March 2021 Dairy Newsletter
Spring Breeding Webinar on Zoom; Spring Agri Promotion; Water Quality Week; Carbery Shares; Don Crowley on Milk Quality
Milk Price
The base milk price for the month of February has increased by 1.5 cents per litre. After the removal of the 1.0 cent per litre support from the stability fund the February milk price is 34.58 cents per litre (157.20 cents per gallon) at 3.60% butterfat and 3.30% protein, including the Winter Somatic Cell Count (SCC) bonus of 0.88 cpl and VAT at 5.6%.
The average price paid for the month is 38.45 cents per litre. This is based on the average butterfat of 4.34% and protein of 3.40%, including Winter SCC bonus and VAT at 5.6%.
Spring Breeding Webinar on Zoom
Drinagh are hosting a Spring Breeding Webinar online via Zoom on Wednesday 24th March at 8pm.
The webinar will run for 90 minutes and will cover the latest breeding research as well as tips and targets to help ensure a successful breeding season. The webinar will be available here on the night.
Spring Agri Promotion
Water Quality Week
| Date | Theme |
|---|---|
| Mon 22nd | Water Quality & Catchment |
| Tues 23rd | Utilising Nitrogen Inputs |
| Wed 24th | 'Breaking the pathway' of Phosphorus & Sediment loss |
| Thurs 25th | Protecting Water from Pesticide losses |
| Fri 26th | Managing your farmyard & Signpost Webinar |
Water Quality Week is brought to you by Teagasc in collaboration with Dairy Sustainability Ireland and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO).
During the week, advice and information regarding water quality and actions to help minimise losses of nutrients, sediment and pesticides to water will be shared.
The theme for each day is in the table above. You will be able to keep up with the week’s events on the Drinagh, Carbery and Teagasc social media platforms as well as the websites below.
Further information on water quality week is available on www.teagasc.ie/farmingforwaterquality, from your local co-op sustainability advisor and www.watersandcommunities.ie
Carbery Shares
The Carbery Milk Supply Share scheme requires each milk supplier to have a minimum shareholding aligned to their milk supply. All milk suppliers received information about their Carbery shares in recent weeks.
For any milk supplier that did not increase their 2020 milk supply on 2019, levels no further action is required.
Where milk supply increased in 2020:
Each supplier has the choice to purchase Carbery shares/ processing notes or may allocate any surplus shares to match their milk supply in 2020. 25 shares or processing notes are required per 1,000 litres of new milk supplied in 2020. Processing notes are valued at €1 and shares at €3.99.
| Option A | Allocate any surplus shares to cover new milk supplied in 2020 |
| Option B | Purchase shares to cover any new milk supplied in 2020 (current share price is €3.99) |
| Option C | Purchase processing notes to cover any new milk supplied in 2020 |
Suppliers may use any mix of option A, B and C in order to meet their share requirements.
The current trading window closes on March 22nd, 2021.
Suppliers with any queries should contact the Share Scheme Co-Ordinator on (023) 8822318 or Tim Regan / Darren Lynch.
Don Crowley on Milk Quality
As part of the new Carbery/ Teagasc joint programme Don Crowley is now available to call to Drinagh suppliers who are having difficulty in achieving the required standard of milk quality or who wish to improve their milk quality further.
Don is widely recognised as one of the country’s leading experts on mastitis control strategies, TBCs and thermoduric levels.
Milk quality consultations will cost approx. €250 for a half day consultation – 50% of this cost will be subsidised under the new programme.
To arrange a consultation please contact Darren Lynch or Tim Regan
REMINDERS
- Drinagh Breeding Webinar on Wednesday 24th March at 8.00pm via Zoom
- Carbery Shares Trading Window closes March 22nd 2021.