At least 110 new dairy farmers will begin supplying milk this year as dairy expansion continues apace. Glanbia estimates that it will take on 60 new entrants in 2018, all which are start-ups with an average herd size of 75 cows.
At least 110 new dairy farmers will begin supplying milk this year as dairy expansion continues apace.
Glanbia estimates that it will take on 60 new entrants in 2018, all which are start-ups with an average herd size of 75 cows.
Lakeland anticipates taking on 30 new suppliers, after welcoming over 100 new entrants over the past three years.
Most of the other co-ops said that they expect to take on five new milk suppliers this year. Kerry said it has taken on 38 since quotas went in 2015.
Expansion
At the same time, existing dairy herds have expanded and a survey of Dairygold suppliers revealed that their milk supply is expected to increase by 16% between 2018 and 2022.
However, the co-op does not expect major changes to supplier numbers. Dairygold milk volumes in 2017 exceeded the 1.3bn litre mark.
Irish dairy output increased by 13% to 6.34bn litres in 2015 as quotas ended, growing to 6.65bn litres in 2016 and figures from 2017 are likely to exceed 7bn litres.
The drive in milk volumes has also had an effect on the number of new milking machines being installed.
“Sales are up over 30% on last year,” a salesman for Dairymaster said.
“The standard of plants being installed is changing. Farmers are looking to increase efficiency and thereby increase profits.”
It is not yet clear how many of the 398,000 dairy heifers born in 2016 will calve down this year. But there were 1.43m dairy cows in the June 2017 livestock census, up 2.5% on 2016.
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