May milk set to break 1bn-litre threshold

Irish dairy cows are on track to produce over 1bn litres of milk in May as processors reach peak processing capacity.

For most processors, calendar week 19 or 20 – this week or next – is peak supply, when every litre of processing capacity is needed.

Milk collections are well ahead of the same week last year, with most processors suggesting weekly supplies are up 10%.

This means May milk supply is likely to comfortably exceed the 1bn litre mark.

In May of last year, 995m litres of milk were collected.

Expansion

In the south and east of the country where the majority of the dairy herd expansion has taken place, milk collections are running at capacity.

Currently, 220 lorries of milk per day are being collected on Dairygold farms, while weekly volumes processed at peak is likely to hit 44m litres.

April supply

Meanwhile, April milk supplies finished up over 15% for most processors, the Irish Farmers Journal monthly survey of milk supplies shows.

For farmers, this means there was an increase in milk cheques of €36m

It means April supplies were up over 100m litres on the same month last year, with the April 2019 milk supply figure hitting 940m. Better weather, more cows and higher yields are driving volumes. In April 2018, supply was back 6% on the previous year due to inclement weather.

For farmers, this means there was an increase in milk cheques of €36m. Both Glanbia and Arrabawn reported April supply to be up 19% on April 2018, similar to Dairygold. Aurivo and Kerry collections were up 15% year-on-year.

The northern supply profile has changed with the merger of LacPatrick and Lakeland, but again supplies are up over 15% compared with last year in Lakeland.

Read more

Greenfield Farm: May protein remains high

Aurivo edged out by west Corks