Arla

early riser

Member
Location
Up North
We’ve been on the 360 for nearly 3years, and honestly thinking of abandoning it. Getting sick of having to meet targets based on percentages and averages, be it age at first calving, cow or calf mortality, bactoscan etc with no tolerance for pure bad luck or an understanding of how averages work and how you reach an average!
We’ve had a recent run of bad luck with calvings, and on a sub 100 cow herd you soon rack up the mortality %age into the non conformance box. It’s seems wrong that when I pull or find a dead calf which is bad enough… my first thought is FFS arla are going to be at me for this😕

My latest rant is at Map of Ag… we’re required to send a photo of mobility scoring sheet, but we’ve also to fill in the boxes with the details from the because they can’t be arsed to open the attached photo and get the info themselves😡

The 360 requirements now are miles away from what we signed up to 3 yrs ago with no ‘cost compensation’ the extra work involved and they always throw more at us to do. Yes it maybe seems a small extra bit of form filling at the time, but it all adds up to taking more time than you realise.

New this month is everyone has to take a 3hr online Human Resources Training course with a test to pass afterwards. As a family farm we don’t employ anyone, so why would we do that?

Since we joined, the extra work from the initial form filling includes
Entering extra Monthly records for
Milk fever cases
Held placentas
LDA’s
Downer cows
Dairy feed usage
Dairy blend
Rearer feed
Weaning feed
Milk replacer
6 way breakdown of calf medical treatments
Cull cow declaration

We also have to submit proof of johnes, bvd testing etc
Gone from Annual to quarterly mobility scoring
gone from Johnes 30 cow screen to whole herd testing.
now we have this Human Resources course to contend with.

And don’t get me started on all the medicines we can’t use….

Where do I sign…..😂

What is the cull cow declaration please?
 
Location
Cheshire
I’m surprised at a producer owned organisation getting involved with map of ag. It’s all down to “vets’ know best” and it’s “in your best financial interest to do it this way, we wouldn’t do it otherwise” .

It really becomes a never ending nightmare standards escalator, what does your vet say, I bet they disagree?
 

ColinV6

Member
We’ve been on the 360 for nearly 3years, and honestly thinking of abandoning it. Getting sick of having to meet targets based on percentages and averages, be it age at first calving, cow or calf mortality, bactoscan etc with no tolerance for pure bad luck or an understanding of how averages work and how you reach an average!
We’ve had a recent run of bad luck with calvings, and on a sub 100 cow herd you soon rack up the mortality %age into the non conformance box. It’s seems wrong that when I pull or find a dead calf which is bad enough… my first thought is FFS arla are going to be at me for this😕

My latest rant is at Map of Ag… we’re required to send a photo of mobility scoring sheet, but we’ve also to fill in the boxes with the details from the because they can’t be arsed to open the attached photo and get the info themselves😡

The 360 requirements now are miles away from what we signed up to 3 yrs ago with no ‘cost compensation’ the extra work involved and they always throw more at us to do. Yes it maybe seems a small extra bit of form filling at the time, but it all adds up to taking more time than you realise.

New this month is everyone has to take a 3hr online Human Resources Training course with a test to pass afterwards. As a family farm we don’t employ anyone, so why would we do that?

Since we joined, the extra work from the initial form filling includes
Entering extra Monthly records for
Milk fever cases
Held placentas
LDA’s
Downer cows
Dairy feed usage
Dairy blend
Rearer feed
Weaning feed
Milk replacer
6 way breakdown of calf medical treatments
Cull cow declaration

We also have to submit proof of johnes, bvd testing etc
Gone from Annual to quarterly mobility scoring
gone from Johnes 30 cow screen to whole herd testing.
now we have this Human Resources course to contend with.

And don’t get me started on all the medicines we can’t use….

Where do I sign…..😂

Stuff that!!!
 

Sid

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
South Molton
We’ve been on the 360 for nearly 3years, and honestly thinking of abandoning it. Getting sick of having to meet targets based on percentages and averages, be it age at first calving, cow or calf mortality, bactoscan etc with no tolerance for pure bad luck or an understanding of how averages work and how you reach an average!
We’ve had a recent run of bad luck with calvings, and on a sub 100 cow herd you soon rack up the mortality %age into the non conformance box. It’s seems wrong that when I pull or find a dead calf which is bad enough… my first thought is FFS arla are going to be at me for this😕

My latest rant is at Map of Ag… we’re required to send a photo of mobility scoring sheet, but we’ve also to fill in the boxes with the details from the because they can’t be arsed to open the attached photo and get the info themselves😡

The 360 requirements now are miles away from what we signed up to 3 yrs ago with no ‘cost compensation’ the extra work involved and they always throw more at us to do. Yes it maybe seems a small extra bit of form filling at the time, but it all adds up to taking more time than you realise.

New this month is everyone has to take a 3hr online Human Resources Training course with a test to pass afterwards. As a family farm we don’t employ anyone, so why would we do that?

Since we joined, the extra work from the initial form filling includes
Entering extra Monthly records for
Milk fever cases
Held placentas
LDA’s
Downer cows
Dairy feed usage
Dairy blend
Rearer feed
Weaning feed
Milk replacer
6 way breakdown of calf medical treatments
Cull cow declaration

We also have to submit proof of johnes, bvd testing etc
Gone from Annual to quarterly mobility scoring
gone from Johnes 30 cow screen to whole herd testing.
now we have this Human Resources course to contend with.

And don’t get me started on all the medicines we can’t use….

