Dairy farmers supplying Tirlán and those supplying other processors but who purchased GAIN concentrate feed in 2024 via a trading account will see up to €30/t paid out on GAIN dairy rations bought over the first four months of next year.

The co-op’s trading bonus scheme will also pay out up to €60/t on GAIN milk replacer bought over the same period - from the beginning of January until the end of April.

The bonus will apply to total volumes of 110,000t of concentrates and 2,000t of milk replacer across the co-op, with bonuses limited to farmer buyers.

The revamped trading bonus scheme is aimed at targeting incentives towards feeding cows in spring months ahead of hitting peak solids, Tirlán chair John Murphy said.

“Data from our new milk solids tracker has highlighted the importance of adequate feeding in the spring to improve milk solids production and set herds up for good full-season performance.

“In response, we are reshaping the dairy element of the trading bonus scheme to focus on driving milk solids production through peak.”

Chief of agribusiness Ailish Byrne stated that pushing solids has the potential to improve margins at farm level.

“This reshaped dairy feed bonus is one of a number of measures aimed at helping our farmer members and customers increase their productivity,” Byrne said.

Grain and drystock bonuses

Tirlán’s grain trading bonus will offer a payment of up to €10/t for grain supplies where input purchases from the co-op are greater than €60/t in 2025.

A bonus rate of €7.50/t will be paid where input receipts for Tirlán inputs come between €50/t and €60/t, while €5/t will apply where the input cost with the co-op amounts to €40/t to €50/t in the year ahead.

The grain trading bonuses apply to both green and dried grain supplies harvested in 2025.

Tirlán members farming beef or sheep but not supplying milk will be eligible over the whole of 2025 for bonuses of €10/t for ration and €3/t for straights.

These beef and sheep bonuses will not be available to dairy farmers.