Kategorie: News

Austria had ultimo 2021 a number of 23868 milk supplying dairy farms. This was 777 farms or three percent less than in 2020. Ten years ago Austria had still 36460 milk supplying farms 12592 or 35 percent more than ultimo 2021.

In Austria the dairy cooperatives SalzburgMilch GmbH and Gmundner Molkerei have started negotiations about a possible cooperation. A possible merger would make the new dairy the second largest milk processor in Austria.

In Germany in February compared to January 2022 the raw material or compound value of milk at farm increased 2.0 eurocent to 56.3 eurocent per kilogram milk with 4.0 percent fat and 3.4 percent protein (exclusive VAT). This is 23.4 eurocent more than in the same month one year before. The highest future price of milk for the next 18 months on the Kieler Börsenmilchwert European Energy Exchange is the price for May 2022 at 63.7 eurocent. The lowest future price is the price for September 2023 at 57.8 eurocent.

In Germany the southern state Bavaria has increased the subvention for converting tied barns to a loose house housing system for cows from 30 to 40 percent of the investment.

The Germany headquartered European Energy Exchange (EEX) that offers among others trading in agricultural futures has agreed a strategic partnership with New Zealand’s dairy cooperative Fonterra and New Zealand’s Exchange (NZX) to each take one third ownership stakes in Global Dairy Trade (GDT).

A German start-up company is no longer allowed to use the made-up word „Milck“ to advertise its alternative milk products made from hemp seeds. The advertising is anti-competitive and violates the protection of designations for dairy products in the EU, according to a court.

In the Belgian northern part Flanders, the main dairy part of Belgium, dairy farmers can get a subsidy from the government when they feed methane reducing feed.

Belgian dairy farms must reduce their ammonia emissions by 24 percent by 2030. Half of the effort should be achieved by early 2026. Farms with high emissions close to vulnerable nature areas can be obliged to stop farming and can be bought out by the government.

In Holland, research by Wageningen University & Research shows that the volume of methane that cows produce when digesting grass silage is determined by the proportion of cell walls or NDF (neutral detergent fibre). The more NDF the higher the emission. With maize silages also the starch content is important. The less starch the lower the emission.

The Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina lost on January 1, 2022 a number of 239 member dairy farms that went to another dairy, milk buyer or milk processor. Together they accounted for 272 million kilogram of milk supply on annual base. In 2021 RFC’s total intake of milk decreased 3.2 percent to less than 10 billion (10*9) kilogram.

Holland exported in 2021 a number of 5150 pregnant dairy heifers to Russia and 650 to Ukraine.

The Holland headquartered Royal DSM, has got approval from the European Union to commercialize its methane-reducing feed additive for ruminants Bovaer. According to DSM just a quarter teaspoon of the 3-nitrooxypropanol containing Bovaer per cow per day suppresses the enzyme that triggers methane production in a cow’s rumen and consistently reduces enteric methane emission by approximately 30 percent for dairy cows and even higher percentages (up to 90%) for beef cows.

In Holland in 2021 the average farmers milk price of goat milk was 69.50 euro per 100 kilogram, about the same as in the year before.

In the United Kingdom there are enormous growth opportunities for dairy, according to a report of Kite Consulting. Given the UK’s strong track record in animal welfare and traceability, and its activity to reduce carbon emissions across dairy production and processing, and when the processing sector innovates, UK farmers have access to growth markets. This also because of UK milk prices and milk returns have become low compared to world market prices, particularly in the liquid sector. UK dairy processors can improve their returns by accessing growing global markets, which was not an option in the past. This introduces a new dynamic in the dairy industry, particularly in the liquid sector, where the price differential is greatest. If UK retailers want to secure long-term liquid milk supply from supply chain partners that are committed to fulfilling their decarbonisation objectives, then they need to act to ensure that they are providing a fair market return. Otherwise it seems unlikely that liquid milk as a retail loss-leader in the UK will remain viable, according to Kite.

In the United Kingdom the private dairy Müller and the retailer Waitrose are testing the use of clear caps on milk bottles instead of coloured caps. This because clear caps are more easy to recycle.

The biggest Irish dairy cooperative Glanbia has participated in research of which the outcome shows that lactoferrin in cow milk in the laboratory inhibits covid infections. Lactoferrin blocks the ability of a virus to penetrate target cells. In addition lactoferrin stimulates the defense mechanism of the cell.

In Ireland, practical research done by Teagasc shows that night time calving of cows can be reduced by feeding the cows less during day but more at the afternoon and night.

Norway imported in 2021 a volume of 17400 tons of cheese which was more than ten percent more than in 2020.

Several European dairies stop their activities in Russia because of the Ukraine war. Finland’s largest dairy cooperative Valio stops all its business in Russia. Valio has one cheese factory near Moscow and contract manufacturing partners and sales offices in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Valio employs about 400 people in Russia. The Denmark headquartered dairy cooperative Arla has initiated preparations to suspend its business in Russia. This will cover both its local operations and imports, which were much reduced by the embargo put in place in 2014.

In Switzerland dairy farms delivered in 2021 a volume of 3.41 million tonnes milk to dairies. Adjusted to the 2020 leap day this was 0.6 percent more than in 2020.