January 2015 Newsletter

Milk Price

The milk price for the month of December is the same as last month - 31.95 cents per litre (145.244 cents per gallon) at 3.60% butterfat and 3.30% protein, including a bonus of 0.88 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 December was 2,982,613 litres (656,082 gallons) with an average butterfat of 4.13% and an average protein of 3.41%.

This represents a decrease of 910,664 litres (200,322 gallons) on butterfat adjusted supply compared to December 2013.

The Co-Op was 7.99% over quota at the end of the December. If supply matches quota for the remainder of the quota year, this will result in a Super Levy bill of €2.85 million for the Society before the allocation of National Flexi milk.

The Department estimates that the country was 6.51% over quota at the end of November.

Fertilizer and Feed

In this month's accounts, each milk supplier is receiving a summary of their purchases of feed and fertilizer from the Co-Op for 2014. Account holders are also receiving their annual statements this month.

These documents should be carefully filed for future use. If a reprint of any document is required, a charge of €5 per document will apply.

Milk Quality

As suppliers recommence supplying in the Spring it is important that proper standards are maintained from the beginning.

The first collection from each supplier will be tested for T.B.C., S.C.C. and antibiotics. Therefore milk should only be stored for a maximum of 4 days before collection.

Contact your milk collection driver in adequate time so that collections can be arranged. We recommend that suppliers take a milk sample from their tanks and have it tested in Carbery prior to recommencing milk supply to ensure that the milk is fit for collection.

Spring Dairy Seminar

Reminder to all suppliers that the Spring Dairy seminar is on this Wednesday the 21^st of January in the West Cork Hotel at 8.30pm.

Speakers:

• Dan McSweeney, CEO of Carbery Group.
  Dairy markets post quota.
• Don Crowley, Teagasc.
  Milk production in a non quota environment.

All are welcome to attend.

Herd Health Certificate

Suppliers are reminded that they must submit a completed Dairy Health Certificate before they recommence milk supply if they have not already done so.

The white copies of pages 1, 3 and 4 should be sent to the Co-Op.

We have spare certs for anybody who has lost their original. The cert should be dated 2014.

BVD collection points

BVD tissue tag collection service will operate at our stores again this year. Please see the above timetable for collection days and cut off times.

Teagasc – Carbery Dairy Seminar

As part of the Teagasc – Carbery Joint Programme a dairy seminar will be held on January 27^th at 7.00pm in the Inchydoney Hotel, Clonakilty. The night will start off with four short presentations on:

• Sustainable dairy systems – planning for 2015
• Spring grazing & early lactation nutrition
• Looking after your cows - health and fertility
• Rearing healthy calves with reduced workload.

After a Q & A session the audience will then be divided into smaller groups where a simple cash flow budget for 2015 will be created.

Start of Season Dairy Hygiene Wash Procedures

To ensure Top Quality TBC Results in 2015 it is important to start right with your Cleaning Regime.

Ensure all equipment including water heater is working correctly. Check all rubber ware and replace all worn or damaged sections paying particular attention to rubber bends which are often a source of bacterial growth.

Milking Plant Cleaning Procedures

1. Descale plant with Descaler and hot water to remove any milkstone residues or mineral scale. Rinse Plant with Cold Water until all Acid residues are removed.
2. Detergent Hot wash to remove residual milk residues and general soiling. (If sufficient hot water is not available the wash should be done with Cold Water immediately after Descale Wash and a Hot Wash done the next day prior to recommencing of Milking Season).Immediately Rinse plant with cold water.
3. Final Rinse Sanitation to ensure plant is sanitised and to reduce the bacteriological loading on the milking equipment. This can be done by adding Serpent or Clus-Ster XX to final rinse water.

Automatic Bulk Tank Cleaning

1. Descale any plant with Hot Descaler to remove any Milkstone Residues or mineral scale.
2. Detergent Hot Wash to remove residual Milk residues and general soiling (If sufficient hot water is not available the wash should be done with Cold Water immediately after descale Wash and a Hot Wash done the next day prior to recommencing of Milking Season).
3. Final Rinse Sanitation to ensure Plant is sanitised and to reduce the Bacteriological loading on the Milking equipment. This can be done by using Serpent or Clus-Ster XX.

REMINDER

Spring Dairy Seminar Wednesday 21^st @ 8.30pm

Co-Op 7.99% over quota at the end of December