBSRC and Defra initiative aiming to lessen the burden of endemic diseases on animal health, welfare, and productivity across the whole UK livestock sector.

The endemic livestock disease initiative focuses on fostering collaborative research between academia, industry and farmers and veterinarians.

The projects chosen for funding cover all areas of the livestock sector – covering pigs, poultry, beef, sheep and dairy.

Interim executive char at BBSRC, Prof. Guy Poppy, said: “Endemic diseases in the UK livestock sector pose significant challenges to animal welfare, productivity and sustainable farming practices.

“By bringing together the collective expertise of academia, industry and end-users, we are confident this initiative will lead to ground-breaking advancements in disease control, fostering a healthier and more productive livestock sector.”

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AB Agri has completed its purchase of the agri-tech and genomic testing company National Milk Records (NMR).

NMR provides management information and testing services to the UK dairy industry and collects milk samples from virtually every dairy farm in Great Britain.

Animal feed manufacturer AB Agri sad it was delighted to acquire NMR as it holds an important position in the UK dairy supply chain – developing technology used to inform farming efficiency and animal welfare.

AB Agri said NMR is positioned as a “highly respected and present voice across the dairy sector” and has found great success.

“NMR’s success has been driven by strong collaborative relationships with key industry players, including dairy farmers, vets, milk processors, third party suppliers, and major retailers,” it said.

“NMR continues to develop and invest in new products and services, notably genomics and GenoCells.”

Commenting on the acquisition, AB Agri’s chief executive José Nobre said: “I am delighted that AB Agri has acquired NMR. NMR is a high-quality business which is extremely complementary and additive to our dairy strategy and offering to the dairy industry. 

“We have supported dairy farmers for more than 30 years with nutrition and specialty feed products, and more recently with data and technology platforms which deliver insights that create continuous improvement in agricultural supply chains.”

NMR’s finance director, MArk Frankcom, said NMR was delighted to now be a part of AB Agri.

“AB Agri’s status within the UK agricultural sector and expertise in the dairy industry will provide a significant benefit to NMR’s customers,” he said.

“As the UK dairy supply chain continues its drive to carbon neutrality, NMR’s work with GenoCells and milk data, and our pivotal role in payment testing, will contribute important information to aid in this transition. 

“The backing of AB Agri will accelerate and de-risk NMR’s ability to deliver its strategic objectives, streamlining industry processes by creating a holistic business that can provide end-to-end data and analysis to ensure the long-term sustainability, efficiency and profitability of UK dairy.”

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The results of the trial provide further evidence of the ability of its Imilac therapy to substitute the routine use of antibiotics at dry-off in the dairy industry.

The trial was conducted at seven different commercial dairy farms and involved over 500 dairy cows.

In addition, the study revealed that Imilac is further impacting milk nutritional characteristics.

The trial was carried out in dairy farms providing milk to Israel’s two largest dairy product providers – Yotvata Dairy, part of the Strauss Health Group, partially owned by Danone, and Tnuva, Israel’s largest dairy company.

Israeli trials

Antibiotics have traditionally been used to treat and manage udder inflammation in dairy cows (mastitis), the primary issue faced by the dairy industry at the beginning of the dry-off period.

However, this approach, applied for too long, presents farming challenges and human health risks related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Mileutis has developed what is describes as a “revolutionary, safe and residue-free biological therapy” named Imilac, helping to address this critical health issue without using antibiotics.

Designed to replace the routine use of antibiotics administered at dry-off once a year, Imilac has reportedly exhibited game-changing results in the clinical trials.

Mileutis conducted a comprehensive trial, including a follow-up period of one full year, to analyse the quantity and quality of milk from cows undergoing the therapy compared to the traditional treatment of antibiotics.

The trial was conducted at seven prominent dairy farms across Israel, spanning from Yotvata and Yahel in the south to the Hama’ayanot Valley in the northeast and Kfar Vitkin on the coastal plain.

The trial produced significant findings that support the company’s goal of reducing antibiotic use and enhancing the welfare of dairy cows.

Milk yield

The research also provided evidence that when using the specialist therapy, the dry period can be shortened while extending the number of milking days.

This breakthrough resulted in an approximate increase of 236kg of milk yield per cow without use of antibiotics.

Imilac also demonstrated a remarkable ability to significantly increase energy-corrected milk yield (ECM) during the subsequent milking cycle of 305-days following treatment.

This increase totalled to 957kg (8.6%) of milk yield per cow and was achieved through natural biological means without the use of exogenous hormones.

The trial showed that the treatment proved to be highly effective in enhancing the level of solids (fat and protein) in milk.

Milk derived from cows treated with Imilac exhibited a 7.2% increase in protein content and a 4% increase in fat content.

Mileutis

Mileutis was established in 2004 and is headed by David Javier Iscovich. The research and development (R&D) effort is being led by Dr. Jose Iscovich, president and co-founder of the company.

“Dairy farmers can now look forward to a future where the milk they produce will contain higher nutritional characteristics for consumers, will be more profitable for the farmers themselves, and environmentally friendly,” David Javier Iscovich said.

“Beyond an increase in the yield and welfare of cows, the improved profitability of dairy farmers can impact milk prices and benefit the broader consumer market while meeting growing global demand.

“The impact of this scientific breakthrough for the dairy industry, consumers, and the environment cannot be overstated.

“Improved milk quality and yield will not only promote high-quality consumption for individuals but also contribute to a more environmentally efficient milk production process,” Iscovich added.

Ram Srugo, CEO of Yotvata Dairy added: “In recent years, we have been implementing the Sustainable Dairy Programme in our dairy farms – a project that closely examines the sustainability and welfare aspects of milk production.

“This includes evaluating the cow’s living conditions, proximity to its natural behaviour, overall health, treatment procedures, food quality, environmental impact, and efforts to reduce greenhouse [gas] emissions, among other factors.

“Our association with Mileutis, with its breakthrough development of antibiotic substitutes, allows us to further enhance the welfare of our cows and align with our sustainability goals in the dairy farms.”

The reports from the participating dairy farms indicate a high level of satisfaction across various parameters concerning the cow’s welfare and the positive impact to the environment.

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The map was produced by the Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology and Risk Analysis (CVERA), University College Dublin (UCD), displaying the distribution of herds with positive test results for BVD.

Animal Health and Welfare Northern Ireland (AHWNI), chief executive Dr. Sam Strain said the map shows “substantial advances” were made in tackling BVD.

He explained that the animal-level incidence of BVD within Northern Ireland has fallen by over 70% since the start of the compulsory programme to 0.264% in 2022, with these being found in 3.76% of herds.

He said there are still areas with high levels of infection, particularly along the Co. Armagh border with Co. Monaghan.

“AHWNI continues to engage with all farmers who are dealing with BVD breakdowns to encourage eradication of the virus at the farm level,” Dr. Strain said.

Animal Health Ireland (AHI) programme manager, Dr. Maria Guelbenzu explained that during 2022, only 0.031% of calves tested in the Republic of Ireland returned a positive result, with these being found in only 308 (0.45%) of all breeding herds.