Where do I sign…..😂
I don't think any "rate" going above average is an issue as long as you can pin point the reason why. Isn't that the whole point of recording these ?

If you don't record you can't monitor and change.

Take AB use. If I don't use any for a recording period and then I treat 2 cows.

Does that mean a fail? If it does then should I have not treated them at all? No of course not. But it gives me data to investigate and find when and possibly where the issue is.

Using the data to be constructive is key.
 

easy farming

Member
Livestock Farmer
What is the cull cow declaration please?
There is a list of things about selling cull cows, abattoirs must conform to some standards and you must have a declaration, cows must go straight to slaughter not through an auction, travelling times etc the list is in the 360 document. We never joined 360 from the old Morrison's because of cull cows, our local auction is less than ten minutes away and we were not allowed to sell our culls there.
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
There is a list of things about selling cull cows, abattoirs must conform to some standards and you must have a declaration, cows must go straight to slaughter not through an auction, travelling times etc the list is in the 360 document. We never joined 360 from the old Morrison's because of cull cows, our local auction is less than ten minutes away and we were not allowed to sell our culls there.
Slippery slope when your milk buyer starts dictating how you must farm! I know they are all at it!
 
Slippery slope when your milk buyer starts dictating how you must farm! I know they are all at it!

It wouldn't be so bad if the fudgeers paid a premium for all these added Ps and Qs. If this was adding uon2,3 or 4 pence to a litre it wouldn't be so bad.

A lot of the dairy boys are already adhering to some stuff rules, must make you spit to have a ded rektor inspektor turn up when their role is totally redundant.
 

early riser

Member
Location
Up North
There is a list of things about selling cull cows, abattoirs must conform to some standards and you must have a declaration, cows must go straight to slaughter not through an auction, travelling times etc the list is in the 360 document. We never joined 360 from the old Morrison's because of cull cows, our local auction is less than ten minutes away and we were not allowed to sell our culls there.

Hmmmm they somehow chose to omit that from their presentation………
 

jerseycowsman

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
cornwall
We’ve been on the 360 for nearly 3years, and honestly thinking of abandoning it. Getting sick of having to meet targets based on percentages and averages, be it age at first calving, cow or calf mortality, bactoscan etc with no tolerance for pure bad luck or an understanding of how averages work and how you reach an average!
We’ve had a recent run of bad luck with calvings, and on a sub 100 cow herd you soon rack up the mortality %age into the non conformance box. It’s seems wrong that when I pull or find a dead calf which is bad enough… my first thought is FFS arla are going to be at me for this😕

My latest rant is at Map of Ag… we’re required to send a photo of mobility scoring sheet, but we’ve also to fill in the boxes with the details from the because they can’t be arsed to open the attached photo and get the info themselves😡

The 360 requirements now are miles away from what we signed up to 3 yrs ago with no ‘cost compensation’ the extra work involved and they always throw more at us to do. Yes it maybe seems a small extra bit of form filling at the time, but it all adds up to taking more time than you realise.

New this month is everyone has to take a 3hr online Human Resources Training course with a test to pass afterwards. As a family farm we don’t employ anyone, so why would we do that?

Since we joined, the extra work from the initial form filling includes
Entering extra Monthly records for
Milk fever cases
Held placentas
LDA’s
Downer cows
Dairy feed usage
Dairy blend
Rearer feed
Weaning feed
Milk replacer
6 way breakdown of calf medical treatments
Cull cow declaration

We also have to submit proof of johnes, bvd testing etc
Gone from Annual to quarterly mobility scoring
gone from Johnes 30 cow screen to whole herd testing.
now we have this Human Resources course to contend with.

And don’t get me started on all the medicines we can’t use….

Where do I sign…..😂
Bloody pen pushers!
Tell them to shove it, I would not tolerate interference in my business like that! I never realised it was so bloody intrusive.
it’s bad enough that defra etc treat us like peasants who need to be told what to do, let alone the milk buyer that we own treating us like it!
 

TheRanger

Member
Location
SW Scotland
There is a list of things about selling cull cows, abattoirs must conform to some standards and you must have a declaration, cows must go straight to slaughter not through an auction, travelling times etc the list is in the 360 document. We never joined 360 from the old Morrison's because of cull cows, our local auction is less than ten minutes away and we were not allowed to sell our culls there.
Last time I sent culls to auction they ended up getting slaughtered 2 days later in Kent. Didn't sit well with me, so I can see where ARLA are coming from.
 

rusty

Member
Those who were invited to join the scheme and joined the webinar would have seen that the driver behind this is branded sales growth. In very rough terms 1/3 of the milk is sold under a brand but it provides 2/3rds of the profits. Arla are constantly trying to move milk into the branded sector as this is what is driving their milk price. Arla 360 is part of this process to help drive the price for all Arla members. The scheme will suit some farms more than others and the payment is ’cost compensation’ for the extra hoops you have to jump through. Some may decide those costs don’t stack up for them but should be aware that those who do take it up are helping to drive branded sales which helps the Arla base price over and above any cost compensation payment they receive.
 

bar718

Member
So people who buy branded arla milk. Best of both? Or is that bread?
Anyway, these customers have expressed concern at where the cows are slaughtered too?
Sounds more like supermarkets trying to finish cattle markets so they can do to beef what they have done to pigs.
360 is a package of standards overall. The point you raise about where the cows are slaughtered actually means that we can guarantee that the cows are pre stunned which yes is a big point that consumers raise.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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