Concern Over Milk Production Trends
Issued 26thOctober 2001
A Teagasc dairy expert has warned about the likelihood of milk payment schemes being introduced in order to encourage increased production in the early and later months of the year. These payment schemes could involve a reduced milk price in the peak production months of May and June.
Speaking at the Teagasc/Connacht Gold Dairy Conference in Ballina, Dermot McCarthy, Chief Dairy Adviser with Teagasc, said the use by dairy farmers of Teagasc grass production technology to extremes combined with emphasis on labour efficiency has led to a big increase in peak milk production in May and June, resulting in milk processing capacity being pushed to the limit.
''The new trend involves a big reduction in the milking period of spring calving herds. A growing number of dairy farmers are milking cows from March to October - a lactation period of 240 days compared with the traditional lactation of 280 - 300 days''.
''The introduction of bonus payments for milk produced in February/March and October/November could boost milk prices and profitability for dairy herds with lactations of around 280 days '', he said.
The Teagasc blueprint for profitable milk production, developed by researchers at Moorepark, involves a lactation of 280 days plus and maximising output from grass. Some farmers are calving cows too late in spring and drying off too early in autumn. This results in farmers having too many cows in order to fill their milk quota.
''A reduction in cow numbers, longer lactations and a reduction in peak milk supply is in the best long-term interests of dairy farmers and the dairy industry'', said Dermot McCarthy.
Dermot McCarthy also urged milk producers in western counties to purchase or lease as much milk quota as possible over the coming years.
''Substantial quantities of quota will become available to western farmers and, with the reduced prices, purchased quota can be repaid over three years. While the level of quota available to dairy farmers in the rest of the country will be substantially less, the amounts will increase in 2002 when the needs of priority farmers have been met'', he said.
''Any dairy farmer with a quota of 30,000 gallons or more has the capacity to generate a reasonable income for the future, provided development and expansion opportunities are grasped as they arise'', he said.
