Dairy Farmer articles from April 2004

Dairy Farmer archives from April 2004

COMMENT: Export of dairying?(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Imagine the scenario with dairy cows stacked up in Northern Ireland and not one to be seen grazing the Somerset Levels. Impossible? Well that's the inescapable upshot of pitching the Province's advantageous historical-plus hand against our...

Defra starts looking at ring fencing quota.(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)(Agricultural Development and Advisory Service)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... In a surprise move DEFRA has commissioned ADAS to investigate what industry support there would be for ring-fencing milk quota in England. This would prevent large volumes of quota moving to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland when the area...

Plea made for three regions.(common agricultural policy)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), National Farmers' Union, Tenant Farmers' Association, National Sheep Association and National Trust, have written to Margaret Beckett suggesting England should be divided into three regions for...

Outbreak of brucellosis.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Defra imposed precautionary movement restrictions on eight livestock holdings in Cornwall last week following an outbreak of brucellosis in a beef suckler herd there. Tests triggered by unexplained abortions showed six animals in the...

Regional MTR divide takes on new twist.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The disparity between England and the devolved regions following the MTR announcement looks like taking a new turn. One of the three devolved regions is already admitting it will have to come away from the historic aspect of the mid-term...

Hayleys herd for sale.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... One of the country's most respected breeders, Peter Padfield, has announced his retirement from dairying and the complete dispersal of his elite Hayleys Holstein herd later this year. Peter has been one of the great pioneers of North American...

Milk records merger on ice.(Holstein UK )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Holstein UK and NMR's plans to integrate their milk recording services have been scuppered by the OFT's decision to refer the proposed merger to the Competition Commission. The merger, which would have seen a single milk recording service...

Quota on knife edge.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The final UK quota position still hangs in the balance and could well be decided on the amount of temporary transfers between wholesale and direct supply. "The final position on butterfat and quota is just too close to call and it is unlikely...

Milk vouchers open to abuse.(Dairy Industry Association Ltd)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Fears are growing that replacement of milk tokens with weekly vouchers will open the gates to them being used to purchase alcohol and tobacco. The Dairy Industry Association Ltd (DIAL) fears that Welfare Foods Scheme users will lose the...

Cowmen comment: Just sacrificial lambs on altar of free trade.
April 1, 2004... The headlong rush to global free trade is the root cause of our dairying problems, believes Scottish cowman Donald McColm, who concedes that after all the French may have got the right idea. The swings and roundabouts of dairy farming seem...

Cowmen comment: Well kept secrets of a holiday landlady!
April 1, 2004... In addition to dealing with the continually unfolding and somewhat perturbing milk politics of the south west, Pat Bird gives us a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the holiday landlady. Different magazines carry different advice for...

Cowmen comment: Disgust as details of reform rules emerge.
April 1, 2004... This month John Trunch can't help himself when it comes to his reaction to the reform package, and thinks the fallen stock scheme is little better. Read on... When I got up this morning I found that the back door wasn't locked. Someone had...

INTERVIEW: How will MTR affect tenants?(Central Association of Agricultural Valuers)(Interview)
April 1, 2004... The MTR is destined to have a profound impact on tenancies and grass lets for the coming seasons as entitlements are attributed to those in occupancy. Peter Hollinshead talks to Jeremy Moody, secretary at the Central Association of Agricultural...

EU NEWS: MTR might be forced into an early reform!
April 1, 2004... There can be no glossing over the fact that English dairy farmers got a bad deal over decoupling - but there is a growing view in Brussels that long before England reaches 100% area payments it will be all change again for the CAP. This will...

EU NEWS: Stark choice as milk price set to crash.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The head of the Dutch dairy giant Campina has told dairy farmers and processors they have a stark choice - get big or get out of the industry. Speaking at the Agra Europe Outlook Conference, Martien van den Hoeven said that, with EU dairy...

EU NEWS: No threat from EU enlargement.(European Union)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Farm commissioner Franz Fischler has dismissed fears in the EU 15 that farmers from Eastern Europe will force them out of the market after enlargement. Speaking at a food conference in Spain, he said that far from this happening enlargement...

