September 2014 Newsletter

Milk Price

The milk price for the month of August has been reduced by 2.0 cents per litre. This is due to the continuing weaker prices for dairy products on the world market.

This brings the price to 33.14 cents per litre (150.654 cents per gallon) at 3.60 % butterfat and 3.30 % protein, including a bonus of 0.50 cents per litre for a Somatic Cell Count of less than 200,000 and including VAT at 5.0%.

Milk Supply

The milk supply for the month of August was 16,595,769 litres (3,650,551 gallons) with an average butterfat of 3.97% and an average protein of 3.49%.

This represents an increase of 660,055 litres (145,195 gallons) on butterfat adjusted supply compared to August 2013.

The Co-Op was 8.42% over quota at the end of the August.

The Department estimates that the country was 6.44% over quota at the end of August.

MASTITIS CONTROL PROGRAMME

All purchases of intramammary tubes-both milking cow and dry cow products are by veterinary prescription only. The regulations allow milk processing Co-Op’s, who operate an approved Mastitis Control Programme, to provide veterinary prescriptions for all suppliers who sign up to this programme. Drinagh Co-Op operates an approved mastitis control programme that allows for the issuance of veterinary prescriptions. The script supplied will be valid for up to 12 months.

Included in this month’s statement is a Mastitis Control Programme Contract for anybody who wishes to join the programme or renew their contract.

This year’s contract also contains information on the 7 steps of a good Mastitis Control Programme which should be retained by the farmer. If you wish to join the programme, fully complete and sign the Mastitis Control Programme Contract and return the completed contract only to the Central Office.

A copy of the contract, signed by the vet and a representative of the Co-Op will be returned to you for your own records with the prescription in due course.

SUPER LEVY 2013/2014

The Society has received its final assessment of Super Levy liability based on deliveries for the 2013/2014 milk quota year. The society was 1,169,300 litres over quota after butterfat adjustment.

The Society was allocated 1,169,300 litres of national flexi milk leaving no Super Levy liability for 2013/2014. On account deductions made in March of are now refunded with interest.

Milk Rejection

Under EU Regulation 853/2004 the minimum milk quality standard for processing as calculated by means of a Geometric Rolling Average is:

T.B.C.-Total Bacterial Count: 100,000 or less –Geometric average over 2 months with at least two tests per month and S.C.C.-Somatic Cell Count: 400,000 or less-Geometric average over 3 months with at least one test per month.

These are minimum standards and must be strictly adhered to. When a supplier fails a geometric average for T.B.C. or S.C.C. they will be informed by letter and given the date by which they must recover or their milk cannot be collected.

CELLCHECK MILKING FOR QUALITY AWARDS 2013

This is the first year of the CellCheck Milking for Quality awards. The award is given to the 500 milk suppliers nationally with the lowest, weighted annual average SCC for 2013, based on SCC data collected by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and analysed by ICBF. Any suppliers with at least 9 months SCC results are considered eligible. Drinagh is well represented and especially proud that 43 of our milk suppliers have qualified for the CellCheck Milking for Quality award. The SCC range of the winners is 25-105,000 cells/ml, which is an excellent achievement. We are sure that in time this will become a prestigious and much sought-after annual award. Each winner will receive a waterproof plaque (see picture) that is designed to be mounted on the wall of their dairy or milking parlour.

The 43 Drinagh award winners are listed below in alphabetical order

Reminder

Co-op 8.42% over quota at end of August, nationally 6.44% over quota.

Mastitis Control Programme Contract included in this month's accounts.