Milk production falls again

MILK PRODUCERS delivered 1.204bn litres of milk to dairies in April, the weakest start to the milk year since 2001.

Compared with the Charles Holt/FARMERS WEEKLY butterfat-adjusted profile, the UK fell 31.6m litres behind quota in the month.

It is an almost identical start to the last milk year, according to Charles Holt, and contrast sharply with March’s raised production.

“It just shows how much effect the weather has on our milk, and as we know, the weather has been cold, wet and windy.

“However, a dry week now could see some reasonable silage made, but as it has been cold, sugars won’t be too high so it won’t be ‘rocket fuel’.”

Jonathan Smith of BK National Quota Exchange said his clients had reported cows were not milking as well as hoped.

“We all assumed that April would see very strong production because farmers were accelerating after falling so far below quota last year.

“The industry is perhaps looking for a more even rate of production, avoiding the spring flush after pressure from milk buyers.”