Dairy Farmer articles from June 2004

Dairy Farmer archives from June 2004

COMMENT: With friends like that.(dairy industry)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... First we had the learned US doctor extolling the virtues of dairy in slimming diets. Then we were blessed with heart-throb Orlando Bloom strutting his stuff before millions. Now we have the Government scrutinising children's diets with MEP Dr...

Breakthrough BSE heart test gives early warning.(test detects bovine spongiform encephalopathy and other prion diseases)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Medical researchers at Manchester Royal Infirmary have developed a new non-invasive test to detect early signs of infectious prion diseases like human variant CJD and BSE in cattle. The test measures irregularities in the intervals between...

Soya milk promotion meets angry reaction.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... The fiasco of advertising a free carton of soya off the back of an ordinary carton of semi-skimmed milk met with an angry response this week from the industry. The cartons, which were supplied by Dairy Crest to Sainsburys stores, carried a...

Best buys in protein.(protein market)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... You will need to watch the protein market closely if you are to get a good forward price for the autumn, warns Ian Pickles from KW Alternative Feeds. Soya prices have been high following a poorer-than-predicted Brazilian soya harvest and...

Sainsburys to launch `non-GM' milk range.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Sainsburys flatly denied this week that their announcement to introduce a milk from cows not fed any GM rations was brought about by the recent Greenpeace action. Within the last month Greenpeace has been protesting at Sainsbury's stores...

No trace of GM getting into milk.(genetically modified feed crops)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Greenpeace has been criticised as unrealistic for attempting to persuade UK dairy farmers to opt for guaranteed GM free feeds, in the expectation that supermarkets and consumers would be prepared to pay a premium. A suggestion that the UK...

No justification for slashing milk price.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Criticism is growing that milk prices in the UK are out of step with the European dairy market. In the face of a buoyant market, producer prices are under pressure, with buyers apparently seeking to condition farmers for a falling market...

Genus puts rule over Supersires.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Hot on the heels of the CR Delta's decision to pull out of the UK, French AI distributor Sersia has decided to cut its losses and has announced its intention to sell Supersires to Genus. As the international marketing division for two of...

Cowmen comment: Why can't we adopt Irish culling policy?
June 23, 2004... With TB rampaging through the south-west, John Trunch believes Defra is not facing up to its wider responsibilities and should be reported to the RSPCA. Presently I am suffering from a double dose of `deja-vu'. Forty-five years ago, which...

Cowmen comment: Uncle's aim was simply a balanced wildlife.
June 23, 2004... Don't pick on our Pat! This month our south-west correspondent Pat Bird has come under attack in the national press but as always she is more than capable of holding her corner and coming out fighting. Read on.... My job was to carry the...

Cowmen comment: We must hang together or we'll hang separately.
June 23, 2004... As we prepare to enter the brave new post-MTR world, Donald McColm fears that unless producers stick together those militant ones complaining of low prices could so easily be picked off. The cows went out to graze by day in mid-March and...

Interview: Jim Begg: balance of power along supply chain.(Dairy Industry Association Limited)(Interview)
June 23, 2004... Many producers view the processors' representative organisation, the Dairy Industry Association Limited, as nothing short of the enemy. David Matthews questions director general Jim Begg about how he sees relationships and his predictions for...

EU NEWS: EC raising the stakes over export subsidies.(European Commission)
June 23, 2004... The European Commission surprised most observers when it offered to eliminate export subsidies. Richard Wright investigates why this puts Europe's dairy farmers in the firing line of the World Trade Organisation. Is the EU offer serious?...

EU NEWS: Poland gears up mozzarella production.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Arla Foods has moved quickly to take advantage of EU enlargement, with plans to expand sales from its mozzarella cheese operation in Poland. The company is investing a further #2m in the Polish facility, from which it will eventually...

EU NEWS: Germans claim direct action works.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... German dairy farmers are claiming that direct action against discount retailers has paved the way for a recovery of prices. Farmers had reacted angrily to plans by discount stores to cut the price they pay for milk by 10 per cent. Farm...

