Dairy Farmer articles from August 2005

Dairy Farmer archives from August 2005

COMMENT: Boot on other foot.(dairy producer and retailer relations in pricing decisions)(Brief Article)(Column)
August 4, 2005... It's plain to see why FFA was hopping mad over Arla's pivotal pricing decision with its inevitable domino effect on other buyers. But it just goes to point up what a crazy world milk selling is with everyone vying to be the under bidder to...

FFA says it will keep up pressure on Arla.(Formers for Action, Arla Foods Ingredients A.m.b.a.)
August 4, 2005... FFA warned this week that patience was fast running out among its members as an intransigent Arla refused to budge on its controversial 0.35ppl price drop and is threatening more action in the coming weeks to get the cut rescinded. In...

Metritis cases rocket up.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... According to the National Disease Information Service, there has been an inexplicable rise in the number of cases of endometritis and metritis in the last eight weeks which could result in increased levels of infertility. "Quite why we are...

Milk Link to close Tanners.(Tanner Foods Long Life)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... In a separate development, Milk Link has announced that it is rationalising its factories, closing its Tanner Foods Long Life (UHT) facility in Sible Hedingham, Essex, and moving production to its Crediton and Kirkcudbright facilities. The...

First cut silage analysis.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Although dry matters are up slightly this year for first cut silages, crude protein is down. Analysis of the first 600 samples coming into feed specialist Frank Wright Ltd indicate some well fermented material with energy levels similar to...

DFB announces price cut.(Dairy Farmers of Britain)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Producers are patiently waiting to see if the cheese initiative will have any impact on the milk price paid by First Milk or Milk Link as both have still to confirm a milk price for Jul'05. Unfortunately, Dairy Farmers of Britain has...

Lucky winner.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Our lucky winner of the Farm Trail competition run at the Dairy Event last year was Richard Messenger of Howes Farm, Calthwaite, Penrith, who receives our top prize of the Yamaha Bruin 250 ATV. Making the presentation is DF Editor Peter...

Pye mills snapped up by Carrs.(Carrs Billington Agriculture purchases W J Pye feed mills)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Some 18 months after purchasing the compound feed business of Bibby from ABN for a reported #15m, Lancaster-based compounder W J Pye went into receivership on 15 July. Within 30 minutes the company was immediately purchased out of receivership...

COWMAN COMMENT: The French are in no big hurry to reform anything.(CAP reform)(Column)
August 4, 2005... This month our south-west correspondent John Trunch gives us an insight into how the French view CAP reform and how, at a more personal level, he's been sorely tempted by the advert to head up Natural England! Some time ago I told you that...

Cowmen comment: Why teddies have been flying out of the pram.(processing companies' relations with dairy producers)(Column)
August 4, 2005... This month our south-west correspondent Pat Bird's diary piece is tinged with sadness as the milking herd heads off to pastures anew. But despite this trauma, it has done nothing to dull her cutting edge as both the co-ops and politicians are...

COWMEN COMMENT: When a first lactation is not a first lactation.(dairy farming strategies)(Column)
August 4, 2005... This month our Scottish correspondent Donald McColm has a heifer in full milk without a calf in sight, but more fundamentally he is starting to do that job we all put off and that is to make some plans for the future. Throughout June we...

INTERVIEW: FCE will play key part in gaining competitive edge.(Gerard Keenan, feed conversion efficiency)(Interview)
August 4, 2005... With the launch of a one year rental scheme to attract producers into TMR feeding, Peter Hollinshead talks to Keenan boss Gerard Keenan about the scheme and how he sees the industry shaping up for the future. The name of Keenan is...

Potter's View: Why not let processors tender for the business?(deciding on margin prices for farmers)(Column)
August 4, 2005... This month Ian Potter raises the interesting concept of clipping the processors' wings by taking them out of the direct mix and having them tender for the business. See what you think? Good news everyone! In a diversion from selling quota I...

EU NEWS: Home-based problems.(market conditions of diary industry )
August 4, 2005... It is an old adage that economists only exit to give astronomers credibility. Cruel it may be, but a series of forecasts about the state of global dairy markets give very different views of the future. However they are all agreed that current...

EU NEWS: Milk prices under pressure.
August 4, 2005... Figures from the German price reporting agency ZMP confirm that milk prices are under pressure right across the EU. Despite record world dairy product prices in 2004, average prices in the EU 15 fell steadily to average just under 19 pence a...

EU NEWS: Brussels should be realistic.(dairy budget )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... The European Commission is coming under pressure to reverse plans to cut the dairy budget in 2006. As a result of the Fischer reforms and a calculation in Brussels that stronger global dairy markets mean there will be less need for intervention...

EU NEWS: Milk processors face boycott.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... A German led consortium of producer groups in a number of EU countries is threatening to boycott processors if milk prices fail to improve. The group, which is drawn from nine member states, is demanding an ambitious minimum milk price...

