Milk supply issues

Shoppers are still reporting a problem getting milk in many areas yet as an industry we are dumping milk!!

Some of you will be facing very serious issues where certain milk buyers supplying the food service sectors have lost almost all of their demand and we hope this remains a very temporary issue. Some others have been asked to cut back milk production slightly.

It is important that you do not change herd management that will cause any long term problems, i.e., reduce feed input. If you reduce feed to all the herd now that will have quite a quick effect on fertility and whilst it will drop the milk now, it also drops it for the rest of that cow’s lactation and the milk may be wanted again by June or July as national production starts to enter its autumn dip. The safest route is dry off any cows that would be going dry in the next 6 weeks now. Also, take out barreners that would have gone in the next 2-3 months now, cull price will be under pressure (still averaged £1.00/kg liveweight at Sedgemoor last Saturday) but at this time of year its is an option to dry them off and run them outside for a while, they could put on weight as well.

If you do have to dump milk and spread it on land you should get a waste disposal exemption certificate. There is no charge for this and you can apply online at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/waste-exemption-u10-spreading-waste-to-benefit-agricultural-land

Final thought - be grateful that you are still outside in our beautiful countryside, most city dwellers are far worse off.