June 2015 Newsletter

Milk Price & Supply

The milk price for the month of May has been reduced by 1.00 cents per litre. This brings the price for May to 29.91 cents per litre (135.97 cents per gallon) at 3.60% butterfat and 3.30% protein, including a bonus of 0.5 cents per litre for a Summer Somatic Cell Count of less than 200,000, an SDAS bonus of 0.15 cents per litre and including VAT at 5.2%.

The average price paid for the month based on the average butterfat of 3.79% and protein of 3.43%, including SCC, SDAS bonuses and VAT is 31.40 cents per litre.

The milk supply for the month of May was 23,839,259 litres (5,244,007 gallons). This represents an increase of 1,839,201 litres (404,576 gallons) on supply compared to May 2014.

Chairman & Vice-Chairman

At a recent meeting of the Board of Directors, Mr. David Connolly, Reavouler, Drinagh was re-elected Chairman and Mr. Richard Connell, Dunmanus was re-elected Vice-Chairman.

We congratulate them in their appointments and wish them well in their terms of office.

Milk Quality

Occasionally milk suppliers forget to turn on their milk tank for the first milking after milk collection. This is usually discovered the morning after the milk collection.

What are your options?

1. Discard the uncooled milk, wash the tank and turn on the tank for the next milking

Or

1. Turn on the tank and cool the milk before you commence milking. Only when the milk is fully cooled, should you start milking. Take a sample of the cooled milk to Carbery and test for TBC.

This option is usually only successful when the first milking has been efficiently plate cooled. Often the result is very high and both milkings have to be discarded.

Each load of milk delivered to Carbery is now tested for TBC. The individual farmer samples on any high load are tested to find the source of the problem.

Moorepark Open Day

The Moorepark Open Day will take place Wednesday the 1^st July from 10.00am to 5.00pm.

All are welcome to attend

Bonuses

Feed, fertilizer and milk bonuses already announced are being paid in this month’s accounts. The bonus is €5.00 per tonne of fertilizer and €5.00 per tonne of feed purchased in 2014. Milk bonus is 0.5 cents per litre on 2014 milk supplies.

This brings the total bonuses paid by the Society for 2014 to €1,113,029.

SDAS Update

Over 80% of all Drinagh suppliers have now signed up to the SDAS scheme. We encourage all suppliers who have not yet joined the scheme to do so by returning their application form to the Society.

For any supplier that has not yet had their inspection, the next few months is the ideal time to prepare for and have their inspection.

For any further information please contact Tim Regan on 086 8241635.

Carbery Quality Milk Awards 2014

The Drinagh Co-Op Winner of the award is:

Jeremiah O’Sullivan, Dunscullib, Leap

The Drinagh Co-Op runners up are:

James Young, Derryclough, Drinagh

Liam O’Connell, Currabeg, Skibbereen

The overall Carbery Winner is: Tim & Breda Hurley, Caherbeg, Rosscarbery.

We congratulate the three finalists on their remarkable achievement of consistently producing top quality milk. A farm walk will be held on the farm of Tim Hurley, Caherbeg, Rosscarbery @ 2.00 pm on Tuesday 21^st July.

The following are the top 30 registered milk suppliers for 2014 based on their milk quality in alphabetical order:

Charles Joseph McCarthy, Gortycrossig, Toehead, Castletownsend

Dan & Catherine McCarthy,Lissane, Drimoleague

Denis CadoganCoolboy, Caheragh, Drimoleague

Donie & Mary O’Donovan,Cullinagh, Skibbereen

Francis Coughlan,Scart, Bantry

Francis Keating,Droumnacara, Church Cross, Skibbereen

Jeremiah Coakley,Paddock, Drinagh

James Young,Derryclough, Drinagh

Jeremiah O’Sullivan,Dunscullib, Leap

John & Sandra Maher,Keelnaclasha, Skibbereen

John Moynihan,Shuntullig, Dunbeacon, Durrus

John O’Regan,Kielbronogue, Schull

Joylon Helen,Knocks, Rossmore, Clonakilty

Julieanne Fitzpatrick,Minanes, Drinagh

Kenneth McCarthy,Ballygurteen, Clonakilty

Kieran O’Sullivan,Dunmanus, Goleen

Lawrence O’Neill,Gortbrack, Castletownsend

Liam O’Connell,Currabeg, Skibbereen

Liam O’Donovan,Clohane, Skibbereen

Michael & Marguerite Crowley,Bauravilla Upper, Skibbereen

Michael Og Crowley,Bauravilla, Skibbereen

Michael Russell,Knockane, Drimoleague

Noel Collins,Knockavoher, Leap

Richard Hurley,Stags View, Skibbereen

Richard Jennings,Keelinga, Leap

Robert & Susan Ellis,Curraghlickey, Drinagh

Sean Dineen,Bawnbue, Drimoleague

Tadhg O’Donovan,Ahaguila, Clonakilty

Thomas Roycroft,Gubeen, Schull