2022 was the first year in which any county recorded no positive results, with this honour going to Carlow, according to Dr. Guelbenzu.

“This highlights the significant progress made since 2013, when 0.66% of calves from almost 9,000 herds tested positive,” Dr. Guelbenzu said.

“This progress is testament to the ongoing effort and commitment of participating farmers and wider stakeholders,” she said.

BVD progress

The map is based on anonymised data and fixed sized hexagonal units to show the number of herds with positive results for BVD.

Each hexagon represents 10km², with a radius of less than 2km. Work is ongoing to generate updated maps for the first six months of 2023.

The anonymised maps are an outcome of ongoing collaboration between AHI and AHWNI that coordinate the respective programmes.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) also help with the programming.

The programmes being monitored are similar in design, based on mandatory testing of tissue samples collected and submitted by herd owners using tissue sample enabled national identity tags.

The programmes became compulsory in the republic in 2013 and in Northern Ireland in 2016, with both being overseen by stakeholder implementation groups.

AHI chief executive, Dr. David Graham said for further progress, “continued implementation” is needed.

He warned that farmers with herds near the border of Northern Ireland should be “especially careful” given their proximity to infected herds in the north.

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The Dairy Show is set to the Bath & West Showground in Somerset on October 4, 2023, and will showcase the latest innovation in the dairy industry as well as facilitating discussions on matters topical to producers.

Organisers of the Dairy Show have said that the event remains “as important to the dairy calendar as ever” as farmers and producers continue to face industry pressures.

Head of shows at the Royal Bath & West of England Society, Jess Chiplen, said: “Dairy farmers continue to experience the effects of global events, and are certainly being challenged by the disparity between input costs and a falling milk price.

“There remains a lot of pressure on producers, and it does require more robust action from government and industry.

“But it is also clear that the sector is resilient and determined; it continues to develop pioneering solutions to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, and importantly, the solutions can support our world-class farmers in being productive, profitable farm businesses.”

Chiplen said the show offers the opportunity for like-minded producers and allied industries to come together.

The theme of carbon

The Dairy Show’s theme this year will be carbon with the focus being on reducing carbon footprints and capitalising on carbon as a natural resource.

Farm Carbon Toolkit, Trinity Ag-Tech, Mole Valley Farmers and Bennaman will be joining producers in the seminar tent at the show on the topic.

“It is well timed, with many producers looking for greater transparency and consistency around natural capital markets and carbon measurement,” Chiplen said.

Dairy cattle are set to remain at the heart of the show, as organisers expect exhibitors to travel from all over the country to compete in a variety of breed classes ahead of champions of these going head-to-head for the Supreme Champion title.

Competition entries are now open to all classes, including for the Jersey Cattle Society of the UK and the English Guernsey Cattle Society’s national shows. Entries for the Dairy Show and national shows must be submitted before the deadline of September 19, 2023.

Jack Cordery, chief executive of headline sponsor Mole Valley Farmers said the company is delighted to continue its “long-standing association” with the Dairy Show.

“For more than 40 years the event has showcased the dairy industry and championed the sector,” he said.

“As a farmer-owned business with a co-operative ethos, the show gives us a strong platform to meet with our customers and demonstrate how we can support their farms.”

“The Society is very pleased to be welcoming everyone back to the show,” Chiplen said.

“And we’re equally looking forward to celebrating the best in British dairying at the Dairy Industry Dinner, taking place on the evening before (October 3).”

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The announcement was made by Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Carlos Favaro, as he attended the Agroleite 2023 trade show, being held in the country’s “milk capital”, Castro.

The acquisition of powdered milk by the federal government is among a series of emergency measures to help the country’s milk producers.

The actions aim to “reduce the market and guarantee profitability to cooperatives and, consequently, to producers”.

Dairy in Brazil

Minister Favaro pledged to confront “unbridled imports” on behalf of Brazil’s President Lula da Silva.

In relation to the importation of milk into Brazil from countries like Argentina and Uruguay, the minister noted that the agreement with Mercosur is a “sensitive” one which is receiving the “full attention” of the government.

“Mercosur is a very important trade bloc for Brazil,” Favaro said.

“We sell to these countries manufactured products that give us a lot of competitiveness, gains and opportunities, but this cannot occur to the detriment of such an important chain, which generates jobs, such as the milk chain.”

In addition to the emergency measures, Favaro said that more actions will be needed for Brazil’s dairy sector including increasing the adoption of more technologies for milk production.

“Brazil, which is already a champion in soya production, in the export of soya, cotton, beef, pork, will indeed be a major world player in milk production and we have to be dedicated to make that happen,” he said.

Brazil is the world’s sixth-largest milk producer. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts that milk production in the Latin American country will increase by around 3.6% to 24.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2023.

Trade data shows that milk powder imports to Brazil rose by 31% in March, with the vast majority coming from Uruguay and Argentina.

The Brazilian dairy sector is continuing to grapple with high production costs, along with unpredictable weather and economic conditions.

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Members of the veterinary group VetPartners are calling for greater government support for UK dairy farmers in the form of a minimum farmgate milk price.

VetPartners said it looks after a number of the UK’s dairy herds and wants to secure a fair deal for the primary producers of milk, other dairy products and meat.

Members have written to MPs from a letter drafted by the clinical director at Westpoint Farm Vets in Ashford, Jack Balkham, calling for the government to “address the volatility of the milk market at a time when farmers are facing increased labour costs”.

The average farmgate price for milk slipped to 37.6p/L in May, according to government figures – a near 8% decrease on the same month a year earlier.

The group said that this has led to many farmers leaving the sector, as they also face increased fuel, equipment, energy and rent costs.

Vetpartners farm director, Ian Cure, said: “This industry volatility makes it incredibly difficult for farmers to invest in their rural businesses and plan for the future.

“The five-year, rolling average farmgate price for milk as of May 2023 was 33.65p/L, and this has changed very little over the last six years.

“It is well documented that in recent times, costs across all sectors have increased with labour costs, fuel, equipment, rents and rates at an all-time high.”

UK dairy farming

Cure said current dairy production costs are unsustainable for farmers and that something “must be done” to support them.

“Whilst the volatility of the milk market makes future business planning extremely difficult, the recent fall in price means that many are struggling to make ends meet, with the knock-on effect of damaging rural economies,” he said.

“Farmers that we work with have always and will always prioritise the health and welfare of their cows, and strive to produce fantastic local food for our country.

“We understand the government’s position in trying to reduce inflation, this must not be at the expense of farmers.”

Cure said many farmers have already left the sector for economic reasons and more must be done to prevent this and prioritise food security.

“We implore the government to support the implementation of a minimum farmgate price to ensure a fair deal for British farmers.

“We understand that this will increase costs, but they need not be met from the already stretched government funds.

“Processors and supermarkets should burden their fair share of the costs. It cannot be right that critical primary producers always bear the brunt of market fluctuations,” he said.

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The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has reiterated and republished prevention advice and legal information regarding livestock worrying.

The union said livestock worrying remains a “serious cause for concern for many farmers” as it has a devastating impact on those affected.

As a result, the NFU has compiled a “guide on action” for farmers to take if an incident occurs and steps to help prevent against the crime of livestock worrying.

