Dairy Updat: Price rises filter through

Some of the milk price rises promised after retail prices increased are at last starting to filter through, even if this is still slower and at a lower rate than it should.

This will relieve some pressure on the financial front short term and credit must go to those who have worked hard to secure this increase.

Yet, for many, it will not reduce the need to increase milk sales from the farm to secure a profitable future. While just increasing yield a cow may be an option, often an expansion will require more cows.

But to expand this way some producers may have to consider using the space they have available at home just for milking cows. One option, featured in this Update, is forming a milking platform and sending dry cows or heifers away.

There is also the option of contract heifer rearing, which is solving labour problems in the north west, as this Update reports. An alternative also featured is running a flying herd. While this may not suit everyones objective, it does offer a number of advantages.

 Whatever expansion is being planned there is always the dilemma of whether to increase numbers rapidly, in one year, or gradually over several years. Both have pros and cons, as we reveal in this Update.