New costings out
New costings out
DAIRY farmers must keep closer tabs on inputs, outputs and margins if they are to survive in this era of lower milk prices.
So said Derek Gardner of Axient, launching the firms upgraded Milkminder costings service.
Over half the 20,000-plus dairy businesses in England and Wales still use no costings, he said. And many of those that do, rely on non-independent packages linked to a sales pitch.
"Theres often a bigger difference between the milk price of farmers supplying the same buyer than between those supplying different ones," he said. Above 4p/litre, in some cases. Farmers must, therefore, look more at milk constituents and quality.
The new Milkminder, available over the next few months, will incorporate more information, including analysis of margin changes, milk yield and quality reports.
League tables will provide comparisons between farms. The charge will stay at £14 a month.
Obtaining more milk from the cheap option of grazed grass is also a central plank of the new Milkminder. As Mr Gardner says: "The cow is, after all, a self-propelled forage harvester and dung cart."