Livestock worrying

The union has declared the definition of livestock worrying as when a dog or dogs attack or chase livestock on agricultural land.

The union’s insurance branch, NFU Mutual, published its rural crime report for 2023 yesterday (Tuesday, August 1) which revealed that UK farm animals worth an estimated £1.8 million were killed or injured by dogs in 2022.

Rural business policy advisor at NFU Scotland, Rhianna Montgomery, said spring of this year saw a “constant stream of reports of cattle and sheep being attacked by dogs”.

In the event of an incident of livestock worrying, the NFU has advised farmers to document evidence by either getting somebody to film or taking photographs themselves of what is happening and taking note of identifying details.

These can include checking to see in the person responsible gets into a car and then taking notes of the vehicle’s details.

The union said those affected should then speak to their insurer to see if it is able to offer additional help or advice.

Prevention measures

The NFU said there are simple steps that farmers can take to help prevent dog attacks happening on their land.

These include:

• Putting up signs to encourage dog walkers to keep their dog on a lead around livestock;
• Reporting any incident of worrying to the police, even if the animals are not directly attacked or killed;
• Helping to educate the local community by engaging with relevant groups like local dog training classes;
• Using social media and taking part in events to spread awareness and encourage responsible dog ownership in the area to help prevent livestock worrying.

Legal information

The union has encouraged farmers to be aware of the laws regarding livestock worrying.

It is currently an offence to allow a dog to worry livestock and the offence carries a maximum fine of £1,000 to those found guilty.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill introduced to parliament on June 8, 2021, included new measures aimed at cracking down on dog attacks on livestock.

“Improved police powers should enable them to respond to livestock worrying incidents more effectively,” the NFU said.

“This can make it easier for them to collect evidence and in the most serious cases seize and detain dogs to reduce the risk of further incidents.”

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The study was carried out by researchers at the University of Minnesota.

It examined the nutritional content of over 200 plant-based milk alternative products being sold in the US in 2023, significantly more than have been included in similar studies up to now.

The findings indicated that only 12% of the products studied had levels of calcium, vitamin D, and protein comparable to cow’s milk.

The findings were presented at Nutrition 2023 – the annual conference of the American Society for Nutrition, which was held last week in Boston, Massachusetts – by Prof. Abigail Johnson, assistant professor and director of the Nutrition Coordinating Center at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health.

Prof. Johnson commented: “Our results provide evidence that many plant-based milk alternatives are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk.”

Studying milk alternatives

The study included nutrition information labels and ingredient information for 233 plant-based milk alternative products, across 23 manufacturers.

For each product, the researchers used a nutrient calculation programme to estimate nutritional value.

The products were grouped according to their plant constituent, such as almond, oat, or soya, with the products in each group being compared to each other and to cow’s milk.

Just 28 of the 233 products were found to have similar or higher levels of calcium, vitamin D, and protein compared to dairy milk.

Almost two thirds of the products included in the study were made from almonds, oats, or soya.

The study found that 76% of the oat-based products, 69% of the soya-based products, and 66% of the almond-based products were fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

For protein, the median content across all studied products was 2g/240ml of liquid, less than the 8g/240ml found in cow’s milk, with a wide variation in protein content also noted, ranging from 0g/240ml to 12g/240ml.

Only 16% of the products (38 out of 233) had a protein level greater than or equal to the amount of protein found in cow’s milk.

Prof. Johnson commented: “Our findings point to a need to ensure that consumers are aware that many plant-based milk alternative products in the marketplace today are not nutritionally equivalent to cow’s milk.

“Product labelling requirements and dietary guidance to the public are among the approaches that may be helpful in alerting and educating consumers,” she added.

The researchers involved in the study are planning to continue their research in this area in relation to other nutrients.

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An event hosted by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) next week aims to highlight how better use of grazing can help improve profit margins in a high-yielding herd for dairy farmers.

The event will be hosted on Maenhir Farm in Whitland, Pembrokeshire, on Friday, August 11, 2023. It will run from 10.00am until 2.00pm.

AHDB said many milk contracts expect cows to be at grass especially during the summer, and that while this “isn’t always easy”, the event will showcase a number of ways dairy farmers can maximise the use of grazed grass when conditions allow it.

At the event, consultant from the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), Piers Badnell, and the Twose family will explore grazing principles – in particular, those relating to higher yields.

The meeting will include a pasture walk and a discussion on planning grazing rotations.

Topics discussed at the event will include:

• Targeting which stock to graze and when;
• Training cows to graze;
• Managing expectations in the bulk tank and measuring cost benefit;
• Managing residuals and average farm covers;
• Balancing a TMR ration alongside grazing;
• Grazing infrastructure.

Lunch will be included for attendees and anybody interested in attending can book their place via the AHDB website.

Breeding potential workshops

Towards the end of the month, AHDB will begin to host workshops centered around discovering the “untapped potential” of herds when it comes to breeding.

The ‘Unlock your herd’s hidden breeding potential’ events will kick off in Northallerton on August 29 at Northallerton Rugby Club in Brompton.

Further events will then take place in:

• Carlisle;
• Derbyshire;
• Cumbria;
• Stranraer;
• Dumfries;
• Larkhall;
• Shropshire;
• Leicestershire;
• Dorset;
• Wiltshire;
• Staffordshire;
• Carmarthenshire;
• Monmouthshire’;
• North Wales;
• Cheshire;
• Gloucester;
• Macclesfield;
• Kent/Sussex;
• East Anglia;
• Lancashire;
• Cornwall;
• Exeter;
• Holsworthy.

The events will run through September and October and will finish up in Holsworthy on November 9.

The workshops aim to reveal “hidden gems” in herd data that will enable farmers to walk away with a tailored report that will take their “breeding decisions to the next level”, AHDB said.

The board said the workshops are designed for anyone with a milk recorded herd who wants to be more actively involved in their breeding strategy.

Places for workshops can be booked via the AHDB website and only dairy farmers and herd managers are invited to attend.

At each workshop, AHDB said one of its genetic experts will:

• Create clear breeding goals tailored to each farm’s requirements;
• Access and analyse the genetic potential of herds with a personalised report;
• Identify a herd’s baseline and identify areas for improvement;
• Evaluate data and choose the right bulls for each herd.

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Over £14 million is to be made available for innovative farming solutions under two new research and feasibility competitions under the Farming Innovation Programme.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced the funding today (Wednesday, August 2) as part of its commitment to invest £600 million in innovation and productivity in the agricultural sector over three years.

The competitions are open to farmers, growers, foresters, research organisations and businesses involved in agriculture to collaborate on novel ideas and innovative farming solutions.

The department said previous rounds of funding have led to investment in the use of ultraviolet as a disinfectant in the dairy and poultry sectors.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “These competitions are all about encouraging collaborations between farmers and growers on the one hand, and research organisations and industry on the other, to help bring ideas from the planning stage into practice.   

“The success of the previous competition rounds and the broad scope of ideas coming forward showcase the range of possibilities available for driving up productivity and solving some of the industry’s biggest challenges.

“I encourage everyone to take a look at what’s on offer in the latest competitions and apply.” 

