Arrabawn Co-op, followed closely in second place by Lakeland Dairies, continues to lead the way on milk price.

In third place on the September milk league is Kerry Group which paid a 2c/l bonus on September milk supply in line with contractual commitments with suppliers.

These three make up division one for September.

Division two is led by Aurivo and Tirlán with Dairygold further back, paying 0.6c/kg MS (milk solids) less or 0.5c/l in old money, at €7.62/kg MS.

That means there is a difference of 0.2c/kg MS between Arrabawn Co-op at the top on €7.82 and Dairygold Co-op at the tail end of division two at €7.62 or about 1.5c/l in old money.

This difference is eating into the Dairygold year-to-date cumulative lead where now Aurivo and Arrabawn have gone ahead of Dairygold in the cumulative column showing the payout year to date.

Dairygold Co-op has been leading this column since March as it pays a February and March early-calving bonus that gives it an early season boost.

The other movers this month were Centenary Thurles, which followed Tirlán’s price increase and North Cork Co-op, which lifted to bring it into division two.

The west Cork co-ops all held milk price for September leaving them shy of €7.60/kg MS or less than 54c/l base milk price, meaning it is over 2c/l off the top that Arrabawn pays at 56.2c/l. For the average September milk cheque at national average milk solids, that’s almost €1,000 of a difference.

Tipperary Co-op and Boherbue, the small North Cork co-op, bring up the rear of the September milk league.

Average milk price for September is €7.64/kg MS or 54.5c/l excluding VAT.

The combined fat and protein percentages went from 7.73% in August to 8.27% in September, helping to keep price boosted as base price held.