EU NEWS: Italian football club left insolvent.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Italy has suffered another humiliation as a result of the collapse of the Parmalat dairy empire. The local Parma football club, which was owned by the company and was one of Italy's star clubs, has been declared insolvent with debts of more...

Letter: Uncle Billy makes a stand.(Letter to the Editor)
June 23, 2004... From: S R Spencer, Bentley Fields Farm, Alkmonton, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. I write in sympathy with Uncle Bill Izod as recounted by Paul Higgins in Dairy Farmer (May). Uncle Billy was right! Is it not about time that the - in the main -...

Letter: Up in smoke!(Letter to the Editor)
June 23, 2004... From: Dr Mike Kelly, Building Design, Knockendale Cottage, Symington, Ayrshire KA1 5PN. WHILST I enjoyed reading the results from the National Calf Pneumonia Survey, I was rather alarmed by Alistair Macpherson's quick and easy way of...

Letter: Let down?(Letter to the Editor)
June 23, 2004... From: Mr Robert Lammie, Stranraer, Scotland. I WONDERED if you or your readers could help. I have a well bred heifer which won't let her milk down. It is now 70 long days since calving and still she needs 0.3ml of oxytocin each milking. Her...

POTTER'S VIEW: It takes more than a bit of believing.
June 23, 2004... Little wonder this month Ian Potter is flabbergasted following the discovery of Sainsburys' milk cartons promoting soya milk on a free trial basis. Talk about shooting ourselves in the foot. Now, seemingly, some in the industry are...

BOVINE TB: No reactors for ten years after clearance!
June 23, 2004... Not daunted, Shadow Agriculture spokesman Owen Paterson MP (and others) tabled the following Parliamentary Questions in their efforts to understand why Defra is preparing to spend #2bn by 2013 not controlling bTB. (For the sake of brevity...

BREEDING: Cogent high fliers grounded by CVM.
June 23, 2004... The latest Holstein sire proofs throw the spotlight on UK progeny testing with Cogent losing out again to CVM while Genus and Alta have plenty to shout about on the type rankings. Angela Rhodes reports. UK breeding company Cogent is being...

Table 1. Top 20 sires ranked on #PLI.( \)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Table 1. Top 20 sires ranked on #PLI (Source MDC Evaluations, May 2004) Milk CFP SCC PLI Type Supplier (kg) (kg) Merit *Dekker Eext Promise 365 65.1...

BREEDING: US promise.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... BREEDER interest has prompted Alta to take a flier on two new low reliability sires from the US. Kick-It-Up Activist is an early CVM free son of Wa Del Convincer out of a Bellwood cow from the same family that produced Robthom Integrity...

Top 10 sires ranked on Type Merit.
June 23, 2004... Table 2. Top 10 sires ranked on Type Merit (Source Holstein UK, May 2004) Bull #PLI Udder Feet/ Type Supplier Legs Merit Weeton Jackson 42 3.79 3.17 3.91...

BREEDING: Jackson No 1 - it's official.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Having spent the last few proof runs as the unofficial number one bull for type, UK bred and proven sire Weeton Jackson has made it on to Holstein UK's rankings to knock Silky Gibson off the top spot. Jackson was bred and progeny tested by...

BREEDING: What can you get for less than #20?
June 23, 2004... All variable costs are under scrutiny at the minute and none more so than the annual semen bill. With this in mind, Angela Rhodes takes a look at the pick of the bulls available for under #20 and finds that cheap doesn't have to be nasty. ...

BREEDING: Robust approach to modern breeding.
June 23, 2004... The need to breed robust dairy cows capable of maintaining high levels of productivity at minimum cost over long and trouble-free lives has never been greater. Holstein UK's Research and Development manager Lucy Andrews explains how a new...

BREEDING: Coping with impact of a narrow genetic base.
June 23, 2004... The widespread use of elite bloodlines means inbreeding is becoming a big problem for the majority of Holstein populations, including the UK. Angela Rhodes finds out more from ABS Global geneticist Dr Denny Funk about the potential hazards and...

MILK PRICES: Major changes to the milk table from April.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Probably the most noticeable change to our milk price league table this month, which highlights Apr'04 milk prices, is that around 20 prices have been dropped from the ranks compared with last month. These include all the former milk prices...