Small R&D Partnerships

Defra has also published guidance for the third round of the Small Research & Development (R&D) Partnerships competition, which seeks to help businesses develop a new farming product or service and take it to commercialisation on the open market.

The competition, developed in partnership with the Transforming Food Production Challenge and delivered by Innovate UK, is worth almost £10 million.

The second round of the competition has provided funding for projects including exploring how to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint to help sheep farmers contribute to the journey towards net zero.

The guidance is available on the UK government’s website and farmers, growers, foresters. research organisations and businesses are encouraged to read it ahead of applications opening.

Applications for the third round of the Small R&D Partnerships competition open on August 14.

Executive director for the healthy living and agriculture domain at Innovate UK, Dr Katrina Hayter, said: “We look forward to supporting the next round of applicants and identifying promising partnerships that hold the potential to address the sustainability, efficiency, and net zero challenges confronting the UK’s agrifood industry.  

“By fostering collaborations between farmers, growers, agri-businesses and researchers, these partnerships become the driving force behind transforming innovative solutions into practical applications.”

Feasibility Studies

The Small R&D Partnerships guidance and funding comes alongside new guidance for a £4.5 milion Feasibility Studies competition, which aims to support businesses and researchers through project testing and development.

It looks for early-stage solutions that have the potential to substantially improve the overall productivity, sustainability and resilience of farming, and move existing agricultural sectors to net zero, Defra said.

Applications for the Feasibility Studies competition window are open from September 1,8 of this year.

Successful applicants in previous funding rounds include a study to identify fungal strains that can help fight against insect and fungal pests in wheat crops with the aim of reducing the costs associated with multiple applications of chemical pesticides, mechanical damage from repeated spray applications and crop yield losses.

“Feasibility studies mark the initial stage in researching an idea that could improve farming, while Small R&D Partnerships are a vital step to empowering businesses to forge novel farming products and services, paving the way towards successful commercialisation,” Dr Hayter said.

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Following confirmation that discoloured discharge entered the Cleddau river from an effluent treatment plant at First Milk, an investigation by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is underway.

First Milk confirmed that there was “a period of two hours” on Saturday, July 22 when discoloured discharge came from the “Haverfordwest Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) to the western Cleddau river”.

Fiona Hourahine, regulation and permitting operations manager at NRW, said: “Natural Resources Wales received a report from First Milk of a discharge incident on Saturday, 22 July and this is being investigated.

“We are also continuing our investigations following multiple concerns of pollution incidents on the western Cleddau.

“We take our role as environmental regulator seriously and where any non-compliance is found, we will take further action to ensure permits are complied with effectively.”

First Milk apology

Shelagh Hancock, chief executive of First Milk said: “I want to acknowledge and apologise for the issues that we have had at our Haverfordwest effluent treatment facility that have led to discoloured discharges and solids going into the river.”

Hancock explained that First Milk is actively working to “ensure” the risk of “any reoccurence in the future” is minimised.

Hancock said: “This includes the installation of additional filtration mechanisms and we have stepped up our levels of monitoring of the treatment plant to ensure we are making positive and effective changes. 

“While we’ve taken these immediate actions, we’re committed to making continued investment to reduce our impact further.  

“There are many contributing factors that affect the water quality in the western Cleddau, we are engaging with the local community and other organisations to understand what can be done more widely to improve the local environment in the long term,” she added.

“As a business that is committed to sustainability and to doing the right thing, we are taking these issues very seriously and are working hard to make things better.”

A statement from First Milk on Monday July 24, shared a similar approach at the time, as it announced: “We are working hard to minimise the risk of issues arising with the ETP at our Haverfordwest Creamery, including around the clock monitoring and the recent installation of additional filtration mechanisms.”

The statement from First Milk explained that the weather experienced over last weekend contributed to the incident with the discoloured discharge into the Cleddau river.

“Due to the exceptionally high levels of rainfall on Saturday, combined with some short-term operational challenges, the plant was unable to cope adequately for a small period of time, which led to the short-term discoloration,” First Milk stated.

“We immediately took steps to rectify this situation whilst self-reporting this incident to Natural Resources Wales.”

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The figures reflected the smallest herd for that date since the government began keeping the records 52 years ago, and reflected a fifth year of declining beef cow numbers.

US analysts have said that meat processors like Tyson Foods and Cargill will pay elevated prices for cattle until producers start rebuilding the herd.

They explained that longer-term plans for new slaughter plants to open in coming years indicate processors will also increasingly need to compete with each other to buy limited numbers of cattle.

Chief strategist for brokerage Allendale, Rich Nelson said: “The next two to three years are going to be a bloodbath for packer margins.”

The USDA, in a separate report, said producers placed 1.68 million cattle in feedlots in June, up 3% from 2022.

Analysts had expected placements on average to decline 1.6% from last year.

They signalled that the increase meant there is still not enough pasture for cattle to graze on due to dry weather.

Economist for Steiner Consulting, Altin Kalo said: “The dynamic is not there yet where you’re going to see a real shortfall in the number of cattle going on feed.”

US herd statistics

In total, there were 95.9 million head of cattle and calves on US farms as of July 1, 2023, according to the USDA NASS report.

Other key findings in the report were:

• Of the 95.9 million head inventory, all cows and heifers that have calved totaled 38.8 million;
• The number of milk cows in the US remained unchanged at 9.40 million;
• US calf crop was estimated at 33.8 million head, down 2% from 2022;
• All cattle on feed were at 13.1 million head, down 2% from 2022.

To obtain an accurate measurement of the current state of the US cattle industry, NASS surveyed roughly 15,600 operators across the nation during the first half of July.

Surveyed producers were asked to report their cattle inventories as of July 1, 2023, and calf crop for the entire year of 2023 by internet, mail, telephone, or personal interview.

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This is one of the findings of a major four-year project currently underway at Northern Ireland’s Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).

Ammonia is produced when faeces (which contains the enzyme urease) and urine (which contains urea) mix, with this process taking place on the floors of livestock houses, during slurry storage and at field spreading.

The ammonia gas produced enters the atmosphere and may be deposited locally on sensitive habitats, where the nitrogen within ammonia can cause nutrient enrichment of soil and water and lead to biodiversity loss. 

Both livestock production and sensitive habitats have a significant presence in Northern Ireland and, as such, ammonia emissions present a key challenge for the livestock industry in order to support the health of sensitive habitats. 

Lowering crude protein

AFBI is partnering with John Thompsons and Sons Ltd., and Trouw Nutrition Ltd., in developing the new project. Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs ( DAERA) funding is also available.

In one of the studies within this project, dairy cows were offered diets containing either 14%, 15.5% or 17% crude protein on a dry matter (DM) basis, with the concentrates offered with each treatment formulated using different raw material inclusion levels.

During this study samples of faeces and urine produced from cows on each diet were collected and subsequently mixed and incubated in a temperature-controlled environment.

Ammonia produced from the different manures was then measured over a four-week period using a photo-acoustic gas monitor.

The work has confirmed that reducing dietary crude protein levels from 17% to 14% reduced ammonia emissions by an average of 64%, with emissions from the 15.5% crude protein diet intermediate in nature.

