Dairy Farmer articles from January 2007

Dairy Farmer archives from January 2007

COMMENT: Corn and horn.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Up corn... that was the upbeat essence of the NFU president's New Year message where he outlined the better prospects for arable in the coming year. Generating part of his optimism is the growing interest in climate change culminating in...

Producers stump up for scrutiny of plans for Cumbrian cheese.
January 25, 2007... Last month talks between Partners in Cheese - the company striving to build a new cheese plant in Cumbria - and Dairy Crest's Aspatria suppliers were called off. Then, in what some described as an extraordinary move, ASDA stepped in before...

Cross compliance starts to bite?(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Will 2007 spell the beginning of the end for dairy farming systems that never house their cows? Perhaps not, but certainly the pressure is likely to be increasingly felt with Defra's new rules for Cross Compliance now including animal...

McCoist grows milk moustache.(Ally McCoist)(Scottish Dairy Marketing Company's `The White Stuff Milk Moustache' campaign)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Former Rangers and Scotland international striker Ally McCoist is the latest celebrity to add his support to the successful Scottish Dairy Marketing Company's `The White Stuff Milk Moustache' campaign. Ally joined Dani Harmer (who plays...

Hartington receives full support.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Dairy Crest has confirmed that its new Hartington milk supply contract for milk supplied into its Derbyshire-based Stilton facility - to existing direct suppliers on liquid contracts last August - has received 100% support with all 60 (approx)...

Concrete cows may be only ones.
January 25, 2007... The pre-Christmas culmination of the NFU's milk invoicing campaign was set against the backdrop of the concrete cows at Milton Keynes under the line "will these be the only cows left in the UK", and probably ranks as the NFU's most inspired...

IBR survey results revealed.(Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis )(Survey)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... New survey results revealed that 72% of milk samples tested show evidence of either exposure to or active infection by the IBR virus in cows. Although many farmers taking part in the Intervet survey would have suspected they had an IBR problem...

ML moves to complete deal.
January 25, 2007... Milk Link used to own the bulk of the Cheese Company - now it owns it all. That's because it has now purchased Glanbia's 25% minority shareholding for #47.2m. The move paves the way for Milk Link members to get a share of the profits...

Boyns moves to the top of MDC.
January 25, 2007... Ken Boyns - the present head of the MDC's economics department - has been promoted to chief executive of the organisation following the departure of Kevin Bellamy to head-up the Global Dairy Platform in Chicago.Commenting on his appointment Mr...

Cowman comment: Should I put heifers out on contract and expand cows?
January 25, 2007... This month Tim Gibson has just finished his surprisingly good crop of Typhon and is now wondering whether to offload the heifer-rearing enterprise to someone else. Well we're into the new year - the big question now is will it be more...

It's OK for RPA to be late but no such luck with my passports.(United Kingdom Rural Payments Agency)
January 25, 2007... The rpa can be a couple of years late with its payments, says Sally Leaney, but if you are a couple of days late with your calf passports then the whole rulebook gets thrown at you. It's a new year and a new start but what of last year -...

Cowman comment: How my new feeding regime gave me quite a shock.
January 25, 2007... Apart from his new feeding regime to improve herd efficiency, Paul Higgins has started a flying flock which looks to have all the ingredients for sending Defra into a Biggles-like spin. We have started a new feeding regime here which has...

Interview: Combination breakthrough claimed to crack pneumonia.(dialogue with Peter Hollinshead )(Interview)
January 25, 2007... Animal health company Schering-Plough has just launched a new pneumonia medicine which is claimed to be a breakthrough in treating the disease. Peter Hollinshead talks to UK general manager David Hallas about the benefits of the new product....

Potter's View: Suddenly when you thought it was dead it's running again.
January 25, 2007... The seeming about-turn on the Cumbrian cheese plant has brought the whole project back into play but, as Ian Potter tells us, if the proposal is to get off the ground producers will soon have to be writing their first cheques to proceed. ...

EU News: Time for some joined up thinking on quota transition problems.(European Union )
January 25, 2007... European Union farm commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, has made clear her intention that milk quotas will end in 2015. Richard Wright considers whether she really means it - and what roadmap the Commission has for that brave new world. In...

Lack of united stance.(dairy prices )(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... One of the problems in this debate is that the dairy industry has not yet established a common position. Different member states have different views of what is important. Countries dependent on export refunds and intervention, such as Ireland,...

Breeding: Danes helped by cattle records.
January 25, 2007... The continued international interest in crossbreeding, prompted in part by the ongoing trials in California, has meant a growing demand for Scandinavian Red genetics. Up to now the main interest has been in Swedish and Norwegian Red bulls but...

Three new bulls from Alta stable.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Alta has added three new bulls to its line up since the proof run in November. Alta Hatley is a high milk and type son of Mara-Thon BW Marshall offering almost 850kg milk and a Type Merit of +1.8. With a maternal sire line of Manfred, Bell...

Semen World's line up.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Semen World has released one new bull this time round in the shape of Canadian proven Regancrest Redesign. For the past few years US co-op Select Sires has been testing up to 40 bulls a year in Canada and Redesign is probably the most high...

Breeding: Need for greater emphasis on health and fertility traits.
January 25, 2007... The Canadian Livestock Genetics Association (CLGA) hosted its inaugural conference in Ottawa in the fall with the objective of addressing issues within the dairy genetics industry. Bruce Jobson reports. Selection for production has a...