EU NEWS: Irish retain cheques as superlevy looms.(European Union)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... With the UK's final quota position still in the balance, two of Europe's leading milk producers are on course for big superlevy bills but, with production falling, France will almost certainly escape. Ireland and Germany have both seen milk...

POTTER'S VIEW: Making the best of a botched job!(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs )
April 1, 2004... As producers get down to the implications of the MTR, will we see quota disappearing out of England like there's no tomorrow or will Defra step in with some form of ring fencing? Find out how Ian Potter sees it going... I've always told...

Flagship bull for Viking Genetics.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... High udder health and milk quality are the main selling points for V Eaton, the top-rated Danish sire in the UK rankings. Eaton heads the proven sire line up for new Danish semen distributors Viking Genetics based in Ayrshire. The bull...

High milk sires at Alta.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Alta has returned two new high milk, high type sires to its proven line- up, targeted primarily at the liquid milk producers. Ranked in the Top 10 on TPI in the US, Latuch Rolex is a Ricecrest Marty son out of a Bellwood dam. The bull is...

Windows opening at Semex line-up.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Following the February proof run Semex has begun importing semen from high ranking Canadian sire La Presentation Windows. Sired by Ladys Manor Winchester from a Combination Supersires dam, this bull combines a high milk, lower components...

Laudan already in demand.(bull breeding)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Top German sire of sons, Lukas, has produced yet another high flying proven bull in the shape of Supersires' new release, Laudan. Currently ranked number two in Germany behind Lancelot, another Lukas son, Laudan is already attracting interest...

High-flying Kite.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Genus is targeting the show-type breeder market with its new, red carrier, sire Markwell Kite. His dam is one of America's best known show cows, Stookey Elm Park Blackrose EX96, and his sire Donnandale Skychief is responsible for a string of...

Who most deserves the title Dairy Farmer of the Future 2004?
April 1, 2004... The Dairy Farmer of the Future Competition sets out to recognise those exceptional young individuals who are determined to make a successful career in dairy farming. Applicants have to demonstrate outstanding technical competence coupled with...

ANIMAL HEALTH: Checklist to avoid turnout problems.
April 1, 2004... Following one of the shortest housing periods in recent years, many cows have already been turned out to grass. Vet Jonathan Reader of the Kingfisher Veterinary practice, Somerset, looks at some of the problems associated with turnout. ...

Animal health: Role of keratin in battle over white line disease.
April 1, 2004... White line disease accounts for around 20% of all cases of lameness and can be a major problem in high yielding, cubicle housed herds. Angela Rhodes finds out how biotin supplementation offers protection against this. The national...

ANIMAL HEALTH: Be on your guard against lepto bug.(Leptospirosis )
April 1, 2004... Leptospirosis is a major cause of fertility problems in dairy cattle, yet latest figures show that over 70% of unvaccinated herds have been exposed to infection. With turnout being the peak time for leptospira transmission, Angela Rhodes finds...

ANIMAL HEALTH: Time for bold rethink on the mastitis front.
April 1, 2004... The massive strides taken in reducing cell counts over recent years look to have come to an end and levels appear to be increasing again. Peter Hollinshead reports on why there is need for a radical rethink on mastitis control. Milk...

ANIMAL HEALTH: How buffer feeding can help boost herd fertility.
April 1, 2004... Introducing a buffer feed will not only prove to be cost effective in bringing a further improvement to milk yield, quality and subsequent income, but improve condition and fertility, argues Dugdale Nutrition's veterinary consultant Richard...

Threat from tyre wire.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Veterinary Laboratories Agency vets continue to identify cases of `tyre wire disease' in dairy herds. Cows fed such contaminated silage can swallow the wire fragments which may then penetrate the stomach wall and cause peritonitis and other...