EU NEWS: Global deal looming for WTO.(World Trade Organisation)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... The world is inching towards a global deal on agriculture in the World Trade Organisation. The key is the phasing out of import tariffs which protect markets. This is a sensitive issue for the EU, but the latest proposal is to have up to five...

BREEDING: RSVP hots up pace in type merit stakes.(Kamps-Hollow Convcd RSVP cattle breed)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Just introduced to Dairy Daughters is a Convincer son set to turn up the heat in the type stakes. Following the May proof run, Dairy Daughters has added a number of new proven bulls to its established line-up. Of these the most...

BREEDING: Friesians reap benefits from latest rule change.(dairy cattle breed codes)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Earlier this year the British Friesian breeders got their first proof run under their own breed code which meant their bulls and cows were evaluated against each other rather than being lumped in with the Holsteins. The breed is enjoying a...

TOP 10 BRITISH FRIESIAN SIRES WITH TYPE INFORMATION.(Brief Article)(Illustration)
August 4, 2005... TOP 10 BRITISH FRIESIAN SIRES WITH TYPE INFORMATION Bull Milk CFP PLI Type Merit SCC Supplier Blackisle Glen Albyn 264 28.3 46 2.98 -3 Cogent Dovea Sem 283 24.6 31 ...

BUSINESS: Partnerships: splitting up can be painful affair.(farm partnership)
August 4, 2005... Like moving house, splitting up a partnership can be a pretty stressful and costly affair. Kite Consulting's John Allen gives us a few pointers from his experience of dealing with such cases. I start this article with a story of greed, of...

BUSINESS: Why the labour market has gone into meltdown.(demand for dairy workers)
August 4, 2005... If you have tried to recruit a herdsman lately you will know what a nightmare it can be to get the right person. George Gordon, managing director of LKL staff services, tells us how we can improve matters. There is one crisis that, above...

FEEDING: Meet Robert, the robot feeder.(Cormall's invention)
August 4, 2005... Last month our Yorkshire correspondent Tim Gibson said he would like to go to complete diet feeding but felt mobile mixer wagons were too expensive. As a consequence he started looking into the possibility of a static mixer which took him...

Milk prices in brief.(Westbury Dairies )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Grahams Dairies increased its price by 0.5ppl from Jun'05 taking our price to 20.9ppl, the third highest liquid price in our league after Dairy Crest - M&S and Waitrose. Westbury Dairies cuts its price by 0.2ppl from Jun'05 to 18.02ppl....

Cheese policy starts to bite.(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... For those producers lucky to be supplying the right cheese manufacturer, retail price increases on cheese (to help with the cost recovery initiative) are now starting to `slowly' filter through as milk price increases. But for many milk...

United's auction price down.(United Dairy Farmers)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... United Dairy Farmers' July milk auction sold 36mltrs (contracts starting Aug 1) for an average price of 21.01ppl, 1.25ppl down on Jul'04 (40mltrs averaged 22.26ppl) but 1.34ppl up on last month's average of 19.67ppl. Pleased to see auction...

Wiseman drops 0.25ppl to keep existing differentials.(Robert Wiseman Dairies)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Having expressed its concern over the differential in the price it pays for raw milk compared with the competition, Robert Wiseman has confirmed that it is to cut its base price to direct suppliers by 0.25ppl from Jul'05, taking our price down...

DC agrees transitional deal to producers switching contracts.(Dairy Crest Ltd.)(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Having listened to the views of the 285 members of the Heart of England Co-op (through which milk is supplied into Midlands Co-op), Dairy Crest has agreed an interim transitional arrangement to smooth the process of producers switching onto its...

Letter: How much straw can you feed to dry cows?(Letter to the Editor)
August 4, 2005... From: David Whitaker & Alastair Macrae, Dairy Herd Health & Productivity Service, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG. We have seen too many very poor results in blood samples from dry...

Adding value.(Arla Foods to launch two new milks )(Brief Article)
August 4, 2005... Backed by a multi-million pound marketing campaign, Arla Foods is about to launch two additions to its established Cravendale range... namely hint of wild strawberry and hint of vanilla. The two new milks should be available from the end of...

Letter: July issue of Dairy Farmer.(Letter to the Editor)
August 4, 2005... From: L & H Lonney, Maesylan, St Clears, Dyfed SA33 4QU. Having just received the July issue of Dairy Farmer we were disgusted to read Roger Evans' article and the second line from the end. Surely he can call it by its proper name. We don't...

Good Evans: Why the brown hare could be in for tough time.(government's agricultural support and wildlife)(Column)
August 4, 2005... This month Roger Evans feels that the exhortations of politicians to be even more efficient could cut both ways when it comes to the environment and wildlife. "At a time when margins in dairying are under severe pressure, especially where...