Bigger picture

In addition, the AFBI work clearly demonstrates that ammonia production was highest during the days after the faeces and urine were produced, and gradually decrease over time.

The background document produced by DAERA as part of Northern Ireland’s recent ammonia consultation contextualises the current AFBI work extremely well.

It specifically points out that action on this matter is required urgently, in order to achieve better outcomes for nature, and for public health.

In other words, addressing this challenge is essential to see agriculture thrive while at the same time protecting our environment.

The greater the extent and speed of action to lower ammonia emissions and reduce ammonia concentrations, the greater opportunity there will be to support sustainable farm development.

Northern Ireland has 394 sites of high nature conservation value designated for their protection.

Almost 250 of these are sensitive to the impacts of ammonia and nitrogen. The vast majority of designated sites are currently experiencing ammonia concentrations and nitrogen deposition above the critical levels and loads at which damage to plants may occur.

As a consequence, sustained and tangible reductions in ammonia are required to protect nature, to meet Northern Ireland’s legal obligations and to ensure a sustainable agri-food sector.

Ammonia targets

DAERA has set two 2030 ammonia targets. These are 1) to reduce total agricultural ammonia emissions by at least 30% from 2020 levels and 2) to reduce ammonia levels at internationally designated sites by 40% by 2030.

There are two pillars to the envisaged ammonia abatement strategy that has been proposed by DAERA. Pillar 1 comprises ambitious and verifiable ammonia reduction programme with Pillar 2 centred on conservation actions to protect and restore nature.

The establishment of a stakeholder group, representing primary agriculture, the agri-food supply chain and the environmental sector, has been proposed to advise on implementation of the finally agreed measures.

The steps that can be taken on farm to reduce ammonia production and emission levels are multi-faceted.

The uptake of verifiable ammonia reduction technology in livestock housing will be encouraged. There will also be a requirement to spread all slurry using low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment by 2026.

Trials have shown that nitrogen excretion levels in cows’ urine can more than double if dietary protein levels are boosted from 14% to 19%.

This process, in itself, puts an additional energy demand and increases the metabolic stress on the cow.

The fact that urea is a very volatile chemical means that a high proportion of it is lost to the atmosphere when slurry is spread on land.

Urea is also very water soluble. As a consequence, it can add to the pollution threat posed by slurry.

Typically, the nitrogen efficiency of dairy cow diets will be in the region of 22% to 32%.

Reducing emissions

Developing verifiable systems to encourage implementation of longer grazing seasons has significant potential for the future.

The need to reduce ammonia emissions from fertiliser will include a consultation on the potential introduction of a prohibition on the use of urea fertiliser without an inhibitor in 2024.

Establishing systems to implement and verify crude protein reductions in livestock diets can play a key role in reducing farm ammonia production levels, as will the identification and selection of genetic traits that maximise nutrient use efficiency.

In addition, supporting protein crop establishment is already available, courtesy of a pilot scheme.

And, finally steps will be taken to encourage the development and implementation of emerging technologies for ammonia reduction.

Livestock diets

It is universally agreed that reducing crude protein in livestock diets has a significant influence on ammonia emissions.

Reducing the amount of nitrogen in animal feed reduces the amount in excreta, leading to less of the nutrient being available for ammonia generation.

Scientific research shows that ammonia emissions are reduced by 8-10% for every 1% fall in crude protein in pig diets.

Ammonia reductions of up to 35% are thought to be possible in poultry diets.

Across the livestock sectors, including cattle, it is envisaged that reducing crude protein in all livestock diets can achieve an industry wide reduction in ammonia of around 9%.

Trials have shown that nitrogen excretion levels in cows’ urine can more than double if dietary protein levels are boosted from 14% to 19%.

This process, in itself, puts an additional energy demand and increases the metabolic stress on the cow.

Typically, the nitrogen efficiency of dairy cow diets in Northern Ireland will be in the region of 22% to 32%.

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This was view expressed this week by Mark Logan, the current chair of the UK Jersey Cattle Society.

He has also confirmed that Clandeboye Estate in Co. Down, at which he is farm manager, will host the society’s 2023 annual general meeting (AGM).

“Jersey cattle numbers continue to increase in Northern Ireland. I have held the position of organisation chair for the past two years,” Logan said.

“And it is a tremendous privilege for Clandeboye to have been selected as the venue for this year’s annual meeting.”

The event takes place on Monday July 31 commencing at 11:00a.m.

It also represents the beginning of a two-day celebration of all that is positive about Jersey cattle breeding in Northern Ireland.

“The AGM will conclude at around 12:30p.m. Lunch will then follow in the banqueting hall at the estate. The afternoon events will focus on a visit to the Clandeboye yoghurt factory and a tour of the estate,

“This will also provide visitors with an opportunity to view the Clandeboye pedigree Jersey herd.”

Significantly, the decision has been taken to open up proceedings on the day from lunch time onwards.

“We have invited members of the Jersey Association of Ireland to join us for the afternoon’s proceedings, starting with lunch,” Mark confirmed.

“And we are also opening the invitation to others with an interesting in Jersey breeding.”

Jersey cattle at Clandeboye

Clandeboye is home to 30 elite Jersey cows and followers. The herd is currently averaging  6750L at 5.4% butterfat and 3.9% protein.

The following day will see the Fleming family, from Seaforde in Co. Down, hosting a visit for Jersey Cattle Society members and others with an interest in Jersey breeding.

Their Potterswalls’ herd is home to a number of the UK and Ireland’s most prestigious Jersey bloodlines. It is currently averaging 7,500L with exemplary butterfat and protein levels.

Recent years have marked the installation of two milking robots on the farm. The farm visit gets underway at 10:00a.m.

Mark Logan is quick to confirm Jersey cows’ inherent ability to produce large volumes of high quality milk in a very efficient manner.

“Jersey cows have been long recognised for their ability to produce milk from grass in a very sustainable manner. They also perform well within confined feeding scenarios,” he explained.

“The ability of the breed to produce milk with high levels of fat and protein is universally accepted.

“Looking to the future, our core breeding aim is to maintain this level of quality while also increasing milk volumes. And this target is more than achievable.”

Climate

The past years have seen the climate change debate gather momentum across the UK and Ireland.

Significantly, Mark Logan believes that the Jersey cow has an inherently lower carbon footprint than production animals in other breeds.

But having a sense of something and proving it are two entirely different things.

“There is every merit in having the carbon footprint of Jersey cows independently assessed and verified across a range of production scenarios,” he said.

Yoghurt

Courtesy of his involvement with the management team at Clandeboye, Mark has played a central role in the development of the estate’s now highly recognised and equally commended yoghurt business.

“All of the milk produced on the estate now goes for yoghurt production. Sales are strong throughout the island of Ireland and our market outlets continue to expand,” he continued.

“As a consequence we may soon reach a position, which sees us buying-in additional milk to meet our yoghurt production needs.

“There is no scope to further increase the size of the current Clandeboye dairy herd. All the farmable land on the estate is already fully accounted for.

