May 2016 Newsletter

Milk Price & Supply

The milk price for the month of April after milk price support of 1.5 cents per litre (cpl) has been reduced by 1.0 cpl. This brings the price for April to 25.65 cpl (116.60 cents per gallon) at 3.60% butterfat and 3.30% protein, including a bonus of 0.5 cpl for a Summer Somatic Cell Count of less than 200,000, SDAS bonus of 0.15 cpl and VAT at 5.2%.

The average price paid for the month based on the average butterfat of 4.03% and protein of 3.34%, including SCC, SDAS bonuses and VAT is 27.30 cpl.

The milk supply for the month of April was 20,483,121 litres (4,505,647 gallons). This represents a decrease of 3.5% on supply compared to April 2015.

SDAS Update

SDAS audits are ongoing with a total of €23,000 paid out to all certified suppliers in April. Over 75% of all milk supplied in now benefitting from the bonus.

For any suppliers yet to have their first audit the Summer months are an ideal time to prepare for and have their inspection. Anyone requiring any assistance or is ready to have their inspection should contact Darren Lynch/ Tim Regan.

Quality Milk Suppliers

The top three milk suppliers nominated for the 2015 Carbery Milk Quality Awards by Drinagh based on butterfat, protein, T.B.C. and S.C.C. results are;

Billy Wolfe, Knockawaddra, Lisbealad.

Michael & Maguerite Crowley, Bauravilla Upper, Skibbereen.

Timothy O’Mahony, Dreenane, Schull.

We congratulate the three finalists on their remarkable achievement of consistently producing top quality milk. The overall winner of the competition will be announced next month.

NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Farm Walk

Friday 17^th of June 2016 @ 2.00pm

On the farm of Kieran, Catherine & Cathal O’Sullivan, Dunmanus, Goleen.

Topics include:

• Achieving low SCC in dairy herd
• Correct hygiene practices for minimising TBC, thermodurics and residues
• The O’Sullivan family farm
• Open forum with the O’Sullivan family and industry leaders

All welcome to attend

Silage Additive

Ecosyl 100 is a silage additive applied as a powder or in liquid form that works quickly as an aid to the fermentation process. It produces large amounts of lactic acid (good bacteria) quickly and efficiently and is effective over a wide range of pHs, temperatures and dry

matters. Ecosyl 100 has a better strain of bacteria compared to most other additives, which results in better silage preservation and less spoilage from heating/ moulding.

The Ecosyl brand has been tried and tested for over 30 years and has been backed by numerous research trials and farmer testimonials.

The main points on Ecosyl 100 are as follows:

• Available in powder or liquid form
• Application rate for powder is 200 grams per tonne of silage
• One bag will do 100 tonnes of silage
• The same rates and costs apply to the liquid version of Ecosyl 100.
• If first cut silage is yielding 8-10 tonnes/acre, one bag of Ecosyl 100 will treat 10 – 12.5 acres
• The shelf life of Ecosyl 100 once opened is 3 day

CellCheck Top Tips

Early detection of mastitis gives better cure rates and minimises infection spread within the herd. A good milking technique and consistent routine in the parlour will aid early detection

CellCheck Top Tips

1.Forestripping all cows is the most effective way of identifying clinical cases early. It may appear time consuming particularly in larger herds, but it actually encourages faster milking, through natural oxytocin let-down

2.Use a CMT paddle to identify infected quarters that may not show any clinical signs i.e. subclinical infections

3.Treat appropriately, discussing with your vet the herd history, culture results, and cow history. Ensure that the appropriate withdrawal period is observed.

4.Alwayswear clean gloves when milking. Bare hands harbour up to 98% more bacteria than gloved hands

1. Only put clusters on clean, dry teats. Only wash dirty teats, and if they are washed they must be dried
2. Good teat disinfection after every milking is the single best thing you can do to prevent new infections.

Low Milk Fat at Grass

Low milk fat at grass is a common issue facing many spring calving herds fed high quality grass during May.

This normally arises from 2 scenarios:

• Low milk fat is caused by very lush grass not having enough fibre. This will mean low rumen pH and acidosis – cows loose in the dung etc is taken as evidence.
• The drop in milk fat is due to changes within the cows udder and not in the rumen. Cows are healthy and no action may be required.

If low butterfat is an issue on your farm then contact Donal, Tim or Darren to discuss the issue and avoid any future problems if possible.