With all milk processors reporting lower butterfat and protein percentages for January milk, that is reflected in the milk quality figures shown in Table 1, which are used to calculate our leagues for 1m-litre suppliers.

For December 2024, average prices were calculated at 4.36% butterfat and 3.39% protein, compared to 4.30% and 3.35% for the current month.

Lower milk qualities, combined with the fact no processor increased their base starting prices, mean all prices paid are down.

As shown in Table B, across average quality milk, Tirlán remains out in front, ahead of Lakeland in second. Dale Farm is up from fifth to third, while Leprino has slipped from third to the bottom of the table.

It is a similar picture for high-solids milk, with the A+B-C payment model now used by both Tirlán and Lakeland, acting to reward producers with good butterfat and protein, thereby extending the gap to third-placed Dale Farm.

However, for low solids milk, Dale Farm has moved ahead of Lakeland. Leprino led this analysis for low-solids milk in December, but has dropped from first to last.

Rolling 12 months

In terms of average prices paid over the last 12 months to 1m-litre suppliers, the big mover is Aurivo. As shown in Table C, for average solids it has jumped from fourth to second, mainly due to a 13th payment of 0.4p/l on all litres in 2024.

Lakeland remains in third, but it is now ahead of Dale Farm, which has dropped from second to fourth. Across both high and average solids, there is very little to separate all three co-ops.