“The acreage not used for milk production is dedicated to crops, which are used to fuel the anaerobic digester, or AD plant, at Clandeboye,” he explained.

By taking this approach, the estate has been able to generate all the heat and electricity it needs, including for the yoghurt manufacturing facility.

“All the whey produced as a by-product of the yoghurt manufacturing process is fed back into the digester; the feedstock for which also includes our own cattle slurry and the high energy silages grown specifically for AD purposes at Clandeboye,” Logan added.

A ‘circular economy’ approach has been taken for the development of the yoghurt production business.

“Recent assessments have confirmed that the yoghurt manufacturing facility has, to all intents and purposes, a zero carbon footprint. This is on the basis of the dairy herd not being included in the figures,” Logan stated.

“The next stage in the assessment process will be to look at the impact of the cows on the carbon footprint of the entire venture.

“This is another reason why we need to see verifiable carbon footprint data produced for all of the dairy farming systems practised here in Northern Ireland.”

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Since its joint launch by GDT and Fonterra almost a year ago, the pilot version sought to expand GDT’s service offering for buyers and sellers by facilitating more frequent price discovery.

GDT is also considering offering more auctions and broadening the scope of the platform by inviting other sellers to offer their products, promoting increased diversity and expanding market opportunities for buyers.

GDT Pulse

GDT Pulse offers Fonterra’s Whole Milk Powder (WMP) regular contract period 2 for auction in weeks when GDT trading events are not held.

It offers a streamlined auction process with a total duration of approximately 10-20 minutes.

Customer feedback gathered after six months of operation indicated strong support for further reducing the bidding round duration from two minutes to one minute.

This adjustment aimed to optimise the auction experience and enhance efficiency for participants.

To date, 26 auctions have been conducted on the pilot platform, with 25,427MT of product sold, amounting to a cumulative value of almost $83 million.

The average clearance rate for the products offered on GDT Pulse stands at 97.8%.

The auctions have typically consisted of an average of eight bidding rounds, with a total auction duration averaging 17 minutes.

On average, each auction has attracted the participation of 30 bidders, out of which an average of 15 have emerged as winning bidders.

Building on the results of the pilot phase, GDT now plans to extend the trial of GDT Pulse for an additional 12 months.

This extended pilot phase will focus requests from bidders for expanded offerings and features.

“This expansion is expected to attract more participants and further enhance market liquidity,” GDT said.

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The show attracts breeders from across the island, to showcase some of the top Holstein cows in the country.

At last year’s event, the Diageo Baileys champion cow prize was won by Co. Down breeders Sam and John McCormick with their entry Hilltara Undenied Apple VG89, selected by judge David Booth from Feizor Holsteins.

She was also named as champion Junior cow at last year’s event in Virginia.

The Reserve Champion title went to Hallow Atwood Twizzle 1191 EX90 from Co. Wexford breeders Philip and Linda Jones from Hallow Holstein.

Honourable Mention was given to Baldonnel Brady Hailey from Co. Dublin breeder John Dowling.

Baileys cow

One of the main attractions of the Virginia Show is the Baileys cow competition, with an increased prize fund to mark the 40th year of the competition.

The breeder of the Bailey Champion will receive a €3,000 prize, followed by €1,500 and €800 for Reserve Champion and Honourable Mention respectively.

Other awards will be presented across several categories, including Junior Cows in their second lactation; the Best Junior Cow category has prizes worth €1,550 in total and the popular Best Heifer in Milk category carries a fund of €1,550 with 1st place worth €750.

The judge of this year’s Diageo Baileys Champion Cow in partnership with Tirlán has been named as Mark Logan from Co. Down.

Logan is the manager of well-known Clandeboye Estate which is situated just outside Bangor.

He is no stranger to this ‘all-Ireland’ competition having won the Reserve Champion prize himself in 2008.

He also worked, as an agriculture student of College of Agriculture Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) Greenmount, on the Ballymoney farm of the very first judge of ‘The Baileys’, Bertie Kerr.

Commenting on his role as judge 40 years on, and the important task that lies ahead in Co. Cavan on August 23, he said: “It is an honour to be asked to judge the Diageo Baileys Champion Cow.

“The contest is regarded as the most prestigious within the summer show circuit on the island of Ireland – it consistently attracts only top-class cows.

“I will be looking out for the breeder who can show me the ‘complete package’ in the parade ring.

“The winning cow this August will have to have it all – balance, dairy strength, quality through the udder and great locomotion.”

Pedigree breeding

Originally from Co. Antrim, Mark Logan has judged many shows in Northern Ireland as well as the Irish Holstein Friesian Association (IHFA) Emerald Expo event.

In Great Britain he has judged Holsteins at the Royal Highland Show and the All-breeds at the AgriScot, and will be at the Royal Welsh Show next week judging the Dairy Interbreeds.

He has been managing the 670ac Clandeboye Estate farm since 1991.

He and his team have built up an impressive pedigree herd of 70 Holstein and 30 Jersey cows that boasts a lineage that goes back to the renowned Holstein families (Rosinas and Willows) and Jersey families (Evitas and Marbles) and produces 2,500L of milk per day on average.

Environment and economic sustainability go hand-in-hand in Mark’s management of the estate with a circular economy solution of an anaerobic digester installed in 2016.

It now fuels 100% of the estate’s electricity requirements and almost all of its heating and hot water.

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The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has decided to partner with ITN Business to showcase the positive impact of livestock on the environment and the food system.

Livestock agriculture is perceived to be one of the biggest contributors towards climate change and pollution, but could hold a key to creating a sustainable food system, with a positive impact on the environment, according to AHDB.

By 2050, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion, and to meet dietary demands food production must increase by 70%.

AHDB partnership

To raise awareness and understanding of the importance of livestock and the role it has to play in feeding the population sustainably, the AHDB has partnered with ITN Business to produce news-style programme ‘Farming a Greener Future’.

The programme will be anchored by journalist and news presenter Duncan Golestani from the ITN London studio and will look at the positive contribution livestock makes to society.

The programme will explore key themes including:

• Dispelling the myths around livestock agriculture;
• Livestock’s unique role in providing and supporting nature-based solutions to climate change and nature decline while producing a nutritious, quality food source;
• Delivering food security for a growing global population to support health.

AHDB’s divisional director of engagement, Will Jackson, said: “The reputation of our industry is a core priority for AHDB, and we are delighted to be able to partner with ITN to deliver a critical message about our livestock industry.

“Too often the public narrative about the impact of livestock is a negative one, while their unique ability to provide both solutions for climate change, nature decline, and food security is either ignored or misunderstood.

“AHDB hopes to shed light on this and encourages anyone who would like to be part of highlighting livestock’s unique abilities to join us in this partnership.”

Programme on positives of livestock

Launching in November, ‘Farming a Greener Future’ will combine expert interviews, news items and reporter-led sponsored editorial profiles.

The programme will be hosted on the ITN Business content hub and will be supported by a digital advertising campaign.

Nina Harrison-Bell, head of ITN Business, spoke about the partnership with AHDB: “This is a really interesting partnership for ITN Business.

“By partnering with AHDB, we hope to share the many benefits of livestock farming, such as the nutritious food for the global population, the jobs it provides and positive impacts for our planet.”