ANIMAL HEALTH: Bovine TB and the badger: questions answered.(Interview)
April 1, 2004... The relentless spread of bovine TB throughout the country is confirmed by Defra's own predictions of a 20% year-on-year increase which means a doubling of restricted herds in 4+ years. Defra's newly launched consultation document suggests...

ANIMAL HEALTH: Surprising benefits of worming milking herd.
April 1, 2004... The routine worming of youngstock is a well established practice, but how many dairy units would consider worming their in-milk animals? Angela Rhodes finds out how an annual worming dose for the dairy herd could boost yields and feed intakes....

Test out your judging skills in DF's very own All-Britain.(Dairy Farmer)
April 1, 2004... This is a special judging challenge open to all our Dairy Farmer readers where you can win a stupendous #1000 worth of Eprinex. Don't miss out on testing your cattle judging skills. Think you have an eye for a good show animal? Then pit...

Glanbia offers 1p for signing ML contracts.(Glanbia Dairies)(Milk Link)
April 1, 2004... With Milk Link contracts despatched in early March, as an incentive for members to sign by April 1, Glanbia is offering its direct suppliers a penny a litre bonus on all milk supplied for the three-month period April to the end of June 2004....

DC keeps up the pressure.(Dairy Crest Ltd.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Dairy Crest appears determined to keep up the pressure on direct suppliers who have not signed the company's new direct supply contract, launched last October. Confirming the 0.86ppl supplement (cut 0.2ppl from December 2003) paid on the...

Suppliers in Stilton talks.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Direct suppliers to Glanbia's Tuxford and Tebbutt Stilton facility should come out well in a new deal. With milk produced in the three counties of Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire only eligible for Stilton manufacture, Tuxford and...

Retail initiative on slide.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Glanbia's price now appears to be on the slide working towards the Milk Link producer price. The company's retail initiative was reduced by a further 0.17ppl to 0.705ppl for February supplies, taking its total reduction to 0.32ppl since the...

Golden Vale offers bonus.(Golden Vale PLC)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Golden Vale has increased its direct supply milk price from January 2004 by 0.2ppl, 0.1ppl via increased constituent payments with an additional 0.1ppl added to the existing 0.4ppl top bonus band for Bactoscans of 50,000/ml or less. The...

In brief: Dairy Crest Producers Association restructuring.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * Leaders of the nine separate milk groups of the Dairy Crest Producers Association (which excludes the Selkley Vale Group), representing 1400 members supplying 1.4bn litres/yr of milk direct to Dairy Crest, have agreed to a restructuring of...

Morrisons foray into organic.(organic yogurts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Morrisons is following the other major retailers by launching its own range of branded organic yogurts. To appear in store later this month, the Morrisons organic yogurts will join its own label organic butter and milk. Copyright: CMP...

All the taste with less fat.(liquid milk category)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Robert Wiseman Dairies has brought a new product to the market with less fat but all the taste of semi-skimmed milk. Called `The One', to reflect its 1% fat content, the new product cannot be referred to as milk as, legally, there are only...

Semi-skimmed adds 16% in ten years.(milk purchasing statistics)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Semi-skimmed milk at 1.7% fat now represents 56.9% of milk purchased, compared with 40.9% 10 years ago. The increased share comes mainly from the whole milk sector - 27.1% of milk bought is whole (3.9% fat), compared with 45.7% a decade ago. In...

Yogurt leads way forward.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A recently published Euro-monitor report suggests that further development in health-orientated and functional products will be the key driver for dairy in the coming years. Whilst milk and cheese remain staples of diet in most parts of the...

Spain set for buttering up!(Dale Farm Ingredients)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A low fat butter produced by Northern Ireland company, Dale Farm Ingredients, has been voted `numero uno' by consumers in Spain. Mantequilla Ligera, which Dale Farm Ingredients manufactures and packages in NI on behalf of Corporacion...

Fat tax squashed by Govt.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Government, much to the relief of the dairy industry, immediately squashed the document leaked to The Times recommending a tax on food with fat. Generated by its Think Tank on obesity, the document included whole milk, cheese and butter as...

