Kategorie: News

In Luxembourg in the recording year 2019/2020 average milk production per cow was 8908 kilogram with 4.15 percent fat and 3.45 percent protein. This is 449 kilogram milk more than in the previous year.

In Belgium hundreds of dairy farmers have offered to supply milk to the Holland headquartered private dairy Royal A-ware after this has bought the milk powder towers in Aalter (Belgium) from the Holland headquartered dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina.

In Holland in 2020 dairies refused 74 times to receive milk from a farm. This was 40 percent less than in 2019. Milk was refuesed because the farm or the milk did not reach the requested health of quality standards.

In Holland in 2020 the dairy industry excreted 289.9 million kilogram nitrogen which was 3.6 percent more than in 2019. This was mainly caused by the increased number of cows (+1.1%), increased milk production (+0.9%) the feeding of more higher nitrogen content grass and concentrated feed.

The Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina set in 2010 a target that in 2020 the greenhouse gas emissions would not exceed those of 2010. The cooperative of more than 17000 member dairy farmers and the company have realized this target. Its total reported greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were lower than in 2010, while its production volume grew by 13.6 percent in that period.

The Holland headquartered dairy cooperative Royal FrieslandCampina has to deal with a 2020 profit that declined 71.6 percent to 79 million euro. This was primarily due to the significantly lower operating profit. As a result of the lower profit, member dairy farmers will not receive a supplementary cash payment for 2020 and no member bonds will be issued. The interim payment made in September 2020, of 0.11 euro excluding VAT, per 100 kilograms of milk will be settled with members in 2021. RFC will change its top management structure. The Executive Board, currently composed of the CEO and CFO, will be increased with the president Food & Beverage and the chief People Officer. This restructure will also result in fewer management layers.

In England, the two private dairies Freshways Dairy, based in Acton, and Medina Dairy, based in Windsor are discussing the possibility of a merger. Combined the two have a milk intake of about 500 million and 600 million litres annual.

Scotland had in January 2021 a number of 843 dairy herds with an average size of 209 cows. Total number of dairy cows was 176334. In the 12 months from August 2019 until August 2020 Scottish milk production was 1.51 billion (10*9) litres. Of this volume 41 percent is used for drinking milk and 38 percent is used for making cheese. Five major dairies account for 94 percent of the milk collection.

Ireland had on June 30, 2020 a number of 1570180 dairy cows. To compare, in 2015 Ireland had 1320336 cows and in 2011 Ireland had 1144826 cows.

In Ireland the second biggest dairy cooperative Aurivo offers its members an incentive of five euro per cow when they are in Aurivo’s milk recording program or will join that this year.

In Northern Ireland in 2020 dairy farms delivered 2446.41 million litres milk which was 2.4 percent more than in 2019 and a new record. To compare: in 2005 Northern Irish dairy farms delivered 1866 million litres milk according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

A Danish study of the universities or Arhus and Copenhagen shows that cow of which the hoofs have been trimmed four weeks before the expected calving date have a 2.4 percent higher change on an abortion than cows of which the hoofs have been trimmed eight weeks before the expected calving date.

In Sweden in 2020 the total volume of milk delivered to dairies was 2772700 tonnes, which was 2.5 percent more than in 2019. Of this volume was 481200 tonnes or 17 percent organic milk. The delivery of organic milk in 2020 was 4 percent bigger than in 2019.

In Finland from the beginning of 2021, all 4300 member dairy farms of the biggest dairy cooperative Valio commit to Valio’s sustainability criteria. Every dairy farm supplying milk to Valio is now paid a sustainability bonus of two cents per litre. In order to receive the bonus, the farm must practice preventive animal healthcare and systematic monitoring of animal welfare. Since 2018 Valio has paid a sustainability bonus to those dairy farms committed to taking voluntary actions to improve animal welfare. The sustainability programme requires farms to take measures to improve the welfare of cows beyond what is required by the Animal Welfare Act. A veterinarian makes a healthcare visit to the farm at least once a year to assess the animal welfare and practices at the farm, and to set goals for the farm for the upcoming year. The goals and corrective measures are recorded in Naseva, the Centralised Health Care Register for Finnish Cattle Herds. Other requirements for receiving the sustainability bonus include regular hoof treatment, and the use of anaesthetics, sedation and pain relief during disbudding, i.e. the removal of a calf’s horn buds. The sustainability criteria also require that any new barns built at the dairy farm must be freestall barns, which allow the cows to move about freely. Valio’s focus will be on increasing grazing and year-round outdoor activity of cows. Currently, grazing of one or more animal groups occurs at some 70 per cent of the farms. Also Valio will continue efforts to reduce climate emissions from milk production with many farm-specific measures, like carbon farming and biogas production from cattle manure.

In Finland the Denmark headquartered dairy cooperative Arla has calculated the carbon footprint of all Finnish dairy farms delivering milk to Arla in Finland. According to Climate Check calculations on farms, the average carbon footprint of farms is 1.03 kilogram CO2 equivalent per kilogram milk. It is below the Finnish average of 2019, which according to Natural Resources Institut Finland is 1.10 kg CO2 equivalent. It is also well below the global average of 2.5 kg CO2 equivalent per kilogram milk. Arlas goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy farms with 30 percent by 2025. Arla Finland has 447 member dairy farms producing 217 million litres of milk per year.

In Finland from December 2019 to December 2020 the volume of exports of dairy products increased 13 percent while the volume of imports increased 3 percent.

The European Dairy Association EDA has asked the new American president Biden to lift the import duties on European dairy products. The USA Trump government started with extra import duties on EU dairy products because of the EU gives subsidies to Airbus.

In Europe in 2022 organic dairy farmers will face new regulations. Among others the convert period for land will be extended to two years. Starting 2023 70 percent instead of the current 60 percent of the feed has to have a ‘regional’ origin. However: the whole EU is seen as regional. For milk powder and milk replacers it is no longer allowed that they contain chemical compositions or vegetable compositions. Buying regular cattle to add to the herd is only allowed when there is no organic cattle available. This has to be proven by a database. Only for individual animals for specific individual reasons a permit is possible to dehorn.

In Germany in January 2021 compared to December 2020 the raw material or compound value of milk at farm decreased 0.4 eurocent to 31.3 eurocent per kilogram milk with 4.0 percent fat and 3.4 percent protein (exclusive VAT). This is 4.9 eurocent less than in the same month last year.
The highest future price of milk for the next 18 months on the Kieler Börsenmilchwert European Energy Exchange is the price for July 2022 at 35.5 eurocent. The lowest future price is the price for May 2021 at 34.0 eurocent.

In Germany in 2020 was 83 percent of the cattle (mainly dairy cattle) housed in free walking barns. This was 8 percent more than ten years earlier. Ten percent of the cattle was housed in tightened barns. Of this farms 52 percent gave their cattle entrance to pasture.