There are commercial opportunities for leading organisations to be featured in the programme and spearhead their own news item.

AHDB is looking for organisations contributing towards food security, delivering nature-based solutions and positively impacting the environment, to take part and share their story.

AHDB is a statutory levy board funded by farmers and others in the supply chain. It said its purpose is to be a critical enabler, to positively influence outcomes, allowing farmers and others in the supply chain to be competitive, successful and share good practice.

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NFU Mutual has produced new signs that farmers can use to caution members of the public walking on their land about the dangers of cattle.

The sign encourages walkers to be aware, be prepared, and be respectful, and gives advice on how to behave around cattle.

For example, it warns that cattle can react to peoples’ presence so encourages walkers to move quietly and predictably. It also encourages walkers to keep their dogs on leads, but to release them immediately if chased by cattle.

NFU Mutual, the rural insurance branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), launched the signs to coincide with the 11th annual Farm Safety Week this week, and in a teamed up effort with the Farm Safety Foundation and Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU).

Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley commented: “In a week where it has shown incidents involving livestock continue to be the main reason members of the public lose their lives on our farms, we are proud to support this new campaign by NFU Mutual and remind farmers of their legal duty to consider the health and safety of members of the public using public rights of way through their fields.

“As we have seen over the past few years, the rise in the numbers of general public visiting our beautiful countryside has grown and this gives rise to new issues when thinking about health and safety on your farm.

“Farming activities can pose risks to you, your workers, and also to any contractors or visitors – including walkers, hikers and cyclists.”

According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, of the 27 fatalities in Great Britain’s agriculture sector in the year from April 2022 to March 2023, six were members of the public.

Of these six fatalities, four were as a result of members of the public being trampled by cattle.

The HSE has previously urged farmers to be aware that they have a legal responsibility to manage their herds to reduce risk to people using footpaths and other rights of way.

Earlier this summer, a UK landowner was fined after members of the public were “seriously injured” by cattle while walking along footpaths on his estate, and in March a farmer from Devon was fined after a dog walker was thrown 8ft into the air by one of his cows and then trampled by it.

“These signs have been designed for the well-being of the walker and will help to provide peace of mind for the farmer, as they clearly outline that livestock are in close proximity, the risks and how walkers can keep themselves safe,” UFU president William Irvine said.

“The signage will be a great addition to farms helping to create a safer environment for everyone.”

Signs will be available from local NFU Mutual agency offices in the coming weeks. 

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Firefighters have urged farmers to think about fire safety following a call out to a field fire in Essex last night (Monday, July 17).

Crews from Essex Fire and Rescue Service were called to Ludgores Lane in Danbury at around 9:20p.m last night after a combine harvester caught fire.

When the crews arrived, the fire has spread to approximately 10ac of crops. Crews from Chelmsford (two), Maldon (two), Rayleigh Weir and Witham, and off-road vehicles from Billericay and Burnham helped tackle the fire.

Group manager Craig McLellan said: “Crews did a fantastic job of surrounding the fire so quickly and stopping it from spreading.

“The fire affected about 10ac of crops so they had to work incredibly hard to extinguish it. I’d like to thank the farmer for assistance too.

“Due to the rural location, crews have set up a water relay to extinguish the fire affecting the combine harvester.” 

It is believed that the cause of the fire was accidental.

Fire safety

Following last night’s incident Essex Fire and Rescue Service have urged farmers to think about fire safety, during harvest season in particular, “to reduce the risk of devastating and dangerous fires”.

It has said that farm machinery is one of the top causes of rural/farm fires.

To reduce the risk of a fire it advised farmers to keep machinery and vehicles well maintained and serviced regularly, and to clean machinery regularly to keep it free from hay, straw, oil and grease.

This messages comes at an apt time as the 11th annual Farm Safety Week is underway – the theme of which is ‘Farm Safety Starts with Me’.

A drive-home message of this theme is for farmers to take the time to review the safety measures on their farm.

Echoing this message, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is this week running a campaign encouraging farmers to “take five to stay alive”.

The idea behind this message is that taking five minutes before a tasks allows time to evaluate the task at hand and implement ways to make the task safer.

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Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) president William Irvine is encouraging farmers to review safety measures on their farm and work out what can be done to improve it this Farm Safety Week.

“For example, signage regarding slurry pits, high-powered equipment and livestock can make a huge difference and can help to keep you and farm workers safe all year round,” he said.

“By doing this, you are not only actively working to keep yourself safe, but you are also protecting the farm business and most importantly your family, from the devastating experience of losing a loved one.”

The 11th annual Farm Safety Week, an initiative by the Farm Safety Foundation involving organisations across the UK and Ireland, kicks off today (Monday, July 17) with the theme ‘Farm Safety Starts with Me’.

Common excuses like ‘I’ve always done it that way’ and ‘I’m in a hurry’ are “not good enough reasons for risk-taking, poor maintenance of equipment or unsafe working”, Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation, said.

“While we are seeing more people calling out poor practices and sharing their experiences there seems to be a broad acceptance that this is just how it is in farming?” she added.

Berkeley reminds that the agriculture mortality rates remain “stubbornly high”; 21 people were killed in work-related incidents in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry in Great Britain last year.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), this is “markedly higher than the average across all industries”.

Camilla Mackey, HSE Northern Ireland’s principal inspector of the agri-food team, added: “I am appealing to the farming community to consider the risks they face, and, put proper precautions in place to ensure tasks are carried out safely. It could just save your life.”

Farm Safety Week

The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) over the week this year is encouraging farmers to “take five to stay alive”, with the idea that taking five minutes before a tasks allows time to evaluate the task at hand and implement ways to make the task safer.

It also encourages regular breaks to prevent physical or mental burnout. NFU is encouraging farmers to share the ways that they stay safe on the farm on social media using the hashtag #Take5StayAlive.

The “heartbreaking thing” about most farm accidents, UFU president Irvine said, “is that they could have been prevented”.

“Working on a farm creates risk every day and we need to be constantly aware and reminded of that to create a safer working environment and habits,” William Irvine said.

“All of us are guilty of thinking ‘it will never happen to me’. But, as Farm Safety Week has shown in the past, and will do again this year, a farm accident can happen to anyone in a spilt second, changing lives forever.”

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The benefits of the nutrient in improving palatability and mineral balances are relevant at all times of the season.

According to Origin Fertilisers, the inclusion of sodium is particularly relevant during periods of hot, dry weather.

It should be included as part of a tailored nutrient management plan to alleviate heat stress on grass and livestock.

Driving this approach is the fact that grass with access to good levels of sodium can withstand extended periods without rainfall.

Use of sodium

Grass uses salts such as potassium and sodium to regulate the movement of water and sugars.

The availability and balance of these salts is particularly important in dry conditions. If the ratio of potassium to sodium is high, there is an increased risk of hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers).

However, applying sodium in grassland fertiliser helps optimise the key potassium to sodium ratio.

In turn, this reduces the risk of staggers. Peter Scott, technical director at Origin Fertilisers, says sodium is a vital nutrient to prevent crops becoming stressed.