GOOD EVANS: Australia-bound on prison ship?
April 1, 2004... We are all inclined to forgive the minor transgressions of our intrepid hero as harmless enough experiences, but what has he done to warrant deportation? Wife beating? Late calf registration? Taking the dairy inspector a walk on the slurry...

Fear UK will be hardest hit.(European Commission has no plans to strengthen cross compliance rules)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... The European Commission has confirmed that it has no plans to strengthen cross compliance rules beyond those already put in place - but it has underlined that member states remain in the driving seat over the details and any plans they may have...

Setting one against other.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Here we go again. With the predictability of the first buds of spring we are starting to get the early mutterings of another price squeeze. First to be lobbed into the mix as a front-running softener is the oft cited weakening euro. Well,...

Milk Link under attack for market share tactics.
April 21, 2004... Farmers for Action leader David Handley has branded Milk Link's current tactics to undercut its competitors and gain cheese market share as short sighted and potentially disastrous for the industry. Mr Handley has called for a clear...

Simmental loyal to end.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... A young Simmental bull, Barnaby, has emulated the loyalty of the celebrated Greyfriars Bobby by staging a vigil at the graveside of German farmer Alfred Gruenemeyer. The bull took the loss of his owner so badly that he escaped from his field...

Arla job cuts.(Arla Foods is cutting 310 jobs)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Arla has announced that it is cutting 310 jobs as part of the process of integrating Express Dairies. The job losses are the result of closure of its dairy at Bamber Bridge in July and its bottling plant at Hatfield Peveral, Essex, next month....

QMA short lists to nine.(nine were shortlisted for Quality Milk Awards semifinals)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... As the Quality Milk Award gets up a head of steam, the judges have shortlisted the following nine semi-finalists. Chris & Liz Best, Poole Farm, Leighterton, Glos; JF Cobb & Sons, North Ground Dairy, West Chaldon, Dorset; Bill Cuthbert,...

Wiseman in warning over milk prices.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Direct suppliers to Robert Wiseman Dairies have been warned to brace themselves for a drop in milk price. Lower demand for bulk cream and a weakening of the euro, as well as falling commodity prices and implementation of CAP reforms are all...

Polish answer to labour shortage.
April 21, 2004... Midlands agricultural employment agency Titania Staffing Solutions has begun recruiting college and university trained workers in Poland to fill vacant positions on UK dairy units. The agency, set up by arable farmers John and Louise Davison...

Alfalfa could have role in fertility.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Researchers at the University of Edinburgh's Langhill Farm are evaluating the potential of pelleted alfalfa leaf extract to boost fertility and improve milk yields. The project is the first of a series sponsored by Lanarkshire ruminant feed...

Northern Ireland looks set to be hit by NVZ.(Nitrate Vulnerable Zone; dairy farming)(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Dairy farmers in Northern Ireland could now be hit by regulations to impose tough new nitrate restrictions. With two major lakes - Lough Neagh and Lough Erne - both suffering from nitrate and phosphate pollution from farm sources, the...

ACC to go on market?(Co-op plans to sell its milk processing plant ACC Milk )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Speculation is rife that the Co-op group is pulling out of milk processing and has put its manufacturing arm ACC Milk up for sale. ACC Milk has eight creameries and 60 distribution centres, and procures, processes and packages almost a billion...

Cowmen comment: Even the Dutch find the going is getting tough.
April 21, 2004... Darker days loom for Dutch producers as milk price and legislation conspire to put pressure on high cost, intensive systems. Producer Jan Van Weperen farms in partnership with his brother Klaas, milking 450 pedigree Holsteins on 250ha near...

Cowmen comment: MTR predicted to halve dairy farmers in France.
April 21, 2004... Dairying in France remains the preserve of the family farm but the pressure is on to become more efficient to survive life after MTR. Jean- Yves Eon, who runs a herd of 70 Holsteins in east Brittany with his wife Maryvonne, predicts that...