Breeding: Linking functional type to longevity.
January 25, 2007... The challenge facing the breeding industry is to demonstrate a clearer link between type and longevity to give fuller meaning to classification programmes. The past decade has seen a dramatic shift in the use of classification as a herd...

Breeding: Progeny testing.(Marker Assisted Selection)(Monsanto Animal Genomics and Breeding program)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... The number of young bulls entering progeny testing programmes could be dramatically reduced with the use of Marker Assisted Selection (MAS). According to Program Director for the Monsanto Animal Genomics and Breeding program, Dr Michael...

Machinery: Simpler Multifarmer.(Merlo UK)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... The high-capacity integrated rear linkage/PTO fitted to Merlo's Multifarmer telehandler might have proved popular but the company reckons there is a market for a smaller, less complex machine to support the current integrated rear linkage...

Machinery: Agile Scorpions.
January 25, 2007... Anyone who has followed recent Claas developments will be aware that the German concern now sources its telehandlers from Kramer. Known as the Scorpion range, there are four models - the 6030 (3t/6.25m), 7030 (3.2t/7.1m), 6040 (3.6t/6.25m) and...

Machinery: First for Landini.(Tele Tractor Handler introduced by Landini S.p.A.)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... First seen in prototype form at the 2005 Italian EIMA show, Landini says that its very first telehandler is now ready for sale and will go into production from March. Called the Tele Tractor Handler (TTH), in addition to a rear linkage, the...

Machinery: New transmission.(Dieci)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... An increasing number of telehandler operators prefer a powershift operation when it comes to pulling trailers on the road. That is the view of Dieci which used the Italian EIMA show to reveal that in addition to the tried and trusted...

Machinery: Compact from faresin.
January 25, 2007... Compact telehandlers are all the rage and manufacturers seem to be involved in a competition to see who can come up with versions that are able to access even the narrowest of buildings. Take Faresin Handlers, for example, which has just...

Machinery: Bobcat updates.(Dana Corp.)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Updates to a number of Bobcat's agricultural telehandlers include new Dana axles with an integrated self-levelling of the frame. In addition, cab improvements to aid visibility and reduce noise levels are included. The updates apply to the 2.5...

Machinery: Low profile cab.(Deutz AG introduces new lift trucks)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... The Deutz-Fahr Agrovector line-up for 2007 includes a new low profile version. Called the 26.6LP, it shares the same specification as the standard 26.6, and features a lower cab height of just 1.99m. This compares to the height to the top...

Machinery: Striking colour.
January 25, 2007... Anyone looking to give their next new telehandler a slightly different look might like to know that this striking livery is available as an option on Weidemann's T5625 CX 80 version. Powered by a 76hp engine, and offering a maximum lifting...

Organic: Will a 5ppl organic premium be enough to balance books?
January 25, 2007... To investigate the profitability of organic milk production, Newcastle University has just set up a comparative trial with their conventional herd. Jennifer MacKenzie has the details. The university's Holstein herd has now been divided into...

Recycling: Silage tyres: you will need to register now.
January 25, 2007... Many routine practices involving farm waste - from using tyres on silage clamps to having a bonfire of wood waste and hedge trimmings - may no longer be practised without an exemption. And the deadline for registering exemptions is fast...

Letter: NIS is great fibre source.(Letter to the editor)
January 25, 2007... From: David Cubitt, Sundown Products Ltd, Station Road, Tilbrook, Huntingdon PE28 0JY. In his article in your December issue, Ian Pickles comments on the 'best buys' for supplying fibre yet fails to mention Nutritionally Improved Straw....

Letter: Bowland shows way ahead to better deal for producer.(Letter to the editor)
January 25, 2007... From: Phil Christopher, Red Rock Publicity Ltd, Suite 123, York House, Shrewsbury SY1 1HN. On Monday evening of this week I realised that I had been looking at the milk price issue through the wrong end of the telescope. I was imagining a...

Milk prices: Paynes off to better start.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Milk price analyst Stephen Bradley comments on the latest milk industry developments. Direct suppliers to Charlie Payne's Paynes Farms Dairies, Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, have two reasons to celebrate on milk prices entering the New Year....

Milk prices: Auction price holds steady.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... After achieving an average auction price of 19.86ppl in Nov'06 - the first auction of 2006 to beat the previous year and by 0.47ppl - United's Dec'06 auction just managed to hold on to the previous year, with 44mltrs averaging 18.82ppl...

Milk prices: Caledonian backdates adjustment.(Caledonian Cheese Co.)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Caledonain Cheese, Stranraer - part of the Lactalis Group - has confirmed it is to backdate a 0.56ppl price adjustment to its direct supply milk price from Aug'06, when the company reduced the price by 0.75ppl. However, the company...

Milk prices: November `06 price changes.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... With our milk price league this month highlighting milk prices paid in Dec'06 for Nov'06 milk supplies, two price changes not previously mentioned on our pages include Watson's Dairies, Hampshire, increasing the butterfat element of its direct...

Workshop tips: Ratchet strap will make good headrail for cubicles.
January 25, 2007... Mike Donovan is a respected machinery columnist who will be giving us some useful tips on building or modifying our own farm equipment. Look around and just take notice of how the `virtual' world is taking over from the real. Realism is...

Good Evans: Broken ankle means swap around on jobs.
January 25, 2007... This month Roger Evans finds himself busier than ever as our scraperman extraordinaire is suddenly pressed into action to fulfil a whole host of other duties left vacant by his hobbling son. Sand is the thing. Those of us at the cutting...