“A greater percentage of sodium taken up by the crop will increase digestibility and improve sugar content, making grass more palatable to livestock, even as it starts to become fibrous,” he said.

“Sodium encourages a greater percentage of live herbage, which will help livestock increase dry matter intake and get more from grass.”

In addition, where grass is being supplemented with concentrated feed, sodium can
help reduce the risk of acidosis by helping to buffer the pH in the rumen.

It also reduces the risk of pica which has been highlighted as a common sign of sodium deficiency.

Application

Fertiliser applications of sodium can continue even in drought conditions. Peter Scott recommends farmers should get the advice they need when using sodium.

This will ensure that nutrient performance is maximised from the application rates that farmers are using.

“Even in soils with a moisture deficit, a heavy overnight dew can deposit up to 0.5mm moisture,” he explained.

“This has been proven to be sufficient to start dissolving fertiliser. Where grass is visibly green, and there have been signs of growth, it is also possible to apply small amounts of fertiliser and see a response.”

As a guide, sodium should be applied at 5-6kg/ha to help alleviate stress in both grass and livestock.

So could sodium become the new sulphur? 20 years ago, sulphur was deemed not to be required as a component – at all – within grassland fertiliser programmes.

Now the nutrient is widely regarded as a key contributor of growth and forage quality, particularly within silage scenarios.

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The organisation, in a recent position paper adopted by its General Assembly, underlines the significance of sustainable agriculture and raises concerns regarding the potential impact of lab-grown food on global food security, food safety and human health, cultural heritage, and the livelihoods of farming communities.

Lab-grown food, substances produced in laboratories for human consumption, are created using tissues or cells and are not naturally occurring on a large scale, according to the WFO.

It claimed that they are supported by marketing campaigns that enhance the myth of greater sustainability compared to agriculture.

The WFO said that farmers “firmly reject this narrative that lacks scientific evidence”.

Lab-grown food

According to the WFO, the recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), titled ‘Food Safety Aspects of Cell Based Food’, makes it clear that there is no reliable evidence to compare cell-based food to farmer-produced food

The WFO stated: “There is still much to consider about its nutritional value and how it could affect human health in the long-term.

“In addition, any claims regarding less land and water use, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, animal welfare and reduced risk of zoonotic diseases have yet to be proved.

“The role of farmers is essential in shaping resilient and sustainable food systems.”

The organisation added that achieving sustainability involves embracing diverse agricultural systems, ensuring inclusiveness and transparency, and promoting research and innovation while preserving tradition.

“The WFO values innovation and embraces an approach that is bottom-up, science-based, and
result-oriented,” the organisation’s statement continued.

It has called for collaboration among farmers, researchers, and stakeholders in the value chain to address the challenges ahead, develop innovative practices, and deliver sustainable solutions to produce, process, distribute and consume food in a sustainable manner.

The WFO is also urging stronger connections between consumers, policymakers, and the agricultural and rural communities to promote a better understanding of the benefits of agriculture, including livestock farming.

“On these assumptions, the WFO strongly opposes replacing farmer-grown food with lab-made foodstuff,” the organisation stated.

“Such substitutes dismiss the work and contribution of farmers to sustainability and push consumers towards a homogenous dietary model that undermines the tradition, diversity, richness, quality, and uniqueness of regional food systems across the planet.”

World Farmers’ Organisation

The World Farmers’ Organisation, is a member-based organisation, representing a community of geographically balanced entrepreneurial farmers.

Regardless of their size (small-, medium- and large-scale), gender, and age, the WFO wants farmers’ role as food producers and economic actors, globally recognised.

The WFO said its mission is to advocate for the global farming community in international processes impacting the present and the future of the agricultural sector.

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Further detail on new regulations to improve fairness and transparency in the dairy supply chain has been announced.

The government said these regulations, which are set to come into force later this year, will also help establish “stability and accountability” across the dairy supply chain.

Under the new regulations, farmers have clearer pricing terms, with contracts setting out the factors which generate the milk price.

Farmers will be allowed to challenge prices if they feel this process isn’t being followed and changes to contracts can’t be imposed on farmers without their agreement.

Farmers’ contracts will also include a straightforward way to raise concerns about their contracts and there will be clear rules put in place on notice periods and contractual exclusivity, protecting the rights of both buyers and sellers. 

An enforcement mechanism will be in place to guarantee the regulations are followed.

New regulations

The new regulations are part of a series of supply chain interventions confirmed by the government. This autumn, reviews will also begin to help establish fairer supply chains in the egg and horticulture sectors, and later the pig supply chain.

Industry stakeholders, including the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Dairy UK, were consulted in their creation, and the government said there will be “continued engagement” with industry to ensure that they meet the needs of the sector and properly address the challenges the sector faces. 

Commenting, Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “Farmers must be paid a fair price for their produce and these regulations will provide price certainty and stability for farmers by establishing written milk purchase agreements with clear and unambiguous terms.

“This represents a key milestone in our commitment to promote fairness and transparency across food supply chains to support farmers and build a stronger future for the industry, and will be followed by reviews into the egg and horticulture sector supply chains this autumn.”

NFU dairy board chair Michael Oakes added: “These new regulations mark a significant step forward in the government’s efforts to increase fairness and transparency in the dairy supply chain.

“For a long time, unfair milk contracts have held British dairy businesses back, and these changes will give dairy farmers much needed business security and confidence, as well as helping to share risk along the dairy supply chain.”

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Roger Parry & Partners has brought Webscott Farm near Shrewsbury, Shropshire, to the market with an asking price of £4.2 million of more.

The 216.12ac (87.46ha) ringfenced farm is for sale as a whole or in up to three lots.

Agent Robert Parry said the sale offers a “rare opportunity for buyers to purchase a well-established organic dairy farm in an area reputed for its excellent farmland and transport links”.

Webscott Farm is located close to the popular village of Myddle, with easy access to the market towns of Shrewsbury and Oswestry.

Shropshire dairy farm

The farm has been run as an organic enterprise, with clover-rich pasture. However, according to the agents it would be equally suitable for arable rotations.

The farmland has a new centralised water supply system with 500m of pipework with electrofusion joins feeding 20, 500 gallon troughs.

A proportion of the land can be accessed off council maintained roads while internally, the land is serviced by long lengths of concrete sleeper tracks, enabling extended grazing seasons.

The farm has a range of buildings amounting to approximately 75,435ft². Buildings include multiple cattle housing facilities; parlour; isolation pen; office; silage store; storage; static home; and a triple dutch barn.

It also has an 18×18 herringbone milking parlour with a 12,000L tank and a weeping wall manure management system.

Buildings are mostly steel portal framed with a combination of Yorkshire board and corrugated sheet cladding.

The property has a farmhouse which is located adjacent to the farmyard in the centre of the farm and is approached via a private drive. It has five bedrooms and two bathrooms.

It also has reception rooms, a kitchen with an electric Aga, sun room, and double glazing throughout, as well as a personal garden with flower beds and a combination of sandstone wall and hedging to the perimeter.

There is also a modern three-bedroom dormer bungalow with its own separate driveway which provides a standalone home or as an offering for farm staff.

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