MILK PRICES: Dairy Crest to reduce liquid price by 0.33ppl.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Dairy Crest is to cut its direct supply milk price on liquid contracts by 0.33ppl from Jun'04. However, prices for milk on manufacturing contracts will remain unchanged following previous cuts of 0.5ppl from Apr'04 and 0.2ppl from May'04....

Cheese reversal.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... The only cheese manufacturer to increase its direct supply (and co-op) milk price by a full 2ppl last autumn, Caledonian Cheese, has cut its Apr'04 milk price by 0.8ppl, taking our price for them down to 19.15ppl. Copyright: CMP...

Milk price cut: Longslow Dairies.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Longslow Dairies, Colwyn Bay, has cut its base milk price by 1ppl to 18ppl for a minimum 3.6%b/f from Apr'04, taking our price for them to 18.3ppl, exactly the same price paid for Apr'03. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Milk price cut: Westbury Dairies.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Westbury Dairies cut its milk price by 0.45ppl from Apr'04. New constituent payments of 1.862p per % b/f and 3.066p per % protein take our price for them down to 17.77ppl. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Milk price cut: Glanbia.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Those suppliers choosing to remain on the old Glanbia supply contracts, excluding Tuxfford and Tebbutt suppliers, have been notified the price will be cut 0.75ppl from May'04. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

MILK PRICES: Arla Foods goes for new liquid contract.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Arla Foods has opted for a more liquid style to its new supply contract, rather than stick with the compositional style of the former Express Dairies contract. From Apr'04 the company paid a base price of 17.25ppl for a 3.7% b/f and 3% protein...

MILK PRICES: Milk Link looks for conversion to EODC.(price scheme for milk producers)
June 23, 2004... Milk Link has sent out a clear message to encourage producers on EDC to switch across to EODC. The old standard adjustment charge of #11.50 per day, with a #5.50 per day bonus for EODC, has been replaced by a flat #15 per collection charge. A...

MARKETING: Royal showing for Dairy Chain.(Milk Development Council at the Royal Show)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... This year the Royal Show, 4-7 July, is staging its first livestock food chain exhibition. Sponsored by the Milk Development Council, more than 40 dairy-related organisations will take part to bring milk production and its health benefits to the...

MARKETING: Nell looks for cheesiest grin.(dairy advocate Nell McAndrew)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... The British Cheese Board (BCB) is jumping on the health bandwagon by launching its latest campaign in National Smile Week run by the British Dental Foundation. Parents are invited to send in photographs of their `beaming' children. With the...

MARKETING: Funds put milk under starter's orders.(Dairy Council product development)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... The MDC has invested #218,000 in a project with Loughborough University to investigate opportunities for a milk-based drink in sports nutrition. Managed by the Dairy Council's nutrition manager, Dr Michelle McKinley, the project will run...

MARKETING: Special milk classes set for Great Yorkshire show.(regional Cheese and Dairy Show)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Liquid milk and low fat dairy product classes are new to the Cheese and Dairy Show held during the Great Yorkshire Show, Harrogate on July13- 15. This is the third year of the regional Cheese and Dairy Show, sponsored by Wm Morrison...

MARKETING: A pukka GM demonstration.(demonstrations against genetically modified cattle feed)(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Scooter looks familiar? Face looks familiar? This Jamie Oliver lookalike and 60 Greenpeace activists dressed as cows paraded outside Sainsbury's London HQ protesting against the sale of milk from cows fed on GM rations. The protest is part...

MARKETING: Dairy products and dieting.(Brief Article)
June 23, 2004... Leading calcium expert Dr Michael Zemel, from the University of Tennessee, has just published his latest research findings showing that including dairy products as part of a dietary regime helped in weight loss. From a group of 32 adults, those...

GOOD EVANS: Is this a dagger I see before me?
June 23, 2004... This month our intrepid hero finds himself inescapably provoked into what can only be described as a cold blooded stabbing... but no coup de grace, we hastily add, for the dairy inspector, vehicle licensing officer, tree pruner, footpath warden...