Protecting Milk Quality and Income in the Summer Months

Monday 18th May 2009

The days when the herd could be left much to their own devices during the longer days of the year are few and far between. Many farmers in the south west now fine tune their feeds all through the year to ensure a good daily balance of nutrients and supplements. At a time of the year when milk prices are traditionally lower, this becomes even more important in order to keep producing milk of the quality required by the terms of each individual milk supply contract.

Cell counts, which are a good indicator of overall animal health, require extra special attention at this time of the year. The cell counts peak in the summer months partly due to the increase in temperature and flies and subsequent risk of infection, and also through the herd being inevitably caught out occasionally in poor weather and having to suffer the consequences of wet under foot conditions.

“Most farmers are aware of the target count but it can often be difficult to attain,” says Cornwall Farmers Technical Manager, Dr Robin Hawkey. “Any upwards movement can have a dramatic effect on milk price so it is good practice as well as good economic sense at this time of year to assess the herd’s cell count level and make changes accordingly.”

Cornwall Farmers provide a whole range of preventative services to help reduce cell counts, from barrier treatments that prevent infection and cross-contamination, to nutritional supplements which help boost a cow’s own immune system through the introduction of an increase of Vitamin E and selenium. These supplements are available in a variety of products that best suit each farmer’s needs, including compound cakes, minerals, yeast-based products, buckets, licks and feed blends.

Another factor relating to milk price in the summer months is butterfat levels. Summer grass can be high in sugar and protein, but low in fibre which can lead to low butterfat and potentially other problems such as acidosis and imbalanced rumen digestion. “While some farms use a modified winter feed in the summer, it is always more beneficial to the herd to use a specialist summer feed that has been balanced specifically for summer grazing,” says Dr Hawkey. “These will get the digestive conditions correct in terms of starches, sugars and fibre, which can really help keep butterfat levels up and, ultimately, the milk price. Here at Cornwall Farmers we have the experience and product range to address butterfat issues to ensure the continuing good health of the herd and its ability to generate earnings by achieving the required targets for milk production whatever the supply contract.

A third factor which plays an important role in maintaining price is the general cleanliness of the milk production operation, and this is an area where south west farmers have excelled for many years. To help farmers continue to maintain these standards Cornwall Farmers has a wide range of cleaning sprays and specific treatments, from Ecolab, that can eradicate any current problems.

To discuss these issues and for further information from Cornwall Farmers, contact Dr Robin Hawkey on 07770 816581; Tom Mann on 07901 854477 or Andy Hawken on 07901 854463.