Cowmen comment: Why spring milk is way forward for me.
April 21, 2004... After a lot of careful thought Carlisle producer Robert Craig has plumped for spring milk production, despite warnings that it is spring milk that is unbalancing the supply chain. Read on. Hello my name is Robert Craig. I farm with my...

Calf rearing: Making colostrum count.
April 21, 2004... Getting dairy heifers off to a flying start holds the key to cutting replacement rates and rearing costs, as Angela Rhodes found out at the Nottingham University/Provimi heifer rearing conference. Most calf rearers are well aware of the...

Calf rearing: Lighter heifers pay the bills.
April 21, 2004... Rearing dairy heifers to calve at heavier weights is a waste of time and money, ARINI research scientist Alistair Carson told the conference. Rearing trials carried out in Northern Ireland at Hillsborough and followed up on-farm have shown that...

Calf rearing: Calf starter holds key to rumen development.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Delaying the introduction of calf starter feeds holds up rumen development and may mean missing the chance to cut costs by weaning early. According to Dr Judd Heinrich from Penn State University, many US rearers hold off introducing calf...

Calf rearing: Match feed instructions to potential growth rates.(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Calf milk replacer manufacturers need to move away from a `one size fits all' approach and start matching feeding instructions to calf size and potential growth rates. Cornell University researcher Mike van Amburgh says the current approach of...

Calf rearing: Getting calves in the groove.
April 21, 2004... Getting calves "in the mood" for feeding is a vitally important part of a good calf rearing routine, according to cattle vet Roger Blowey. "The importance of achieving good oesophageal groove closure to prevent milk entering the rumen in...

Grazing and liveweight targets for dairy heifers.(data)(Illustration)
April 21, 2004... Grazing and liveweight targets for dairy heifers Age Target liveweight Sward surface height (cm) (months) gain (kg/day) Early Late season ...

Fast track rearing trial.(Trouw Nutrition has started a major research project )(Brief Article)
April 21, 2004... Calf milk replacer manufacturer Trouw Nutrition has started a major research project which will look at the economic benefits of accelerated rearing programmes under UK conditions. "Although we know that high pre-weaning growth rates are...

Keep a hand on the reins if you decide on the contracting route.
April 21, 2004... With producers just starting to find their way round the MTR and its implications, it is likely that some producers will no longer want to farm their land themselves yet don't want to lose occupancy status. Kite Consulting's Helen Evans spells...

Machinery: Self-propelled mowers that gobble up grass.
April 21, 2004... If you are looking to cut 9m of grass in a single pass, then just a few years ago the Krone Big M self-propelled mower was the only option. Today large farms and contractors, many of which operate 200hp+ tractors, are spoilt for choice with an...

Machinery: Single pass stretches to 14m.(Claas Cougar mower)
April 21, 2004... Towards the end of last year, Claas stunned the grassland world when it unveiled a massive self-propelled machine capable of cutting 14m in a single pass. Called the Claas Cougar, and aimed at contractors cutting 2000 to 2600 hectares a...

Machinery: Pivot mowers for tight turns.(farm equipment)
April 21, 2004... Judging by the number of new models, trailed centre pivot mowers could attract more interest this season. Allowing the mower to be hydraulically switched from left or right hand operation, the technique means a field can be mowed from one end...

Machinery: Tedders with the big reach.
April 21, 2004... According to Ryan Jackson of Krone's marketing department, there are two important criteria with tedders - rotor diameter and forward speed. "The smaller the rotor diameter the better the quality of grass collection and spreading," he...

Machinery: Automatic moisture monitor in chute.(Automatic crop moisture monitoring system )
April 21, 2004... Some 25 to 30% of the additives applied to grass silage by self- propelled forage harvesters are unnecessary. That is the view of Richard Snell from the Profitable Farming Company who says when applied at a full rate treatment, and with an...

Good Evans: Bit of ding-dong at the abattoir.
April 21, 2004... What with some allegedly dirty Charolais sparking off what shall we say "frank discussion" with the abattoir vet and a dairy heifer that wouldn't get up our intrepid hero has had his hands full. And that's before the copulating peacocks. What...