Merchants run out of clostridial vaccine

Availability issues have arisen with clostridial vaccines such as Heptavac P, mainly relating to supplies of 100ml and 250ml bottles.

Reports indicate that 50ml bottles are available in the interim until merchants take delivery of new stocks, although farmers may have to shop around to source the quantity required.

Sources involved in vaccine supply chains have indicated that production levels are on target and the delays are down to issues in distribution, which have left some merchants temporarily out of stock. The issues relating to larger volume bottles should be resolved towards the end of the next week.

Sharp rise in NI milk solids during 2023

The milk produced on NI dairy farms during 2023 averaged 4.19% butterfat and 3.32% protein, the highest values for milk solids recorded by DAERA to date.

Milk quality has consistently increased year-on-year over the last decade, but the biggest annual gains have been made within the last three years.

That reflects the shift by processors to incentivise farmers to produce higher solids milk.

Back in 2013, NI milk was at 4.01% butterfat and 3.24% protein.

Cattle forecast shows 3% increase in 2024

Cattle forecasts show a 3% increase in the number of animals currently on-farm destined for beef production in 2024.

According to data compiled by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), there were 275,074 cattle on-farm between 18 and 30 months of age at the start of the year.

That is an increase of 8,102 head when compared to the start of 2023, but a drop of 3,000 animals from the previous year.